Nursery Assistant

The Nursery Assistant supports the Nursery Manager in the production of diverse native Hawaiian plants and canoe crops used in Terraformation’s restoration projects. This role assists with daily nursery operations, including plant propagation and maintenance, irrigation, inventory management, and facility maintenance, while helping ensure plants are healthy and field-ready for restoration efforts on schedule.

The Nursery Assistant will work closely with the Nursery Manager, Seed Bank team, and Restoration team to support plant production goals and restoration timelines. The position also includes occasional field work, such as seed collecting, planting, and mapping, to support restoration projects across Hawaiʻi.

This role requires strong attention to detail and organization, a willingness to work outdoors in tropical conditions, and the ability to use digital tools such as Terraware to support nursery management and restoration tracking. The Nursery Assistant contributes directly to Terraformation’s mission of scaling global forest restoration and helping solve climate change.

 

Job Type: Full-time (40 hrs a week)

Location:  On-site at Terraformation nurseries in Hawaiʻi (primarily Kailua-Kona and partly at our Waimea Nursery at Lālāmilo) with occasional field work and travel to restoration sites.

Salary: $23-$25 per hour, plus benefits (medical, dental, vision, 401k, PTO, paid holidays, and sick leave) plus equity (depending on location and experience)

Responsibilities

Nursery Operations

• Assist the Nursery Manager with daily operations across Terraformation nursery sites.

• Support plant propagation and care activities, including seed sowing, up-potting, labeling, watering, irrigation maintenance, and monitoring plant health.

• Assist with pest and disease management, CRB panel trap monitoring, and data logging.

• Maintain clean, organized nursery spaces, infrastructure, tools, supplies, and equipment.

• Prepare and stage plants for field deployment while supporting safe nursery operations and team safety protocols.

Inventory & Data Management

• Use Terraware to record plant production, nursery inventory, and plant withdrawals.

• Assist with regular nursery inventory counts and plant tracking.

• Record propagation activities and plant status updates in Terraware.

• Support data collection and documentation of nursery experiments and trials.
  
  

Seed Bank & Restoration Support

• Assist with seed collecting, cleaning, sorting, and preparation for propagation.

• Work with the Seed Bank and Restoration teams to ensure plant production aligns with project needs.

Field Work

• Participate in field activities, including native seed collection, restoration outplanting, planted site monitoring, mapping, and data collection using mobile apps such as ArcGIS Field Maps and Terraware.

• Assist with transporting plants and supplies to restoration sites.

Team Support

• Communicate regularly with the Nursery Manager regarding plant health, inventory, and operational needs.

• Assist with nursery tours, volunteer days, and educational events when needed.

• Represent Terraformation’s mission through professional conduct and teamwork.

• Attend team meetings that might require travel.