Job Description

Title: Nursery Worker
Division Name: Finance and Planning
Department: Campus Services Division / Grounds

Job Summary

Oversee Grounds greenhouse(s) including the propagation, growth, design, scheduling, and maintaining of ornamental horticulture plants throughout campus. Oversee nursery production and plant material holding properties to include proper plant growth and care for installations in the campus landscape. Design, determine, schedule, and install various landscape plant materials for ornamental landscape beds throughout campus.

Additional Information

University Benefit Highlights:

- Insurance benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life
- Retirement and supplemental retirement planning options
- Tuition waiver benefits available to staff as well as their eligible dependents
- Paid holiday/administrative closures during Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks
- Paid benefit time

Additional University Benefit information, including information regarding eligibility to participate in the State Universities Retirement System and the State of Illinois Group Insurance program, can be reviewed here: https://hr.illinoisstate.edu/benefits/

Salary Rate / Pay Rate

$30.68 per hour

Required Qualifications

1. High school diploma or equivalent.

2. Any one or combination totaling eighteen months (18 months) from the categories below:
Coursework in botany, plant biology, horticulture, plant and soil science, or a closely related field ( such as biology, forestry, and floriculture) as measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent:
-30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)
-Associate’s Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months)
-Work experience in greenhouse or nursery operations.

3. Valid State of Illinois driver's license.

4. A final candidate must complete a post-offer pre-employment physical exam. Employment is contingent on the successful result of the pre-employment physical.

NOTE: Must obtain a Class C Non-CDL license within five (5) months from the date of hire.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Knowledge in the operation of greenhouse production and scheduling.
2. Two years of experience in the maintenance of gardens, lawns, shrubs or trees .
3. A valid pesticide applicator license must be obtained within the first 12 months of hire.

Work Hours

Monday - Friday; 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Functional Expectations

Must be able to complete the following with or without a reasonable accommodation:

Ability to stand for long periods of time; must be able to bend, twist, kneel or crouch for up to three hours at a time; manual dexterity for transplanting and floral design; Ability to lift 75 pounds.

Work Environment- Temperature can reach extremes in the summer months during planting and maintenance seasons. Work is performed both indoors and out.

Proposed Starting Date

August 2026

Required Applicant Documents

Resume

Please Note: These documents are required to be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior to clicking on "Apply"

Optional Applicant Documents

Transcript - See Special Instructions to Applicants for additional options
Certification of Retirement Annuity

Please Note: These documents may be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior to clicking on "Apply"

Special Instructions for Applicants

Sponsorship: Applicants for this position must be currently legally authorized to work for Illinois State University in the United States. Illinois State University will not sponsor or take over the sponsorship of an employment visa for this opportunity. Illinois State University is not a qualifying employer for the STEM OPT benefit: only the 12-month OPT may be used to work at Illinois State University.

Please fully complete the entire application including, but not limited to, the education and work history portions. Be specific on your work history, including employment dates (if part-time you must list the number of work hours) and duties for all positions held. Applicable part-time work experience will be considered toward qualifying for this position; however, it will be converted to a full-time equivalency to determine combined length of experience. Please do not put "see resume" in the duties and responsibilities section of the work history. This will be considered an incomplete application and incomplete applications will not be considered.

If you are using college or university coursework to qualify for this position, then transcripts (may be unofficial) must be submitted prior to the application deadline to receive full consideration. Transcripts can either be uploaded with your application or submitted via the options listed below.

To be eligible for Veteran's Preference points on the exam, appropriate military service documentation such as a DD-214 must be submitted prior to the application deadline.

Fax: 309.438.0011, Attn: Colette Homan
Address: Illinois State University
Human Resources
Campus Box 1300
Normal, IL 61790-1300

The Civil Service examination for this classification is based on your application materials and responses to the supplemental questions. No participation other than submission of applicant materials is required from applicants that qualify to take the exam. If you meet the minimum required qualifications for this position, you will receive a score calculated based on your education and experience, and your name will be placed on the active employment register by exam score. After the application deadline, the names within the top three scores will be referred to the department for interview.

Illinois State University is authorized to do business within the State of Illinois. All work under this appointment is required to be performed from within the State of Illinois.

Contact Information for Applicants

Colette Homan
Human Resources
309-438-8848
cshoman@ilstu.edu

Important Information for Applicants

This position is subject to a criminal background investigation and if applicable, an employment history review, based on University Policy 3.1.30 and any offer of employment is contingent upon you passing a satisfactory criminal background investigation and/or an employment history review. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.

Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other state or federal law you may request an accommodation by contacting the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at (309) 438-3383. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access will hold any confidential information you provide in confidence.

If you are having difficulty accessing the system, please call Human Resources at (309) 438-8311.