Senior Horticulturist

Senior Horticulturist Campus Landscaping & Field Operations

Organisation: Raghu Engineering College

Location: Dakamarri, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh

Experience: 712 years

Employment Type: Full-time, on-site

Salary: Negotiable based on experience and demonstrated capability

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on horticulturist to lead the development and maintenance of approximately 10 acres of lawns, gardens and planted areas within our college campus.

Our aim is to create contemporary landscapes with layered planting, coordinated foliage, seasonal interest and well-maintained lawns, inspired by modern corporate campuses and parks.

This is a field-based leadership role. You will spend the majority of your working day on the campus grounds, inspecting plants, working alongside gardeners, demonstrating techniques and supervising execution through completion. You will be accountable for landscape quality, plant health, team productivity and expenditure.

Key Responsibilities

On-Ground Leadership and Execution

• Conduct daily rounds across landscape zones to identify plant-health issues, maintenance needs and unfinished work.
• Allocate daily tasks to supervisors, gardeners and daily-wage workers, with clear priorities and expected outcomes.
• Remain actively involved during planting, pruning, lawn improvement and other critical activities.
• Demonstrate correct planting, trimming, watering, feeding and equipment-use techniques.
• Personally inspect completed work and arrange timely corrections.
• Organise work around weather conditions, campus activities and safe working practices.

Landscape Design and Development

• Prepare practical planting layouts featuring trees, shrubs, groundcovers, ornamental grasses and flowering plants.
• Create contemporary layered planting schemes using appropriate heights, textures, colours, spacing and repeated plant combinations.
• Select plants suited to local climate, soil, sunlight, drainage, water availability and maintenance capacity.
• Prepare plant lists, quantities, specifications, cost estimates and phased implementation plans.
• Supervise soil preparation, bed formation, planting, lawn establishment and landscape improvements.
• Coordinate irrigation and drainage work with campus maintenance staff.

Plant Care and Maintenance

• Establish daily, weekly and seasonal schedules for watering, mowing, edging, weeding, pruning, feeding, mulching and replacement.
• Develop plant-specific care practices that preserve the intended landscape design.
• Identify and address pest, disease, nutrient and irrigation problems promptly.
• Investigate plant losses, correct underlying causes and organise suitable replacements.
• Maintain consistent standards across lawns, garden beds, avenues and ornamental planting.
• Develop nursery propagation and composting activities where practical.

Team, Materials and Cost Management

• Divide landscaped areas into maintenance zones with named responsibilities and inspection schedules.
• Train gardening staff and monitor work quality, attendance and productivity.
• Inspect nursery stock and materials before acceptance.
• Compare supplier quotations, plan purchases and control material consumption.
• Maintain essential plant inventories, treatment records, replacement registers and equipment records.
• Submit concise weekly updates with photographs, completed work, outstanding issues and expenditure.
• Keep planning and reporting efficient while prioritising field supervision.

Candidate Requirements

• Degree or diploma in Horticulture, Agriculture, Landscape Design or a related discipline.
• 7–12 years of relevant experience in landscape development and maintenance.
• Proven experience managing substantial landscaped properties and gardening teams.
• A portfolio demonstrating personal involvement in landscape design, execution and ongoing maintenance.
• Strong practical knowledge of tropical ornamental plants, lawn care, pruning, soil improvement, plant nutrition and irrigation.
• Ability to translate planting drawings into site execution and demonstrate techniques to workers.
• Experience preparing work schedules, plant quantities and cost estimates.
• Ability to communicate effectively with the local gardening workforce.
• Working knowledge of Excel; AutoCAD or SketchUp proficiency is an advantage.
• Willingness to spend most of the working day outdoors, providing direct supervision and practical guidance.

Experience with corporate or IT campuses, educational institutions, hotels, parks or large residential developmentsis preferred.

Application and Selection

Applicants should provide:

• Photographs or a portfolio of landscapes personally designed, developed or maintained.
• A brief explanation of their contribution to each project.
• Details of landscaped area, team size and budgets previously handled.
• Notice period and expected compensation.

Shortlisted candidates will participate in a portfolio discussion, campus walkthrough and a short practical exercise covering planting design, plant-health assessment and maintenance planning.

Key Skills: Horticulture, Landscape Design, Landscape Development, Field Supervision, Campus Landscaping, Softscape, Layered Planting, Lawn Maintenance, Pruning, Plant Nutrition, Irrigation, Nursery Management, Labour Management, Budgeting.