Horticultural Specialist

Work Schedule Monday - Friday, 6:00 am - 2:30 pm; some rotating weekends

Department:
Landscape Maintenance & Operations

NC State University Facilities Division is home to nearly 900 professionals who plan, build, and maintain the spaces that foster an environment where innovation, learning, and community thrive. Operating year‑round, we manage more than 16.7 million gross square feet of built space and oversee 4,733 acres of campus infrastructure through multiple core departments:

• Design & Construction
• Business Operations
• Campus Operations and Maintenance
• Campus Planning and Strategic Investment

As a key plant‑care expert for assigned campus zones, you will apply your horticultural knowledge, problem‑solving skills, and creativity to support the university’s landscape standards, sustainability goals, and student engagement initiatives.

As a Pack member, you belong here and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well‑being. Learn about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

• Perform hands‑on landscape tasks including pruning, weeding, mulching, planting, watering, blowing, and debris removal.
• Apply horticultural best practices and integrated pest management procedures across assigned campus zones.
• Monitor plant health and diagnose issues such as diseases, pests, nutrient deficiencies, or environmental stress; recommend and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure compliance with plant maintenance service agreements, including fertilization, soil testing, pruning schedules, and routine care standards.
• Evaluate plant conditions and provide clear reports and recommendations to the supervisor.
• Serve as a horticultural resource and mentor to LM&O staff by offering training, demonstrations, and guidance on effective plant care techniques.
• Troubleshoot landscape maintenance concerns and communicate findings promptly to the supervisor.
• Maintain and care for green roof landscapes, ensuring proper plant selection, watering needs, and adherence to rooftop safety procedures.
• Monitor indoor plant installations and ensure proper watering, lighting conditions, and timely plant replacement.
• Support student‑led projects by consulting on plant selection, providing instructional guidance, and ensuring alignment with campus landscape standards.
• Support student workdays and internships by preparing tools, offering hands‑on training, and ensuring safe field practices.
• Collaborate with Landscape Field Leads and Zone Managers on planting design, seasonal planning, and landscape project implementation.
• Advise LM&O staff on sustainable landscape practices, seasonal plant selection, biodiversity, and strategies that enhance long‑term campus aesthetic and ecological health.
• Lift and transport materials weighing up to 60 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodations, and perform a wide range of physically demanding tasks in diverse outdoor environments while maintaining safe handling procedures and consistent productivity.
• Understand verbal and written instructions regarding work assignments and other matters.

• Position serves in a critical role requiring the employee to potentially work during adverse weather conditions even if the University is closed to normal operations.
• Aid in snow, debris removal and/or storm damage as directed by supervisors.
• Other tasks and responsibilities may be assigned based on the needs of the organization and evolving priorities.

High school or GED diploma and possession of the competencies necessary to perform the work; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Necessary Special

Qualifications:

North Carolina pesticide license may be required and can be obtained within six months of employment;
North Carolina commercial driver’s license may be required.

• Knowledge of regional plant varieties and the ability to diagnose common plant health…