You will become part of the outside botanical team of the Hortus. As a botanical horticulturalist with a do-it-yourself mentality, you will further develop part of the collection and develop it into an area that is attractive to the public and use for research. In addition to taking care of the collection itself, you also ensure that the inventory of the plants under your management are in order. This includes using online databases and collection management software. You also contribute to making the collections suitable for educational purposes, research and/or nature conservation.

You have thorough professional knowledge and scientific understanding of botany and plant growth that you will apply and develop in the Hortus. You passionately transfer that knowledge to students, volunteers and interns who help you get the work done. You are able to develop a work plan and to plan and organize your own work. You can solve horticultural problems as part of a team and make recommendations for improvements in business operations. The position is 70% practical based and 30% curation.

You will be responsible for the development and maintenance of a number of outdoor areas in the Hortus. These areas will depend on your expertise and following discussions with other staff members. The Hortus is an experimental research garden and part of a sustainable university. Developing the Hortus with regard to climate change will be a key feature in the Hortus for years to come.

About TU Delft Hortus Botanicus

The 105 year old TU Delft Hortus Botanicus is part of the Faculty of Applied Sciences. The Hortus facilitates a number of research projects and exhibitions from a number of Faculties at TU Delft, and other research/educational organisations, with a nature based solutions theme. It has meeting and event spaces for various events from TU Delft and the city of Delft. The historical glasshouses contain a large number of tropical and subtropical plants, many historical and contemporary technically themed herbaceous beds, and our arboretum is a showcase for useful trees and shrubs. In its collections it has a large number of native and exotic plants which have a technical application, making it unique amongst Dutch and European botanic gardens.

We are looking for a colleague who can easily switch between different tasks and who can work independently and together in a team. As a suitable candidate you have:

• a Kew Diploma or RHS Level 2 Diploma or equivalent*;
• excellent command of the English language and Dutch, or willingness to learn;
• a solid knowledge of plants and experience with botanical gardening;
• an aesthetic sense of planting and you know how to bring aesthetics, collection building and quality horticultural together in style;
• a BHV certificate or you are willing to follow a BHV course.

Eligible candidates must hold an EU passport or have a EU residency permit.

* For the specialist garden work required in botanic gardens, we orientate ourselves towards the British RHS and Kew diploma programmes. The “ RHS level 2 Diploma in the Principles and Practices of Horticulture ” is considered entry level. We offer the possibility to follow the online RHS training within the employment. The equivalent qualifications from other countries are also accepted.

Fixed-term contract: 1 jaar.

• A salary between € 2,471 and € 3,336 gross per month (based on a 38-hour working week) and on scale 7 of the Collective Labor Agreement of Dutch Universities, plus 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end bonus.
• An excellent pension scheme at ABP.
• The possibility to put together an individual work package every year.
• Discounts on health insurance.
• A flexible working week.
• 232 hours of leave per year (based on a 38-hour working week). With your individual choice budget you can purchase extra hours or sell excess hours.
• An extensive education and training offer.
• The International Child Center offers childcare, before and after-school care and an international primary school.
• Partly paid parental leave.
• Access to our Health Coach Program that stimulates healthy working and vitality.

Delft University of Technology

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Department

With more than 1,000 employees, including 135 pioneering principal investigators, as well as a population of about 3,400 passionate students, the Faculty of Applied Sciences is an inspiring scientific ecosystem. Focusing on key enabling technologies, such as quantum- and nanotechnology, photonics, biotechnology, synthetic biology and materials for energy storage and conversion, our faculty aims to provide solutions to important problems of the 21st century. To that end, we train students in broad Bachelor's and specialist Master's programmes with a strong research component. Our scientists conduct ground-breaking fundamental and applied research in the fields of Life and Health Science & Technology, Nanoscience, Chemical Engineering, Radiation Science & Technology, and Engineering Physics. We are also training the next generation of high school teachers and science communicators.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Applied Sciences.

 The position is available in the section Botanical Garden.