Employment Opportunities

Native Plant Nursery Assistant  - Seasonal / Part Time 

TITLE: Native Plant Nursery Assistant ($20.00/hour)

POSITION: Hourly (20 hours per week - may include a Saturday or Sunday.)  Seasonal with potential for year round as the nursery grows.

LOCATION: IMAGINE Native Plant Farm at The Bioreserve, Glenmont, NY

PROGRAM BACKGROUND: Home Earth Alliance is a nonprofit organization and native plant nursery located in the Capital Region/Albany NY area. The mission of Home Earth Alliance is to educate, inspire, and empower people to cultivate outdoor spaces to support biodiversity, mitigate climate change, and promote environmental justice. Launched in the Spring of 2024, the IMAGINE Native Plant Farm was established to further that mission and meet the growing demand for ecotype native plant materials for public & private lands and urban spaces in the greater Capital Region. Now in its second growing season, IMAGINE Native Plant Farm hopes to propagate over 45 species of straight native plants for both retail and wholesale customers.

SUPERVISION and TRAINING: The Nursery Technician will be supported and trained in native plant propagation and care, as needed,  by members of Home Earth Alliance’s staff and board. They will be supervised by the Native Plant Nursery Technician in coordination with the Chair of the Nursery Sub-Committee.

POSITION DESCRIPTION: Home Earth Alliance seeks a capable, reliable, and highly responsible part time nursery assistant with a passion for native plants and the environment to join our growing team. Must possess an interest to learn, a strong work ethic, a high level of self-motivation, work effectively without supervision, and possess strong interpersonal and customer relation skills. The Nursery Assistant will work in day-to-day care of the nursery and plants, as well as assist customers during limited open retail hours, by appointment hours, and at the local farmer’s market.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • General greenhouse tasks including but not limited to: preparing soil mixes, seeding, watering, up-potting, pruning, and maintaining a clean, attractive, and organized work and retail space

  • Assist with efforts to maintain an Inventory of plants, supplies, and equipment

  • Clean pots, weed, and provide light property maintenance around the hoop house

  • Update propagation and hoop house protocols

  • Engage with volunteers and interns

  • Assist with plant and merchandise sales and communicate effectively with customers, including at the farm and at the local farmer's market

  • Support additional projects and programs of Home Earth Alliance, such as urban garden planting, hoop house construction, or garden show exhibit installations, as needed

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Experience with greenhouse work and native plant propagation

  • Familiarity with New York native plant species and/or a desire to learn more about them

  • Experience with customer service and/or sales

TO APPLY:

Please email a resume and cover letter to Pam Skripak, Executive Director, at info@homeearthalliance.org. 

POSTING DATE: March 18, 2025

PREFERRED START DATE: April 14, 2025