Native Plant Horticulture Assistant Manager

position: Native Plant Horticulture Assistant Manager

Location: Pullman, Washington

Employment Category: – Permanent, with three month probationary period

Full/Part Time: Full Time (40 hrs/wk)

Position Summary: Utilizing available greenhouse and nursery space to produce a maximal number of viable native native plants for Great Plains, Palouse Prairie, and potentially other restoration projects; occasionally assisting with seed collection and restoration work. 

Salary: $23-26/hr (DOE)

Preferred Start Date: March 2026 or sooner

Benefits:

• Employer subsidized healthcare plan
• Retirement 401k benefits (after 1 year of employment)
• Flexible work schedule & location (some remote work possible in addition to in-person work)
• Paid holidays & leave
• Potential for incentive-based annual bonuses and promotion with organizational growth
• Paid work travel to established and new project sites around the U.S. and the world, as applicable

Position description: The Native Greenhouse Assistant Manager’s primary goal is to produce a maximal number of viable native plant seedlings for planting at The Phoenix Conservancy’s (TPC) restoration sites, primarily the Palouse Prairie and Northern Great Plains. The target number of viable native plants will be an additional 500 individuals of each viable native species in TPC’s inventory. Concurrent with the cultivation of the above minimum number of viable plants, the secondary goal of this position is to continue to develop The Phoenix Conservancy’s greenhouse procedures and protocols, including native propagation, plant materials inventory and organization, and other key areas. To accomplish these tasks, a list of sample duties for the position will include (but is not limited to):

• Report to Executive Director, and maintain frequent updates and communication on project status and progress to the Executive Director, Palouse Prairie Restoration Manager, Great Plains Restoration Manager, other relevant Restoration Managers as applicable.
• Successfully germinate, cultivate, and maintain a maximal number of plants native to the Palouse Prairie, Northern Great Plains, and other restoration regions/ecosystems as applicable.
• Manage, maintain, grow and improve native seed collections (of the same regions/ecosystems).
• Assist in the collection of seed from wild source populations in preparation for ongoing cultivation efforts.
• Supervise TPC staff (crew leads, crew members, volunteers, and other TPC staff as relevant) in performing greenhouse and related tasks.
• Maintain organized and professional cultivation spaces, both in greenhouse and outdoor nursery spaces.
• Work with the Palouse Prairie, Great Plains, and other Restoration Managers to improve and develop propagation and wild seed collection protocols.
• As needed, assist with other TPC activities this summer, including restoration activities and special events, including fieldwork, biochar production, and other outdoor activities related to restoration of Palouse Prairie.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience in horticulture, gardening, or farming with a strong understanding of plant cultivation techniques (1 year minimum, 2-3+ years preferred)
• Hands-on experience with irrigation systems, greenhouse management, lawn care, and landscaping projects.
• Basic knowledge of plant physiology, plant identification, pest management, and soil health.
• Basic math skills for measurements and calculations.
• Ability to perform moderate to heavy lifting (up to 40 lbs) safely as part of daily outdoor work activities.
• Strong leadership skills, with experience supervising individuals or teams.
• Excellent organizational skills to manage inventory, planting schedules, and operational workflows.
• Basic computer skills, such as in Google Sheets / Excel, Google Drive, etc.
• Willingness to work outdoors in varying weather conditions while maintaining safety standards.
• Mechanical aptitude for maintaining irrigation equipment, hand tools, and other nursery machinery strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with native plants of the Western U.S. preferred (especially of grassland/prairie ecosystems).

The Phoenix Conservancy Organization Background: Founded in 2016, The Phoenix Conservancy (TPC) has put in thousands of hours of work restoring Palouse Prairie, Great Plains shortgrass prairie, and rainforests in Madagascar. Though seemingly disparate, these ecosystems were selected for their close fit with our three project selection criteria on a local (Palouse Prairie), national (Great Plains shortgrass prairie), and global (Madagascar rainforest) scale. Our project sites represent ecosystems that 1) Have less than 10% of original ecosystem intact, 2) Have high biodiversity, as measured by a combination of species number and/or uniqueness, and 3) Present pragmatic opportunities for our organization to have an impact. 

The Phoenix Conservancy is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. The Phoenix Conservancy makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.