Assignment Summary
Hourly rate: £10.56
Based within the 40-acre Botanic Garden, we are looking for a full-time temporary Horticultural Assistant, initially for six months, to perform a wide range of horticultural skills that are required to maintain a diverse collection of over 8,000 plants, which is of international importance.
The assignment holder will be working primarily with the Demonstration and Display team but may also be required to work with experienced horticultural staff across sections of the Garden as required. Sections include Trees and Shrubs; Demonstration and Display; Systematic Beds; Alpine and Woodland; Experimental; Glasshouse; Landscape and Machinery.
Key Responsibilities
Provide practical horticultural assistance to section supervisors and assistants in the maintenance, development and curation of the Garden.
Maintenance and development tasks include watering, sweeping/tidying, weed control, edging, hoeing, planting, mowing, hedge cutting, pruning and propagation.
Provide curatorial assistance in the labelling and recording of plants and collections using the plant records database (BGIris)
Provide horticultural support throughout the Garden during garden-wide seasonal tasks, eg leaf clearing and hay raking, and weekly ‘blitz’.
Observe and adopt all statutory and local health and safety regulations and codes of practice and report health and safety incidences appropriately.
Person Profile
We require a minimum basic horticultural qualification (eg RHS Level 2 Certificate in Practical Horticulture) as well as experience within a professional horticultural environment.
Suitable candidates should also be able to demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of horticultural practice, theory and plant knowledge as well as good verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to use a range of machinery including tractors rotary mowers, cylinder mowers, hedge cutters and leaf blowers.
To apply
Please send CV, including qualifications and suitability for the role to admin@botanic.cam.ac.uk
The assignment will be administered through the University of Cambridge’s Temporary Employment Service. For further information please see their website.
Equal Opportunities
The University welcomes diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all workers are eligible to live and work in the UK