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My Dragonfly Gardens is looking for a Permaculture Specialist

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My Dragonfly Gardens

About My Dragonfly Gardens
At My Dragonfly Gardens (MDG), we are passionate about the creation of natural habitats in residential settings, using Florida native plants. Although we mostly use native plants, we supplement landscape designs with Florida-friendly specimens to add more colors, food sources, and styles for our clients. In addition to landscape design, we do installations and maintenance that are tailored to our clients’ end-goals, while it is in complete harmony with nature.

“It is My Dragonfly Gardens’ social responsibility to share its knowledge. We practice sustainable methods to create environmentally friendly habitats that support wildlife in harmony with you.” – MDG

After decades of tending our gardens, our commercial experience began in 2016. In April 2020 My Dragonfly Gardens was first founded and restructured earlier in 2021.

The Position
We are looking to hire a personable, trustworthy Permaculture Specialist to take care of this growing side of our business.

The right candidate needs to know:

  • The design principles used in permaculture and how to implement them
  • Be able to work with the design team to implement permaculture into existing designs and new designs
  • Either assist or lead with rainwater management/storage
  • Create and implement ideas for composting that are HOA and environmentally friendly
  • Able to educate clients on what permaculture is, why it is of benefit in the garden, and best practices
  • Able to sell permaculture (new sale, cross-sale, and up-sale)

The right candidate would also benefit from having the following experience:

  • Must be able to work with phone applications and own a smartphone with operating systems compatible with our work applications (Android 5 or later and iPhones running iOS 10.0 or later) and GPS service.
  • Experience in working with Florida native plants and also able to identify Florida undesirable plants (a/k/a weeds)
  • Experienced in garden maintenance that relates to permaculture such as weeding, trimming, pruning & shaping, deadheading, mulching, Diagnostics, and potting up
  • She/he must be tidy!
  • Must be able to lift at least 50 lbs., bend and move about freely and work outside in the Florida summer heat
  • Must be available to work 30 to 40 hours per week during the non-growing season and some overtime during the growing season.
  • Must have reliable transportation with a clean driving record – deliveries, pick-ups
  • Must be eligible to work in the USA
  • Must be able to work on his/her feet for long periods
  • Must be a team player, dependable and self-motivated
  • All positions require a background check
  • Able to work efficiently and effectively with little or no supervision is preferred
  • Starting pay depends on experience and credentials

Additional experience in the following is a Plus:

  • Creation and installation of new garden beds
  • Hardscape installation
  • Good English grammar
  • Installations (to manage installs a Plus)
  • Experience in common hardscaping
  • Supervising
  • Customer Service
  • Assist with scheduling and operations
  • Seedling identification: good vs bad

Work hours and coverage areas:

  • Monday through Friday 8 AM to 4:30/5:00 PM with 30 to 60-minute lunch breaks
  • Our coverage area consists mostly of the following counties: Lake, Orange, and Sumter counties, and growing into Marion, Polk, and Seminole.
  • Although our office is in Minneola – Florida, Gardeners only visit the office to pick up supplies or special tools or to attend training and meetings. Advancement opportunity:
  • Leadership opportunities will be discussed with the right candidate.
  • A career-minded permanent employee is encouraged to apply
  • Very detail-oriented knowledge of plant IDs is a PLUS+
  • Possess one of the following certifications: Aquatic plants, and/or herbicide application
  • Opportunity to engage in a permaculture-only revenue sharing program.

Pay
The start pay rate range is between $16 and $21 per hour, plus bonuses and commissions with major holidays paid after six months of employment. The Permaculture Specialist position has the potential to grow/start as a Junior Partner with revenue sharing payment structure.

How to apply
Qualified candidates may initiate the application process through one of the following: