Lead Horticulture Technician

Position Title: Horticulture Lead

Department: Horticulture

Supervisor: Area Supervisor- Horticulture 

Nashville Zoo Mission:

Nashville Zoo is dedicated to inspiring a culture of understanding and discovery of our natural world through conservation, innovation, and leadership. With a diverse collection of animals and a commitment to wildlife preservation, we provide engaging experiences for visitors of all ages.

Why Work with Us:

At Nashville Zoo, we believe in taking care of our team just as well as we care for our animals. Full-time employees enjoy a robust benefits package designed to support your health, well-being, and future:

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage – including medical, dental, and vision plans to keep you and your family healthy.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – confidential support services for mental, emotional, and financial well-being.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company matching – helping you build a secure future while you make a meaningful impact today.
• Generous paid time off and sick leave – because rest and recovery are vital.
• Exclusive zoo perks – enjoy discounts on park experiences, retail, and food services, plus complimentary membership benefits.
• A collaborative and inclusive culture – be part of a diverse team where your voice matters, your growth is nurtured, and collaboration thrives across all departments.
• AZA-accredited facility – Nashville Zoo is committed to top-tier animal care, ethics and global conservation efforts.

Description: The Lead Horticulture Technician is responsible for maintaining the landscape of their assigned area. The Lead Horticulture Technician must work hours appropriate to meet the needs of the Zoo. This may require weekend, holiday, and early or late shift start times.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support and oversee day-to-day tasks of assigned horticulture team members
• Prune and weed landscaped areas
• Monitor irrigation systems and ensure they are working properly
• Hand water all plantings that are not established
• Install plants when necessary
• Responsible for assisting other departments and staff when requested
• Responsible for completing assigned tasks in an orderly efficient manner
• Responsible for furthering horticulture knowledge during tenure at the Zoo
• Responsible for spraying herbicide in areas that need attention
• Responsible for over seeding any and all exhibits in assigned area
• Responsible for overall health and quality of plants in assigned area, relaying all issues to the Horticulture Manager.
• Responsible for assisting keepers with exhibit maintenance when exhibit falls in your assigned area
• Responsible for noticing and removing broken/dead tree limbs in assigned area, relaying unreachable branches to the Horticulture Manager
• It is your duty to relay any and all work requests to the Horticulture Manager
• Responsible with assisting the Horticulture Manager with turning the compost pile with a skid steer
• Responsible for repairing broken not functioning irrigation heads and lines
• Responsible for keeping all necessary equipment clean and maintained in proper working order
• Responsible for learning to operate heavy equipment to assist the Horticulture Manager when necessary
• Responsible for designing/learning to design annual beds in assigned areas
• Responsible for mentoring new staff when Horticulture Manager is unavailable
• Responsible for relaying any issues at the park, to the Horticulture Manager when he is absent

Skills:

• Ability to work with little or no supervision
• Ability and motivation to learn the plants on grounds and their proper care
• Ability to help guide new employees through daily tasks
• Ability to interact professionally with both staff and visitors
• Ability to perform assigned tasks in an organized and efficient manner
• Ability to professionally and safely use small, medium and heavy equipment and tools required for the execution of assigned tasks
• Ability to identify issues in assigned area and work to find an efficient expedient solution

Physical Responsibilities:

Staff must frequently stand and walk for most of an 8–10‑hour shift and regularly bend, kneel, reach, climb, and perform repetitive motions while cleaning, maintaining grounds, or performing facilities repairs. These roles require frequently lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling up to 50 lbs and occasionally heavier items with assistance, as well as safely navigating ladders, stairs, uneven surfaces, and wet or slippery areas. Adequate vision, hearing, hand dexterity, and clear communication are necessary to operate tools, equipment, vehicles, and radios safely. Work occurs both indoors and outdoors year‑round in all weather conditions, with routine exposure to dust, dirt, chemicals, cleaning agents, noise, and equipment vibration. Positions may involve using power tools, machinery, or motorized vehicles and require adherence to established safety procedures. PPE such as gloves, protective footwear, eye and hearing protection, or respirators may be required depending on the task. Schedules may include early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and occasional overtime based on operational needs. The role must learn new tasks, remember processes, maintain focus, complete task independently, and make timely decisions in the context of a workflow. 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. 

Education:

• Minimum High School diploma or GED equivalent is required.
• A background in landscaping or grounds maintenance is preferred.
• A valid drivers license is required.

Pre-employment requirements:

Nashville Zoo is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and maintains a drug-free work environment. All employment is at-will.

• All candidates are required to successfully complete a criminal background check and drug screening prior to hire.
• Pre-employment and annual tuberculosis (TB) screenings are a condition of continued employment.