Req #: 189183
Department: School of Env. & Forest Sciences: Botanic Gardens
Appointing Department Web Address: https://botanicgardens.uw.edu/
Job Location: Seattle Campus
Posting Date: 04/12/2021
Closing Info: Open Until Filled
Salary: $16.69/Hour
Shift: First Shift

Apply Here: https://uwhires.admin.washington.edu/ENG/Candidates/default.cfm?szCategory=jobprofile&szOrderID=189183

The University of Washington (UW) is proud to be one of the nation’s premier educational and research institutions. Our people are the most important asset in our pursuit of achieving excellence in education, research, and community service. Our staff not only enjoys outstanding benefits and professional growth opportunities, but also an environment noted for diversity, community involvement, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty.

At the University of Washington, diversity is integral to excellence. We value and honor diverse experiences and perspectives, strive to create welcoming and respectful learning environments, and promote access, opportunity and justice for all.

UW’s Botanic Gardens has outstanding opportunities open for Trees for Neighborhoods Summer Crew Members.

Location: UW Seattle campus and field sites throughout Seattle, WA

University of Washington Botanic Gardens (UWBG) Education Program Mission: Provide meaningful educational experiences that enrich participants’ connections with plants and the natural world.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and INCLUSION: At the University of Washington Botanic Gardens, we value and honor diverse experiences and perspectives, strive to create welcoming and respectful learning environments, and promote access, fairness, and opportunity for all. We see implicit and explicit exclusion from green spaces like botanic gardens as an injustice that shapes our past and present and must be countered as we move into the future.

As a community, we believe that working to achieve equity and promote INCLUSION is both crucial and complex; we embrace the continuous commitment, the collective growth mindset, and the humility required to make meaningful transformation.

For the full statement of commitment, visit https://botanicgardens.uw.edu/about/

Program Overview: The University of Washington Botanic Gardens (UWBG) is a leading center of botanical research, education, and outreach. With more than 320 acres of gardens and natural areas in the heart of Seattle, the UW Botanic Gardens is home to internationally significant plant collections, award-winning restoration ecology and conservation programs, and popular public programs serving youth, adults, and professionals. UW Botanic Gardens has two sites: the Washington Park Arboretum and the Center for Urban Horticulture.

UW Botanic Gardens will be providing support to the City of Seattle’s Trees for Neighborhoods program in 2021. Trees for Neighborhoods helps residents plant 1,000 trees each fall in their yards and along the street. Summer staff conduct field evaluations of street trees planted through the program to collect data for the program and provide feedback to residents about their tree care. Summer staff will also evaluate and mark sites where street trees have been requested for the coming fall, in preparation for arborist review and permitting.

Job Description: Conduct a field evaluation of selected street trees planted through the Trees for Neighborhoods program, driving a UW vehicle to sites. Visit addresses provided by Trees for Neighborhoods staff and mark proposed street tree planting sites for this year’s program. Work will be done by one or two crew members in close coordination with UW Botanic Gardens and Trees for Neighborhoods staff, with daily communication by phone or email, and occasional contact in the field.

Dates: July 12 – September 1, 2021
Work will be part-time, approximately 150-170 hours total to complete the duties. Schedule can be flexible but crew members should expect to work an average of 20 hours/week, and work should take place on weekdays between 7am and 5pm.

Pay: $16.69 / hour

COVID-19 Considerations: No shared office/work space will be occupied for this work.
The crew member(s) will meet at the beginning of the work period in-person with program staff to provide member(s) with health and safety supplies and work supplies. Crew member(s) and program staff will also meet occasionally in the field for training, guidance, or to replenish supplies. These activities will take place outdoors, with participants wearing masks. Employees will maintain appropriate distance. All other work will take place independently from home offices, with check-ins and assistance happening by phone or Zoom. Crew members will conduct the field work independently using weekly rental from the U-Car motor pool. Fleet services staff is disinfecting all vehicle touch points between rentals.

General duties: Follow Trees for Neighborhoods protocol to conduct a field evaluation of 600+ selected street trees planted through the Trees for Neighborhoods program, driving a UW vehicle to sites. Visit 150-200 addresses provided by Trees for Neighborhoods staff and mark proposed street tree planting sites for this year’s program. Keep in daily contact with program staff to ask questions and report on progress.

Essential tasks:

• Reserve and drive U-car throughout Seattle. Car must be picked up from and returned to UW Seattle campus daily.
• Visit street trees planted throughout Seattle, using an iPad to enter them into SDOT’s street tree inventory map. Collect and enter data on tree health into Excel spreadsheet.
• Provide tree care feedback to residents through door hangers.
• Visit sites with requests for 2021 street trees, and use spray paint to mark planting strips ahead of utility marking for permit review.
• Collaborate and communicate effectively with program staff, sharing progress updates and collected data daily.
• Follow all health and safety precautions including masking, social distancing, cleaning and sanitizing, and hand washing.

Requirements:

• Knowledge of and experience with tree planting and care.
• Familiarity with common street tree species and ability to determine species if unknown.
• Flexibility with occasional shifts in schedule resulting from weather or data availability.
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to drive a University of Washington vehicle throughout Seattle. A background check is required for all new UW drivers.

Desired:

• Strong interpersonal skills and excellent written and verbal skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Experience communicating with the public and/or providing excellent customer service.
• Ability to continuously stand or walk frequently.
• Ability to bend, climb stairs, lift, and squat occasionally.
• Crew members with bilingual skills in Spanish, Mandarin, or Vietnamese are strongly desired.

The University of Washington is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

Department Contact:

Send questions to: Jessica Farmer, UW Botanic Gardens Adult Education Supervisor, 206-685-2590, jsfarmer@uw.edu .

Apply at UWHires. We will begin reviewing applications in late May and conduct interviews until all positions are filled.

Application Process:

The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter, and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your “My Jobs” page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.