Assistant Horticulturist

Duke University:

 

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

 

Occupational Summary

The Research Greenhouse Horticulturist Assistant is responsible for assisting the Greenhouse Manager and Greenhouse Horticulturists with the care and maintenance of plants in the Duke Bioscience Research Greenhouses and Live Plant Collections. This includes assisting with day-to-day operations and maintenance of the greenhouse and associated facilities and equipment. This position’s schedule must include both weekend days, and three other continuous days each week. This position requires that the employee work independently on weekends and occasional holidays.

 

Worked Performed

 Greenhouse Operations and Plant Care (75%):

• Plant care
  • Recognizing and attending to the watering needs of many types of plants.
  • Recognizing the nutritional needs of many types of plants and understanding fertilizer types, schedules, and application methods.
  • Communicating with researchers and addressing their needs as it relates to plant care and experiment conditions.
  • Assisting all researchers using the facility in creating and maintaining specialized experimental set-ups.

• Assisting the Greenhouse Manager and Horticulturists in carrying out a program of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) within the Research Greenhouses and Live Plant Collections.

• Examining plants for signs of disease and pest infestation on a daily basis, and reporting findings to the rest of the team.
• Carrying out applications of beneficial insects and pesticide applications as determined by the Greenhouse Manager and Horticulturists.
• Identifying both beneficial and non-beneficial insects in all of their life stages and understanding how pesticides may affect the balance of that relationship.
• Understanding the environmental and cultural aspects of IPM, which aid in creating a balance between beneficial and pest insects.
• Cultivating a comprehensive knowledge of pesticides, including understanding labels, mixing proper dilution rates, compatibility, and complying with the state and federal regulatory standards.

• Facility operation:

• • Assisting the Greenhouse Manager in running the day-to-day operation of the Research Greenhouses.
  • Assisting with keeping the facility clean: pressure washing, sweeping, sanitizing research support areas, pot washing, cart washing, steaming soil, and removing plant litter from the Research Zones.
  • Carrying out soil sterilization and transgenic plant devitalization in compliance with APHIS/USDA/EPA guidelines.
  • In consultation with the Greenhouse Manager, utilizing Argus or Siemens climate control software to operate greenhouse mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.
  • In consultation with the Greenhouse Manager, troubleshooting malfunctions of greenhouse climate control systems. Devise temporary climate control measures until permanent repairs can be made.  Help identify and resolve facility problems by reporting malfunctions to the Duke Facilities Management Department (FMD).

 

Work-Study Oversight, Horticultural Assistance, and Public Engagement (20%):

 

• Assisting in the supervision of work-study students:
  • Training work-study students in job skills and enforcing university policies.
  • Leading and supervising work-study students to accomplish daily tasks.

 

• Assisting the Live Plant Collection Horticulturist:

• • Preparing plants for transport to classrooms or on-site display and interpretation.
  • Utilizing database software to maintain accurate records for all plant specimens, including accession number, botanical name, origin, unique cultural requirements, and provenance.  
  • Creating specimen-specific labels for the curation of plants and the interpretation of educational information for students.
  • Propagating specimen plants by means of seed sow