Horticultural Technician 2

Duties Description

Under the supervision of the Park Manager 1 and/or higher-level staff, the responsibilities of this Horticultural Technician 2 will be focused on working closely with volunteers, the community, the agency’s stewardship team, and the on-site maintenance crew to direct the maintenance and care of the gardens and grounds of Olana State Historic Site. Duties include but are not limited to:
• Performing garden maintenance such as pruning, planting, mulching, watering, and weeding; Monitoring for pests, invasive species, and diseases; Developing and implement integrated pest management systems.
• Supervising, training, and scheduling skilled and semi-skilled employees and volunteers (full-time or seasonal) in the care of plant material.
• Determining the site’s planting needs, developing propagation schedules, ordering materials, and supervising the propagation of plants, trees, and shrubs for the site; Preparing sketches and schematics for seasonal staff to plant and construct gardens.
• Leading horticultural tours and assisting with special programs, events, and volunteer programs; Answering questions for park visitors about horticulture, history, design, and general park information.
• Assisting with the maintenance of buildings and facilities, such as opening and closing of the site.
• Operating and maintaining hand and portable power tools and motorized equipment such as mowers, tractors, sprayers, saws, tillers, trimmers, etc. safely.
• Operating light trucks and other motor vehicles in the performance of duties assigned.
• Performing routine manual maintenance tasks to maintain associated plantings, buildings, roads, and equipment and ensuring all supplies and equipment are properly stored.
• Performs snow and ice control measures and maintains grounds and structures as needed.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Permanent Appointment via List or Transfer:
To be considered for permanent appointment, candidates must be reachable on the current Civil Service eligible list or be eligible for reassignment or transfer in accordance with Civil Service Law.

Note: Consecutive transfers resulting in an advancement of more than two salary grades are not permitted under Civil Service Law.

Permanent Appointment via Non-Competitive Promotion:
If three or fewer qualified New York State OPRHP Horticultural Technician 1 candidates respond to this notice, the agency may, at its discretion, nominate a qualified employee for a permanent non-competitive promotion under the provisions of Section 52.7 of the Civil Service Law.

Permanent Non-Competitive Appointment via NY HELPS:
This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).***
To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, or 55 b/c, candidates must meet the minimum qualifications for this position. The qualifications are:
Either 1. Four years of technical experience in horticulture, plant propagation, nursery, or greenhouse work*, which includes plant pest and disease detection and control. This experience must include one year of supervisory experience;
Or 2. An associate's or higher-level degree and two years of technical experience in horticulture, plant propagation, nursery, or greenhouse work*, which includes plant pest and disease detection and control;
Or 3. A bachelor's or higher-level degree in horticulture, agronomy, forestry, or an agricultural related field;

*Experience working in a florist shop is not qualifying.
***For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title maybe filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

Provisional Appointment:
Candidates may be appointed on a provisional* basis by meeting the following open competitive or promotion minimum qualifications:
Open Competitive:
Either 1. Four years of technical experience in horticulture, plant propagation, nursery, or greenhouse work*, which includes plant pest and disease detection and control. This experience must include one year of supervisory experience;
Or 2. An associate's or higher-level degree and two years of technical experience in horticulture, plant propagation, nursery, or greenhouse work*, which includes plant pest and disease detection and control;
Or 3. A bachelor's or higher-level degree in horticulture, agronomy, forestry, or an agricultural related field;
Or 4. A current qualified employee of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation with one year of permanent non-competitive service as a Horticultural Technician 1, SG-8.
* Experience working in a florist shop is not qualifying.

Promotion: one year of permanent non-competitive service as a Horticultural Technician 1.

*NOTE: Individuals appointed provisionally must take and pass a Civil Service examination for this position and be reachable; i.e., be one of the top three (3) candidates on the resulting eligible list willing to accept the position. Candidates who do not pass the examination or who do not achieve a reachable score may not be retained.

Additional Comments

OPERATIONAL NEEDS:
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license that allows the candidate to legally operate a motor vehicle in New York State as a term and condition of employment.
• Must complete CPR/AED training within the probationary period and must maintain the certification as a term and condition of employment.
• Must complete and pass chainsaw certification - levels 1, 2, 3 as a term and condition of employment.
• Must perform medium to heavy physical labor and to lift a minimum of 50 lbs.
• Must support projects at additional parks throughout the Taconic Region by working weekend, holiday, and/or evening hours as operationally necessary.

BENEFITS:
Paid Time Off:
• 44 days - 13 Vacation days, 13 Sick days, and 5 Personal Leave days, 13 Holidays.
• Three (3) days of professional leave annually to participate in professional development.
Health Care Benefits:
• Eligible employees and dependents can pick from a variety of affordable health insurance programs.
• Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost.
Additional Benefits:
• New York State Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) Membership
• NYS Deferred Compensation
• Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs, as well as U.S. Savings Bonds
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
• Paid Parental / Family Leave
To learn more about our benefits, visit: https://parks.ny.gov/employment/benefits.aspx

Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.

Closing Date/Time: 12/24/24

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• New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation

• 518-474-0453

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