Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.
Who We Are:
The Grounds Department of Swarthmore College is responsible for maintaining the collections of the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College, as well as maintaining a safe outdoor environment for all College students, staff, faculty and guests. The department consists of a Director of Grounds, Assistant Director of Grounds, two horticulture crews, each consisting of a Garden Supervisor, an Assistant Garden Supervisor and 5 gardeners. In addition, there is a Grounds mechanic and an athletic fields crew that oversees the care and maintenance of the outdoor athletic fields.
The opportunity:
Provides horticultural support for the care and maintenance of the plant collections, gardens and landscaped areas of the Scott Arboretum and the entire Swarthmore College campus and properties owned by the College. Tasks performed include general gardening duties and plant collections maintenance; assisting in the maintenance of the Crum Woods and faculty/staff housing properties; program assistance for Scott Arboretum educational programs and volunteer education; co-supervising Gardener I staff members, volunteers, student workers and summer interns; providing assistance for College events; performing maintenance to keep the campus exteriors safe; providing assistance during weather emergencies, for snow and ice during winter storms and for other grounds keeping duties; provides educational tours for Arboretum visitors.
Gardener Level I
Essential Responsibilities
Assists in maintaining the plant collections by performing timely planting, weeding, mulching, pruning, fertilizing, irrigating, leaf raking, and other plant cultural practices with minimal supervision in order to maintain campus aesthetics and provide proper horticultural care. Assists in design modifications as needed to the Arboretum’s landscape and gardens. Assists in plant records and plant curation as needed.
Assists in maintaining specialty garden areas consisting of Glade Garden, Harry Wood Garden, Nason Garden, Pinetum, Pollinators Garden, Singer Hall landscape, Winter Garden, magnolia and holly collections, green roofs, various courtyard gardens and major horticultural collections as the most intensively-maintained gardens on campus.
Assists in maintaining a broad range of trees, shrubs, vines, herbaceous perennials, annuals, and turf grass; has the basic knowledge to provide proper horticultural care in a timely and efficient manner. Demonstrates ability to decide a course of action relative to soils and fertilization. Is up-to-date on accepted practices relative to soil care, pruning and planting in order to implement best management practices.
Assists in making decisions relative to the common diseases, insects, weeds, and cultural problems of landscapes and turf in the mid-Atlantic region in order to make proper decisions for daily maintenance.
Demonstrates familiarity with sustainable landscape/gardening practices relating to soil and plant health.
Possesses basic knowledge of restoration processes and maintenance of natural areas such as the Crum Woods.
Maintains Pennsylvania pesticide applicator certification for ornamentals and turf in order to legally and safely apply pesticides or organic control materials.
Keeps campus areas, turf, roads, sidewalks, and patios maintained in an efficient way. Has the ability to prioritize these tasks in order to provide a safe and aesthetically-pleasing campus.
Performs trash removal, irrigation, turf renovation, turf mowing, snow removal, and leaf raking in order to efficiently maintain safety and high horticultural aesthetics on campus.
Assists with special function set-up and tear-down in order to prepare the facilities in a timely manner for College- and Arboretum-hosted events.
Is present for and assists in College emergencies, bad weather occurrences, and special College functions in order to maintain campus safety for students, staff, and visitors.
Develops, leads or assists with Arboretum classes and lectures open to members, the public and volunteers.
Provides horticultural information to the public, members and volunteers.
Leads or assists with various educational programs (Arboretum tours, lectures, conferences, sales and events; Alumni weekend tours) as needed.
Lends support when requested to the College’s professors, students and educational departments in their classes and laboratories that utilize the plant collections, gardens and Crum Woods.
Supervisory Responsibilities
Assists in daily supervision of 2-7 assigned volunteers, 1-5 student workers and 1-3 summer interns.
Who you are:
Builds successful working relationships with coworkers and supervisors. Projects a positive image of the grounds department and of Swarthmore College. Communicates readily and works effectively as a member of a team.
Works successfully with coworkers, interns, students, and Arboretum volunteers in order to efficiently and effectively accomplish the workload of the department.
Adapts to new work situations, people, ideas, procedures, and organizational structures, in order to be successful in a constantly changing work environment.
Exhibits maturity, reliability, composure, and stability under pressure in order to handle on-the-job stresses and challenges.
Understands and abides by a high standard of professional ethics in order to ensure the integrity of the organization.
Works successfully with a diverse department and upholds the College’s commitment to equal opportunity.
What you bring:
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in horticulture or related discipline; or, practical horticultural training course (two to four year program) plus one to three years of job-related experience
Prior gardening/horticulture experience
Maintains Pennsylvania pesticide applicator certification for ornamentals and turf in order to legally and safely apply pesticides or organic control materials, or is willing to do so
Must possess a valid driver’s license.
Must have demonstrated knowledge of ornamental plants and turf including: plant identification, cultural requirements, care and maintenance, proper pruning techniques and IPM practices.
Must be familiar with the operation and maintenance of hand tools and grounds maintenance equipment.
Preferred Qualifications
Three to five years of gardening/horticulture experience in addition to formal education requirement.
Experience working in a public garden or college campus setting.
Gardener Level II
Essential Responsibilities
Maintains the plant collections by performing timely planting, weeding, mulching, pruning, fertilizing, irrigating, leaf raking, and other plant cultural practices with minimal supervision in order to maintain campus aesthetics and provide proper horticultural care. Assists in design modifications as needed to the Arboretum’s landscape and gardens. Assists in plant records and plant curation as needed.
