Lead Gardener
Location: Little River (Greater Miami-Dade Area), FL
Job Type: Part-Time (approx. 24–28 hours/week)
Compensation: Starting at $30/hour (with potential for growth)
About Little River Cooperative
Little River Cooperative designs, builds, and cares for edible gardens throughout South Florida. For more than 15 years, we’ve worked with homeowners, schools, restaurants, and hospitality spaces to create gardens that are beautiful, productive, and deeply connected to the environment around them.
Our mission is to empower people through deeper connections with food and ecology. We bring that mission to life every day by creating spaces where people can grow food, learn, gather, explore, and experience a closer connection to the natural world.
Our work brings together edible and native plants with thoughtful design to create gardens that feel distinctly at home in South Florida. For the people who work here, that means being part of something tangible: creating places that people use, learn from, enjoy, and remember.
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Lead Gardener to join our dedicated maintenance team. Responsible for leading the successful execution of recurring garden maintenance visits and ensuring the quality, health, and presentation of each assigned garden. We’re looking for an experienced Lead Gardener to take ownership of the successful execution of our recurring garden maintenance visits.This role is a strong fit for someone with solid handson knowledge of organic edible gardening who enjoys leading a small team, communicating with clients, and taking pride in the health and presentation of every garden they care for. You’ll balance seasonal crop planning and practical horticulture with clean garden aesthetics and visual presentation.
Key Responsibilities
- Logistics & Prep: Report to our Little River headquarters each morning, independently load the company van according to daily job specs, and navigate safely to 2–3 client sites per day.
- Garden Maintenance: Perform comprehensive upkeep of residential, restaurant, and school kitchen gardens following organic guidelines. Duties include soil work, trellising, fertilizing, pest management, harvesting, pruning, and succession planting.
- Client Relations: Act as a respectful, professional on-site liaison for clients, answering questions and providing exceptional customer service.
- Documentation: Effectively track and document jobs using high-quality photos and written logs within our designated smartphone application.
- Team Leadership: Manage workflow on-site, efficiently delegating tasks to a gardening assistant while maintaining a collaborative team dynamic.
- Company Standards: Uphold Little River Cooperative’s core values of safety, respect, professionalism, efficiency, and community stewardship.
Schedule Requirements
- Weekly Commitment: Availability for 3 full days per week (ideally Tuesday through Thursday).
- Daily Shift: Early morning start time at 6:00 AM to optimize daylight, beat the heat and the traffic.
- Team Synchronizations: Availability on Mondays for a 1-hour virtual team meeting.
Minimum Job Requirements
- Experience: Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in agriculture, horticulture, or commercial gardening.
- Driving Record: Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record and comfort operating commercial cargo vehicles (e.g., Ford Transit).
- Technology: A personal smartphone capable of hosting our team app used for scheduling, client communication, and job documentation.
- Physical Requirements: Ability to lift 50 lbs repeatedly, and comfortably squat, kneel, bend over, and reach for extended periods in variable South Florida weather conditions.
The Ideal Candidate Possesses:
- Advanced knowledge of organic methods for edible gardening (pest management, harvesting, and succession planting).
- A strong, punctual work ethic with excellent time-management skills.
- Proficiency with Google Workspace (G Suite) and mobile applications.
- Competency with standard horticultural tools (shovels, hoes) as well as farm implements (flame weeders, broadforks).
- Comfortable with basic tools like hammers and wrenches for simple tasks like replacing stuck hoses.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to confidently explain and demonstrate gardening techniques to clients.
- Balances big-picture seasonal crop planning with an eye for clean garden aesthetics and visual presentation.
What We Offer
- A progressive, collaborative work environment within a growing small business.
- A competitive starting rate of $30/hour with clear pathway for professional growth.
- End of year bonus and occasional tips from clients
- Complimentary access to Little River Cooperative educational workshops.
- Free starter plants from our nursery and seasonal fresh vegetables from French Farms.
Little River Cooperative is committed to supporting a diverse and multicultural team, and fostering an inclusive workplace. We consider all individuals for employment without regard to race, religion, age, sex, gender, disability, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, sexual orientation, familial status, military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you don’t meet every preferred qualification listed above, but are passionate about the role and possess relevant lived experience, we strongly encourage you to apply.
Pay: From $30.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Flexible schedule
- Relocation assistance
Application Question(s):
- What specific element of this job description made you feel this position was the right fit for you?
- Why are your skills and background well-suited to this specific role?
- Tell us about a professional or personal accomplishment you’re especially proud of.
- Please confirm that the schedule, location, and starting compensation work for you.
Experience:
- home gardening, agriculture, or horticulture: 3 years (Required)
Work Location: In person
