Owned by the City of New York, the High Line is programmed, maintained, and operated by Friends of the High Line in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. We raise nearly 100% of the High Line’s annual budget.
Through excellence in operations, stewardship, innovative programming, and world-class design, we seek to engage the vibrant and diverse community on and around the High Line and to raise the essential private funding to help complete the High Line’s construction and create an endowment for its future operations.

The horticulturist is an employee of Friends of the High Line and an integral part of FHL’s Park Operations team. Under the general supervision of the Director of Horticulture, the horticulturist is responsible for the year-round care and maintenance of the High Line’s landscape and living collections. Working interactively with a team of horticulturists, custodians, maintenance technicians, and High Line administrators, the horticulturist’s responsibilities include all aspects of monitoring, caring for, and reporting on designated park zones, including diverse plantings of herbaceous perennials, trees, and shrubs, hardscape elements, and public use of the park.
This is a full-time, year-round, non-exempt position.
The hourly rate for this position is $28/hour.
This position will report to the Horticulture Manager.
Requirements
Primary Responsability
- Daily checks of garden beds and paths, including cleaning up debris and litter
- Daily maintenance of the assigned garden zone, including weeding, planting, dividing and transplanting, pruning, cut-back, and clean-up
- Monitor soil moisture and hand water as needed
- Maintain plant health through Integrated Pest Management principles, including scouting, identifying, reporting, and documenting pests and diseases
- Maintain and stage tools, equipment, supplies, and materials for daily horticulture operations
- Operate power gardening tools with the requisite training and in accordance with the High Line’s Standard Operating Procedures
- Operate parks’ vehicles when requested
- Group projects, including working with volunteers, Spring Cutback, and green waste management
- Proactively communicate with your supervisors and teammates regarding the status of your work.
- Document, report, and catalog landscape maintenance information
- Contribute items to the weekly horticulture meeting agenda
- Act as an ambassador for Friends of the High Line, answering questions for park visitors about horticulture, High Line history, design, and general park information; guiding tours when requested
- Assist with training and orientation of seasonal gardeners, interns, and volunteers
- Assist with the development, organization, and implementation of horticulture programs, publications, and tours as requested
- Work with the Director of Horticulture and other FHL Horticulture staff to achieve departmental strategic goals
- Attend meetings as part of the High Line Horticulture team and Operations department
- Participate in ice and snow removal
- Support other parks operations departments with various tasks as needed
- Perform other duties as needed

The High Line is guided by a series of values through which we make decisions, including hiring. These values include proactively creating access points for all people, regardless of race, income, country of origin, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity. They also include seeking out a diversity of experiences; in listening, respecting, and learning from multiple voices, perspectives, and modes of participation.
As part of our commitment to living up to these values and advancing equity within our organization and through our work, we are committed to an equitable hiring process. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from people from a broad range of lived experiences, including members of historically marginalized communities.
Desired experience of a successful candidate may include the following, but candidates will not be screened exclusively based on meeting these qualifications:
Ideal Experience
- Two or more years of experience in landscape maintenance, agriculture, or nurseries
- Expertise in the seasonal and long-term care for diverse plantings of trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, grasses, and bulbs, including knowledge of plant culture, maintenance, and identification
- Demonstrated knowledge of naturalistic planting design
- Detail-oriented, with considerable attention to order and cleanliness
- Commitment to perform any and all tasks required for maintaining the highest standards of the garden and overall park management
- Must be a collaborative team player and committed to maintaining positive engagement with the public and colleagues
- Basic PC skills and familiarity with MS Office and Google Suite
- Maintain a Class D Drivers License valid in the State of New York that must be obtained for the duration of the appointment
- Commitment to complete and abide by safety training as required
Preferred Experience (but not required)
- Horticulture degree or certificate
- Proficiency in operating, troubleshooting, and repairing drip irrigation systems.
- Experience working in a crowded urban park