Maintains specialty garden areas consisting of Glade Garden, Harry Wood Garden, Nason Garden, Pinetum, Pollinators Garden, Singer Hall landscape, Winter Garden, magnolia and holly collections, green roofs, various courtyard gardens and major horticultural collections as the most intensively-maintained gardens on campus.
Maintains a broad range of trees, shrubs, vines, herbaceous perennials, annuals, and turf grass; has the basic knowledge to provide proper horticultural care in a timely and efficient manner. Demonstrates ability to decide a course of action relative to soils and fertilization. Is up-to-date on accepted practices relative to soil care, pruning and planting in order to implement best management practices.
Assists in making decisions relative to the common diseases, insects, weeds, and cultural problems of landscapes and turf in the mid-Atlantic region in order to make proper decisions for daily maintenance.
Demonstrates familiarity with sustainable landscape/gardening practices relating to soil and plant health.
Possesses basic knowledge of restoration processes and maintenance of natural areas such as the Crum Woods.
Maintains Pennsylvania pesticide applicator certification for ornamentals and turf in order to legally and safely apply pesticides or organic control materials.
Keeps campus areas, turf, roads, sidewalks, and patios maintained in an efficient way. Has the ability to prioritize these tasks in order to provide a safe and aesthetically-pleasing campus.
Performs trash removal, irrigation, turf renovation, turf mowing, snow removal, and leaf raking in order to efficiently maintain safety and high horticultural aesthetics on campus.
Assists with special function set-up and tear-down in order to prepare the facilities in a timely manner for College- and Arboretum-hosted events.
Is present for and assists in College emergencies, bad weather occurrences, and special College functions in order to maintain campus safety for students, staff, and visitors.
Develops, leads or assists with Arboretum classes and lectures open to members, the public and volunteers.
Provides horticultural information to the public, members and volunteers.
Leads or assists with various educational programs (Arboretum tours, lectures, conferences, sales and events; Alumni weekend tours) as needed.
Lends support when requested to the College’s professors, students and educational departments in their classes and laboratories that utilize the plant collections, gardens and Crum Woods.
Supervisory Responsibilities
Co-supervision of 1-2 Gardener I positions.
Daily supervision of 2-7 assigned volunteers, 1-5 student workers and 1-3 summer interns.
Who you are:
Builds successful working relationships with coworkers and supervisors. Projects a positive image of the grounds department and of Swarthmore College. Communicates readily and works effectively as a member of a team.
Works successfully with coworkers, interns, students, and Arboretum volunteers in order to efficiently and effectively accomplish the workload of the department.
Adapts to new work situations, people, ideas, procedures, and organizational structures, in order to be successful in a constantly changing work environment.
Exhibits maturity, reliability, composure, and stability under pressure in order to handle on-the-job stresses and challenges.
Understands and abides by a high standard of professional ethics in order to ensure the integrity of the organization.
Works successfully with a diverse department and upholds the College’s commitment to equal opportunity.
What you bring:
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in horticulture or related discipline; or, practical horticultural training course (two to four year program) plus three to five years of job-related experience
Prior gardening/horticulture experience
Maintains Pennsylvania pesticide applicator certification for ornamentals and turf in order to legally and safely apply pesticides or organic control materials, or is willing to do so
Must possess a valid driver’s license.
Must have demonstrated knowledge of ornamental plants and turf including: plant identification, cultural requirements, care and maintenance, proper pruning techniques and IPM practices.
Must be familiar with the operation and maintenance of hand tools and grounds maintenance equipment.
Preferred Qualifications
Five years or more of gardening/horticulture experience in addition to formal education requirement.
Experience working in a public garden or college campus setting.
Physical Demands
Ability to frequently lift objects weighing up to 50 pounds and possess the physical strength to perform groundskeeping/gardening operations. Ability to carry a 35-pound backpack sprayer for extended periods.
Hand, arm, and back strength to shovel, prune, and rake for extended periods of time. Ability to manipulate vibrating, hand-held power machinery for extended times. Ability to perform kneeling, bending, and squatting motions for extended times. Ability to work from a ladder doing pruning and other plant care. Visual ability to do detailed pruning.
Ability to read and interpret pesticide labels, machinery safety manuals, and new information related to horticultural practices. Ability to maintain written maintenance records and keep a journal of daily work.
Working Conditions
Ability to work under harsh weather conditions and perform emergency storm-related damage services is required. Ability to work occasional scheduled weekends. Emergency work may require time outside of the normal workday.
Physical dexterity to perform the job and the ability to work outside year-round are necessary.
High level of productivity; work pace is frequently fast-paced.
Ability to work with diverse crew, faculty, staff, and volunteers.
What You Will Get:
You’ll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 420-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff.
We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration, submit applications with an uploaded resume, including a cover letter, by May 27, 2025. Applications received after this date may be reviewed on a rolling basis until the job has been filled. A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position. If you have experience that meets any of the preferred qualifications, please include a detailed explanation of any such experience in your cover letter and how it meets the preferred qualification(s).
PA Criminal Required
Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all staff positions prior to the start of employment.
MVR Required by Position
Due to operating a College owned motor vehicle while performing essential job responsibilities for this position, a motor vehicle report (MVR) clearance is required prior to the start of employment.
Education Verification Required by Position
An education verification is required for this position because a college degree is a required qualification for this position.
Preview our Benefits Flyer. We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.
Swarthmore College actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.
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