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City of Cincinnati

PARKS/RECREATION SPECIALIST - HORTICULTURE/NATURAL RESOURCES

City of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, 45208

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Overview

PARKS/RECREATION SPECIALIST - HORTICULTURE/NATURAL RESOURCES Parks seeks reliable and customer-focused individuals to join our team as part-time Parks/Recreation Specialist. This position may report to the Operations or Natural Resources Divisions to assist in maintaining Park Board-controlled properties. Duties may include general landscape/lawn care, forest restoration, and/or horticultural services. In this role, you will provide excellent customer service to park visitors, address inquiries, and ensure a positive experience for all patrons. The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills, a friendly demeanor, and a passion for promoting a safe and enjoyable environment within our parks.

Hours

Part-time employees work up to 30 hours per week. Some positions may work weekends, holidays, and evenings.

Responsibilities

A Seasonal Horticulturalist (Operations and Greenspace)

Designs, installs, and maintains horticultural displays

Communicates closely with community representatives to plan displays and inform them of progress

Maintenance and duties include driving a city pickup truck with a large water tank and operating a gas-powered pump to water

Fertilize, prune, deadhead, weed, replace soil as needed, divide plants, remove litter, and related tasks. Work with a horticultural technician to assist with maintenance requirements

Assist with all maintenance and planting tasks, including landscape bed preparation, mulching, weeding, pruning, planting various plant materials and removal, deadheading, trash pickup in beds, raking up debris, fertilizing, and other chemical applications, and watering

Trail management: inspection and maintenance of the trail system throughout the park system

Invasive plant removal: using herbicide, a chain saw, weed whip, and/or machete to manage invasive shrubs, trees, and herbaceous plant materials

Prairie & Meadow management: preparing and managing fields using herbicide and/or mechanical means; collecting native seed for propagation and use in new prairie installations

Forest management: reforestation and landscape planting of native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous understory; monitoring for invasive species

Ecological research: creation, setup, monitoring, and reporting on research projects; data entry in MS Excel and ArcGIS FieldMaps

Volunteer engagement: serving as a site-leader for volunteer workdays

Urban Forestry Technicians

Tree care: brush chipping, removing branches, pruning, watering, and fertilization

Urban Forestry Management: assist with tree inventories; data entry in MS Excel and/or ArcGIS

Tree inventory: work with a certified arborist to collect tree data using Arc Collector

Follow safety procedures and maintain a safe environment for staff and visitors; recognize hazards

Provide general cleaning of park facilities and office areas

Demonstrate organizational and administrative skills; coordinate with staff and volunteers for events; prepare paperwork and event statistics

Secure buildings and event facilities at the end of the workday or as needed during work hours

Develop constructive relationships with community groups and partnerships during special events

Performs related duties as required

Required Education And Experience Must be eighteen (18) years of age, a high school graduate, and have a valid driver’s license.

Desired Education And Experience

One year of college with classes in the natural sciences, education or related area

Knowledge of local ecology, local culture, and natural history

Familiarity with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc., and social media platforms

Knowledge of parks and outdoor activities is preferred

Basic math skills

Knowledge of chainsaw operation and herbicide application

Knowledge of mapping with ArcGIS applications for data collection and reporting

Knowledge of plant identification of native vs invasive species and common tree species

Ability to drive a pickup truck in city traffic

Training Requirements For some positions, fifteen hours of training and/or pre-season orientation may be required. Training topics may include CPR, First Aid, Back Safety, Fire Safety, Customer Service, Cultural Diversity, Sexual Harassment, Inclusion, and the Recreation Commission’s Orientation for New and Returning Employees.

Environmental Conditions Indoor and outdoor environments; exposure to office computer screens; work on slippery or uneven surfaces; work in or around water; exposure to poison flora, insects, or other hazards; exposure to extreme weather; exposure to health issues; exposure to various chemicals; occasional work alone at parks and nature centers.

Physical Conditions Maintaining physical condition for sitting, standing, climbing, walking; leading hikes; occasional lifting up to 50 lbs.; kneeling, crouching or crawling; good vision and hearing; ability to communicate clearly.

Seniority level Entry level

Employment type Part-time

Job function Management and Manufacturing

Industries Government Administration

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