Arlington Heights, IL – Horticulturalist

AHPD OVERVIEW

The Arlington Heights Park District (AHPD) is one of the most noteworthy park districts in Illinois. Located 25 miles northwest from downtown Chicago, AHPD is the 3rd largest Park District in Cook County and the 12th largest in the State of Illinois. Since 1925, AHPD continues to enrich the community by providing fun, accessible, and impactful recreation and facilities for every age and every season. The District are stewards of five community centers with outdoor pools, two tennis clubs, Lake Arlington, Arlington Ridge Center, two public golf clubs and a driving range, Arlington Heights Historical Museum, Senior Center, 58 parks, 44 playgrounds, 22 miles of jogging and bike trails across 714 acres of land. AHPD is a three times National Gold Medal Award recipient for excellence in the field of parks and recreation management and an Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency.

GENERAL PARKS AND PLANNING INFORMATION

The Park District’s 716 acres and 22 buildings are maintained by the staff in the Parks and Planning Department. The grounds department maintains the 58 parks with 48 tennis courts, 7 pickleball courts, 21 soccer fields, 42 baseball/softball fields, 31 basketball courts and 22 miles of paved walking and biking paths. The trades department, comprised of 8 full time staff, is dedicated to their trade responsibilities of HVAC, pool maintenance, fleet, electrical, plumbing, and carpentry. While each has their own dedicated responsibilities, they also work together across disciplines to provide quality and efficient service and repairs. Staff work cooperatively to deliver fun and safe special events like the Memorial Day parade and ceremony, 4th of July parade and Frontier Days, and the holiday tree lighting and display at North School Park.

JOB SPECIFIC INFORMATION

Join the Parks Department and become part of the team that is responsible for performing a variety of specialized daily, cyclical, and routine horticultural and grounds maintenance functions at the Arlington Heights Park District! The Horticultural specialist position performs a variety of duties including:

-Establishes turf, grades, seeds, sods, fertilizes, aerates, top dresses, and overseeds sites
-Applies pesticides to Park District grounds and/or horticultural areas
-Select trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, and ground covers for planting designs
-Prepares beds and sites, plants, trims, prunes, mulches, waters, weeds, stakes, fertilizes, rakes, shovels, digs, grades, backfills, and levels soil to complete and maintain horticultural projects
-Installs, prunes, waters, mulches, stakes, transplants, and removes plant and tree materials
-Manages weed, disease, and insect control
-Follows written planting and site construction plans
-Performs bed preparation, including timber, ledging and border installation, excavation, drainage installation, soil amendment, planting, mulching, and weed control

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING

Minimum of AA/AS Degree in Horticulture required
Minimum three years of experience in horticultural or skilled grounds maintenance
Or, any equivalent combination of education, experience and training
Valid Illinois Driver’s License
Valid Illinois Pesticide Public Operator License or valid Illinois Applicator License in turf and/or ornamentals
CPR and AED Certification required within six months of employment

BENEFITS WE OFFER

In exchange for your time and talent, we offer a generous benefit package, including:

Medical, Dental and Vision coverage
Life Insurance (basic & voluntary additional coverage)
IMRF Defined Benefit Pension
Short- and Long-Term Disability (IMRF)
457 and ROTH 457 Defined Contribution Plans
Medical and Childcare Flexible Spending Accounts
Paid Time Off (sick, vacation and Floating Holidays)
Childcare discounts
Tuition Reimbursement
PPE Reimbursement
Park District facility and program discounts for employees and their families

The Arlington Heights Park District commits itself to diversity, equity, and inclusion to create a mutually respectful, multicultural, and equitable environment.