Americorps - Community Garden Service Member

Community Gardens Member Horticulture

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (CZBG) and AmeriCorps have partnered to serve three communities in our region (Human, Wildlife and Ecological Communities) to further our mission and create a world where both people and wildlife can thrive and prosper. To this end, we have created service positions that bring a variety of fun, impactful, and conservation-based service opportunities that positively impact youth, zoo visitors, the animals in our care and our local environment.

Examples of the impactful service the program provides are:

• Providing quality STEM education to economically disadvantaged PreK-12th grade students
• Engaging Zoo visitors, volunteers, Zooteens, and community members in conservation practices and behaviors
• Creating and maintaining Zoo and community garden spaces that create wildlife habitat and greenspace for residents
• Maximizing the wellbeing of the animals in our care
• Creating conservation partnerships that amplify our impact
• Supporting a variety of sustainability initiatives that reduce our carbon footprint

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is known for many things - our conservation efforts, our green initiatives, our beautiful botanical garden, our friendly staff... but did you know that we have a strong set of core values that make us the best team around, and a top workplace in Cincinnati? We're more than coworkers... we're family. By building Collaborative Relationships, displaying Positivity & Energy, having Pride, Passion & a Sense of Ownership, supporting Accountability, Mutual Trust & Respect, and embracing Progressive Thinking, we have built a team of dedicated staff that focuses on our visitors, our community, & our future.

This is what we believe and how we act. If this gets you fired up, we look forward to having you join our team!

Service Term: 40 hr/wk - 12 months, October 1, 2025- August 25, 2026 fully hosted under horticulture

Description/Support Function

The AmeriCorps Member in this position would support our goal of serving our community by contributing to the long-term success of zoo-affiliated community garden spaces. In addition to assisting with the creation of long-term garden maintenance plans for existing gardens, the member in this role will have the opportunity to connect community members to resources, provide educational opportunities, assist with the on-going maintenance of garden sites, and learn about the process of community revitalization. This position will not only help to enhance the aesthetics of our community but also build upon the relationship that we are cultivating with the community of Avondale.

About The Position

The incumbent is a full-time AmeriCorps position serving 1,700 hours (40 hours per week) over an 12-month term of service (October 1, 2025 to September 25, 2026). They will report directly to and be supervised by the Horticulture department. Schedules will serve 5 days a week, 8-hour days, and assigned as needed. Due to the na