Plant Evaluator

Title: Plant Evaluator

Exemption Status: Exempt

Department: Plant Evaluation

Reports to: Director, Ornamental Plant Research

Year-round Full-time

Supervises: Occasional supervision of volunteers, evaluation intern, seasonals

Year-Round Full-time employees of the Chicago Botanic Garden are eligible for the following Benefits:

• 2026 A Guide to Your Benefits JP.pdf

Compensation Philosophy:

At the Chicago Botanic Garden, our compensation philosophy is rooted in our core values: Growth, Understanding, Resilience, and Trust through Transparency. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and appreciated.

Our objective is to create compensation and growth opportunities for our employees that are highly competitive, internally equitable and transparent. The foundation of our efforts is a straightforward approach that can be easily communicated by managers with defined pay ranges for all positions. When posting job openings, we share the minimum salary up to the budgeted amount.

The starting salary for new staff members is determined by considering the salary range assigned to the position and by reviewing the candidate's qualifications for the job as compared with job responsibilities. Prior work experience should be considered in determining the salary offer, provided that it is relevant to the job. Additional factors such as secondary language proficiency or advanced degrees that enhance performance may also be considered. A candidate's salary may exceed the minimum amount based on factors such as experience, additional skills (e.g., secondary language proficiency), or pertinent degrees that enhance the individual's contribution to the role but are not required. Opportunities for increased compensation are provided through referral bonuses, shift differentials, Thank You Pay, promotions, and periodic pay increases based on the Garden's overall performance and financial budgets.

Our total compensation and benefits package is people centric. We prioritize employee wellness across three pillars: physical, mental, and financial. Our goal is to offer innovative total rewards that support continuous professional growth, personal development, and provide the flexibility needed to balance personal and professional commitments.

Position Overview: The plant evaluator provides an opportunity to observe a diversity of plants in full-sun, shade, and green roof gardens, document their performance through data collection and digital photography, and provide outreach support through publications, lectures, classes, and tours.

Responsibilities

In this role you will be responsible for the following:

• Collect data on evaluation taxa in the trial gardens.
• Originate social media content for the evaluation program/trials.
• Design and implement web-based forms, workflows, and systems for data management.
• Photo-document trial plants and manage digital image collection.
• Conduct outreach through publications, lectures, social media, tours, and educational courses.
• Develop research projects on plant performance related to cultural and environmental issues.
• Prepare annual cooperator reports and final reports for Plant Evaluation Notes.
• Assist with plant identification, verification, and evaluation-related curatorial duties.
• Assist with the planning for and the planting of new trials.
• Assist with special curatorial projects such as plant exploration.
• Other projects/tasks as assigned by the manager.

Qualifications

Our ideal candidate will have the following:

• Bachelor of Science in horticulture or related plant science program and at least 2 years of experience, or commensurate work experience.
• Knowledge of herbaceous and woody plants and their ornamental characteristics, required.
• Experience implementing research procedures and projects.
• Proficiency in creating social media content, currently Instagram, with pertinent, relevant information.
• Demonstrates good written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products including Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word, required.
• Ability to work independently and in a team.

Physical Demands:
Outdoor work includes standing for long periods, walking, and bending in variable weather conditions. Indoor work includes frequent sitting, standing, walking, bending, listening, speaking, and keyboarding in an office setting and outdoors. Use of office equipment including computers, telephones, copiers, and scanners. Some requirements for lifting, pushing, or pulling items less than 30 pounds.

Why Apply?
Come work in a setting that is like no other as you support our mission: We cultivate the power of plants to sustain and enrich life. Take the first step toward being one of the employees who make the Garden one of the treasures of the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Apply today. Please note that applicants who do not meet the required qualifications will not be considered.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, or basis of disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and qualifications required of personnel so classified.

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, Chicago Botanic Garden does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its programs or activities, including in employment or admissions. Please call (847) 835-8264 to contact our Title IX coordinator should you have questions or concerns. Please do not call this number to inquire about job postings or the status of your application, or with solicitations from companies or third-party recruiters.