Botany Assistant

Position Summary

This position assists with field work (including, but not limited to floristics, demographic monitoring, phenology, seed collection, germination, and restoration), field specimen processing, herbarium specimen processing and data entry.

General Duties and Responsibilities

• Participates in field work for floristic surveys, demographic monitoring, seed collection and restoration, and transcribe data into an SQL database.
• Assists in assigned aspects of specimen and sample processing, including tissue samples, natural history collections, seed collections, and soil samples. 
• Assists in assigned aspects of collecting natural history collections including taking detailed field notes and pictures of plants and habitats, transcribing field notes to the appropriate specimen database, creating labels and matching with specimens.
• Assists in assigned aspects of plant identification in the field and herbarium.
• Assists in assigned aspects of day-to-day natural history collection tasks including specimen processing by assisting with each step of processing workflow, especially pressing, and drying of large quantities of plants as they are brought in from the field.
• Assists with digitization projects of herbarium specimens.
• Maintains satisfactory working relationships with managers, co-workers, and others.
• Maintains a positive, helpful, and solution-oriented demeanor.
• Regular attendance at the worksite may be required. As with all positions at Denver Botanic Gardens, the incumbent must be in good performance standing to be eligible for remote work. Remote work is at the discretion of management at all times.
• All Gardens employees must be committed to the mission of connecting people with plants, especially plants from the Rocky Mountain region and similar regions around the world, providing delight and enlightenment to everyone.

Requirements

Position Qualifications: Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of plant identification is required.
• Ability to maintain attention to detail and a positive attitude under sometimes uncomfortable field conditions.
• Ability to hike off-trail often in steep, exposed terrain while carrying moderately heavy equipment for extended periods of time sometimes in inclement weather conditions (heat, cold, rain, wind, and direct sunlight) at moderate to high altitudes in the presence of wild animals including insects (such as bees, wasps, and mosquitoes).
• Ability to maintain stability under pressure and able to deal well with stressful situations.
• Ability to be flexible and willing to modify plans, when necessary, throughout the day.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends and/or holidays.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Suite products, specifically Word, Excel and Outlook and Teams.
• Ability to work overtime as necessary.
• Must be a positive representative of the Gardens both internally and externally at all times.
• Must work with respect and cooperation at all times with fellow employees and the public.
• Must be committed to working safely at all times.

Experience/Education:

• Associates Degree in botany, biology, environmental sciences, or related areas.   
• Minimum of 2 years experience with ecological field methods (floristic surveys, ecological sampling, vegetation monitoring) and a basic knowledge of plant biology preferred.
• Minimum of 2 years experience in field techniques and taxonomic identification preferred.
• Position requires a valid driver’s license.  

Travel:

• Up to 25% travel required. Requires the ability to travel to remote locations (or other Garden locations) where environment may vary significantly.  

Denver Botanic Gardens has an incredible benefits package for eligible employees!

Our major benefits include a choice of Medical Plans, a Dental and Vision Plan and Life Insurance Plan. We have a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and a Healthcare Spending Account (HSA).

The Gardens offers a generous Retirement Savings Plan with Company contribution of 6% after one year of service for eligible participants.

The Gardens also offers paid holidays, vacation, sick time, and access to personal lines of insurance. Additional benefits include short-term and long-term disability coverage, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and an RTD ECO pass.

For eligible employees, The Gardens employment also includes a complimentary Denver Botanic Gardens Membership, access to Gardens education classes and summer concert tickets.  

Come work for a place that offers you SO much more than just a paycheck!