Design Assistant

Summary:

The Natural Garden designs and installs living landscapes and restores natural habitats in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley and Piedmont. In our landscapes we work primarily with native plants to feed the pollinators and support the greater food web, adding edible, herbal, and medicinal plants to nourish both human and wild inhabitants. Old-world stonework is incorporated into our ecological landscape designs to visually anchor the garden with timeless beauty. Just beyond these outdoor living rooms we set the course for ecological stability to emerge where we restore meadows, savannas, streams and woodland. With over 25 years experience, The Natural Garden is the Shenandoah Valley’s source for creating healthy natural outdoor living spaces and for restoring streams, meadows, and woodlands to habitats of increasing biodiversity and natural beauty.

Job Type:

• Full-time Pay
• $21.00 – $24.00 per hour depending on experience.

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• PTO
• Paid Holidays
• Option to earn semi-annual bonus

Job Responsibilities:

Show up with a positive and uplifting work ethic and collaborates well with team members.

Design Assistant:

• Learn the principles and methods of ecological landscaping design.
• Learn the style and standards of The Natural Garden and implement these into any designs you produce.
• Learn and assist with site surveys of projects (note-taking, site measurements, and photos).
• Learn to use GIS and other geographic systems to map sites and their conditions for accurate design planning.
• Learn to operate the drone and its equipment.
• Learn to render digitally or by hand base plans, concept designs, planting schematics, & landscape profiles or cross sections.
• Assist as a note-taker during client meetings.
• Learn and assist with the completion and filing of Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP) grants.
• Assist with the instruction of field crews as it pertains to designs and plans.
• Learn and assist with client email communications as it pertains to project updates, site arrivals, or sending design materials (e.g. plant pptx, meeting recaps, designs, etc.).
• Learn and assist with nursery plant pull requests or ordering of plants.
• Learn and develop a knowledge of Virginia native plants and their cultural conditions to produce plant lists and schematics for client projects.
• Assist with plant or project layout at job sites.
• Assist with planting on sites.
• Assist with document filing and record-keeping.
• Learn and assist with the development and population of client spreadsheets.
• Cross-training in other areas. You may be asked to help with planting in the field, nursery, or to perform other duties as needs arise.
• Learn and master the hands-on work skills and achieve excellence in project production, in time and task management, in smooth workflow, in excellent organizational communication, and in contributing to team cohesion.
• Learn and assist with outreach classes and our local Farmers Market.
• Assist with weekend water rotation at the nursery is required.

Additional Tasks you may be Cross Trained in:

• Learn the work of ecological landscaping so that you can guide field crews on plans and the methods for achieving the design requirements: including but not limited to knowing the process for clearing, preparation, bed development, native plant recognition, grading, and planting, as well as habitat restoration work such as invasive plant removals, cutting, planting, and management.
• Learn and assist with the instruction of field crews on the plans and placements of stones in hardscape projects.
• Actively develop understanding of native plant communities through on-the-job learning and other professional development opportunities.
• Cross-training in other areas. You may be asked to help with the nursery or perform other duties as needs arise.
• Learn and master the hands-on work skills and achieve excellence in project production, in time and task management, in smooth workflow, in excellent organizational communication, and in contributing to team cohesion.
• Learn and assist with outreach classes and our local Farmers Market.
• Assist with weekend water rotation at the nursery is required.

Required Experience and Knowledge:

• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, landscape design or architecture, or related field (e.g. biology, environmental).
• Strong communication skills.
• Familiarity with industry standard design software and Microsoft applications.
• Experience with drafting by hand and on computer.
• Experience using drafting tools (e.g. drafting table, architect and engineer scales, etc.).
• Portfolio demonstrating your work and skills.

Desired Experience and Knowledge:

• Experience with the native plants of the Shenandoah Valley and the Piedmont of Virginia or the Mid-Atlantic Region at least.
• Experience driving manual transmission trucks.
• Experience pulling trailers.

License/Certification:

• Driver’s License (Required)

Work Schedule:

• In person
• Monday to Friday
• Overtime as needed
• Seasonal weekend work possible

Harrisonburg, VA: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Interested candidate must email HR Department:  Anna@thenaturalgarden.net. 

Include Cover letter, resume, and three professional references (must include email addresses).

To learn more about The Natural Garden, go to thenaturalgarden.net.

Individuals from out of the area are encouraged to apply. While we cannot help you move here, we think you’ll love it when you do! Harrisonburg, VA has much to offer for arts, culture, food, and more. It gets even better! We are within easy reach of numerous natural resource destinations, an abundance of farm-to-table food and craft beverage options, year-round outdoor recreation opportunities, historical and architectural destinations, and world class cultural amenities. Find out more about Harrisonburg and the Shenandoah region.