OVERVIEW:

The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) Department of Botany/Smithsonian Gardens (SG) is looking for volunteers to assist with the care of its living plant collection at our greenhouse facility in Suitland, MD. Volunteers will have the opportunity to work with rare plants, collected in the wild by Smithsonian Botanists. This collection, housed in the Botany Greenhouses, is currently not on display to the public, making it a unique and exciting experience. This position involves routine plant care, cleaning, and pest management as directed by the collection horticulturist.

Duties will be performed at the Smithsonian Gardens’ greenhouse complex in Suitland, MD. A Smithsonian shuttle is available from the National Mall to the Smithsonian’s Suitland Campus for volunteers. Free parking is available on site.

Duties include:

  • Assisting with plant grooming, weeding, propagation, repotting, etc.
  • Scouting for pests inside the greenhouses to record pest populations and notify staff of pest presence.
  • Cleaning botany greenhouses and supplies, including sweeping greenhouse floors, washing planting pots, and maintaining clean workspaces.
  • Assisting with ongoing collection inventory work

REQUIRED SKILLS & ABILITIES:

Botany Greenhouse Volunteers must be able to follow directions and pay close attention to detail when performing assigned tasks. Volunteers must be willing to learn and adapt to specific handling procedures for collection plants. Good communication skills are required.

Volunteers must be able to lift 30 pounds, stand for long periods, work in humid greenhouses, and work in excessive heat at times with temperatures as high as 85 degrees. Volunteers must also be willing and able to perform tasks associated with maintaining a living plant collection (watering, repotting, dead leaf removal, etc.).

The position requires a minimum 1-year commitment. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and complete a Smithsonian pre-appointment background investigation.

LOCATION

LOCATION  
Duties will be performed at the Smithsonian Gardens’ greenhouse complex in Suitland, MD. A Smithsonian shuttle is available from the National Mall to the Smithsonian’s Suitland Campus for volunteers.

SCHEDULING REQUIREMENTS:

Greenhouse Volunteers commit to complete 4-6 hours of service each week between the hours of 7 am and 3 pm, Monday through Friday (no weekend hours available).

TRAINING:

Volunteers must complete all Smithsonian Volunteer training assigned as well as periodic trainings focused on greenhouse safety and proper collection handling to stay up to date on changes in protocol. This is an internal safety training provided by Smithsonian Gardens.

COVID safety training is required.

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