Curator of Living Collections

Description

Job Title: Curator of Living Collections

Department: Plant Science & Conservation  

Reports To: Senior Director of Plant Science and Conservation

Supervises: Plant Recorder, GIS Specialist, Conservation Horticulturist, and Volunteers (as needed) 

FLSA Salary Classification: Exempt 

Last Update: January 2025

Availability: Primary schedule of standard business hours with occasional evening and weekend availability required to support the department and organizational needs. 

Position Summary: 

The Curator of Living Collections is responsible for managing the Garden’s living collections and documentation. This position will coordinate and implement plant acquisition, accessioning and deaccessioning activities in alignment with the HBG Living Collections Plan and the Plant Science and Conservation strategy of Huntsville Botanical Garden. When necessary, this position is responsible for communicating with a wide variety of audiences including volunteers, the public, federal, state, local, and tribal agencies and elected officials; nongovernmental organizations and interest groups; industry; public land users; and other stakeholders. 

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• The curator is responsible for the management and development of all plant collections at HBG, including living collections on site and reporting on distributed collections. Ensuring the taxa held in collections are varied, appropriate to the region, genetically diverse, and that associated documentation is maintained using industry best practices to ensure utility for research applications. Co-leads research initiatives at HBG. 
• Supervises the Plant Recorder and GIS Specialist to ensure accurate and timely mapping of accessioned material and relevant spatial data to maintain the Garden’s geodatabase. Supervises the Conservation Horticulturist in the strategy and management of the safeguarding collections and growing plants for collections.
• Periodically review curatorial documentation and workflow methods and Living Collections Management & Policy documents, updating HBG manuals, and training staff and volunteers on appropriate recordkeeping processes and responsibilities.
• Responsible for seeking grant opportunities to bring in contributed revenue resources to support the work of the department and organization.
• Unique plant collections may be obtained through plant expeditions or by exchanges with other botanical institutions and collectors. Field collecting is encouraged, and the curator must have travel flexibility. Tracking and managing loans of specimens to and from institutions are handled in a professional manner.
• Provide leadership in the planning of new gardens, displays and other plantings, including developing themes and interpretation. Co-lead projects that affect plant collections including plant selection, placement, maintenance, and removals for the Greenhouses and Huntsville Botanical Garden and performs other duties as assigned. 

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications:  

Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in organismal plant sciences is required, with emphasis on both botany and horticulture or a Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline and 3+ years of relevant experience in data collection and analysis, plant collections record keeping, or curation. Computer skills in database management, word processing, and grounds collections management through computer-aided programs are required.

Success Factors:

• Strong interest in and significant knowledge of native and well-adapted plants in southeastern North America and issues related to botany, arboriculture, conservation horticulture, urban forestry, and ecology. 
• A commitment to, and ability to effectively convey, the Garden’s mission of connecting people with plants with genuine passion that also embraces and exemplifies the Garden’s core values. 
• Experience in effectively managing people of varying skill levels and helping them grow in their roles.
• Experience with budget planning and stewarding resources responsibility. Skills in grant-funded projects management and restricted budgets management in alignment with grant objectives. 
• Passion and ability to demonstrate technical knowledge in plant sciences, horticulture and plant taxonomy and the Garden’s role in scientific advancement. 
• Ability to integrate scientific endeavors with the broad range of activities and programs at the Garden and translate scientific terminology to comprehendible language for both visitors and mass media. 

Preferred Qualifications:

Meets minimum requirements and 2+ years of professional experience in a leadership or management role at a public garden preferred, particularly related to landscape management, plant sciences, or conservation. Excellent skills in writing and public speaking, with the ability to interpret and communicate the relevance of Huntsville Botanical Garden’s scientific endeavors to broad audiences required. Proficiency in ArcGIS/Pro/Online preferred.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 

• Physical Demands: Requires some physical activity: limited lifting and carrying (up to 30 lbs.), significant amount of movement over varied terrain, and traveling by vehicles. Some travel required. Sense of vision in the normal range with or without correction. Sense of touch and the ability to wear Personal Protective Equipment required. 
• Work Environment: Office environment and Garden grounds. Work is performed indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions. 
• Equipment: General office equipment, two-way radio, Garden pick-up truck, van, Cushman cart, horticultural tools. 

Job descriptions are guidelines that attempt to characterize major duties and responsibilities of employees, and are subject to change as needs and programs change. At Huntsville Botanical Garden they are considered neither inclusive nor exclusive. It is expected that up to 20% of your duties may change annually.

Employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

The Huntsville Botanical Garden supports a culture of inclusion that attracts, inspires, and engages people to achieve success. The Garden is committed to hire and develop employees based on job-related qualifications irrespective of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or veteran status. To increase diversity in professions related to the public garden realm, we encourage applications from underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans.