Horticulture & Butterfly Encounter Manager

• Location 250 Columbus Blvd,Hartford, CT, 06103,United States
• Base Pay $56,000.00 - $73,000.00 / Year
• Job Category Visitor Experience, horticulture
• Industry museum, horticulture
• Relocation Expense Covered No
• Employee Type Exempt - FT
• Manage Others Yes

• Name Jenny Black
• Email HR

Job Title :
Horticulture & Butterfly Encounter Manager

FLSA :
Exempt, Full Time, (40 hours a week)

Reports to: Vice President of Visitor Experience

Wage Range: $56,000-$73,000 (negotiable based on experience)

Serving more than 300,000 adults and children each year, the Connecticut Science Center is the state’s premier destination for informal science learning, a top tourist attraction, a hub for teacher training, and one of the state’s foremost resources for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The Butterfly Encounter Exhibit is a world‑class memorable experience for visitors of all ages. The exhibit contains a diverse lush botanical habitat that supports a healthy population of tropical butterflies.

The Horticulturalist & Butterfly Encounter Manager will oversee the daily operations of the Butterfly Encounter venue, assuring the systems maintain a healthy tropical environment for the plants and animals contained within. The successful candidate will serve as the site’s USDA APHIS Containment Officer, creating and abiding by all SOP’s and protocols to keep the Connecticut Science Center in compliance with all USDA regulations, reporting and permit requirements.

In addition, this position will oversee the design and maintenance of the 1,200 sq. ft. Roof Top Garden exhibit by creating and sustaining an outstanding educational experience for visitors in this exterior exhibit gallery. The Horticulturalist & Butterfly Encounter Manager will work with the Director of Facilities in design and maintenance of the Science Center’s exterior landscaping initiatives, including the exterior plaza and its pollinator gardens and other planted materials.

• Maintains annual USDA permits related to the Butterfly Encounter exhibit and performs any reporting requirements. Serves as the Containment Officer to ensure compliance with current and written Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) which this position will review and maintain, coordinating with USDA and internal Connecticut Science Center departments as necessary.
• Propagates species in‑house as appropriate, employing best practices for captive animal husbandry, including choice of host plants, rearing programs, and containment.
• Sources, procures, receives, pins, labels, and releases chrysalides on a weekly/daily basis according to USDA guidelines. Achieves perfect balance of effective and efficient releases to density of experience. Provides all aspects of care for living butterflies and monitors their health.
• Ensures that the butterfly flight area is clean and optimally prepared with appropriate nectars, food, and water to support thriving, active butterflies.
• Has ability to problem solve when environment or other conditions are not producing the desired effect. Willing to euthanize any butterflies, according to standard butterfly husbandry practices, that pose a threat to the health of the rest of the butterfly colony.
• Conducts daily, routine maintenance including deep cleaning of the Butterfly Encounter venue, prep room, and emergence cabinet to create a clean, organized, and USDA compliant space.
• Mants current and accurate record keeping for USDA and internal protocols and SOP’s.
• Serve as the spokesperson, as assigned, and “resident scientist” for the Butterfly Encounter, Roof Top Gardens, and exterior landscaping exhibits, assuring that educational information, publicity and other information disseminated by staff and the Science Center is accurate. Creates plant and butterfly identification systems to educate and engage the public.
• Preserves, protects, and transplants existing plants – includes soil preparation, planting, mulching, weeding, watering, fertilizing, irrigation, pest control and other related maintenance tasks.
• Thoroughly understands and has ownership of the Butterfly Encounter greenhouse environmental control (Wadsworth)…