Review Vacancy
AgencyParks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, Office of
TitleHorticultural Technician 2 (NY HELPS)
Occupational CategoryOther Professional Careers
Bargaining UnitPS&T - Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PEF)
Salary RangeFrom $50209 to $64321 Annually
"Other" Explanation May be required to work evenings, weekends and holidays.
Workday
Duties Description Under the supervision of the Park Manager 1, SG-18, or designee, the Horticultural Technician 2 will be assigned to Allegany Region Natural Resources Operations Department and will perform a variety of duties relating to the care and maintenance of plantings and vegetation at Allegany State Park and other facilities in the Allegany Region. Duties will include, but are not limited to:
• Determine regional planting needs and improvements in consultation with management, plan layouts for installations, plan material lists, and complete compliant purchases.
• Perform planting, watering, fertilizing, spraying, pruning, and trimming of trees, shrubs, vines and forbs.
• Supervise, train, and schedule skilled and semi-skilled employees and volunteers in horticultural tasks.
• Develop a management plan and perform maintenance for Allegany State Park Arboretum including researching and implementing best practices, evaluating practices, preparing reports, and cataloging plants.
• Operate and maintain hand and portable power tools and motorized equipment such as mowers, tractors, sprayers, saws, utility task vehicles (UTVs), trucks, and tillers.
• Share information with park visitors about horticulture, history, and design through tours, special programs, and general interactions.
• Perform routine manual maintenance tasks required to develop, maintain, and repair associated plantings, buildings, roads, and equipment.
• May perform snow removal and other maintenance of structures and grounds as needed.
Minimum Qualifications If Civil Service Eligible list(s) exist, they will be canvassed. Candidates must be reachable on the current eligible list(s) to be considered for appointment. You may also apply if you are eligible for appointment or reinstatement by one of the following qualifications:
NY HELPS or 55-b/c Qualifications
This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).*
To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, or 55-b/c, candidates must meet the open-competitive minimum qualifications for this position. The qualifications are:
Either 1: four years of technical experience in horticulture, plant propagation, nursery, or greenhouse work, which includes plant pest and disease detection and control. This experience must include one year of supervisory experience;
OR 2: an associate's or higher-level degree** and two years of technical experience in horticulture, plant propagation, nursery, or greenhouse work, which includes plant pest and disease detection and control;
OR 3: a bachelor's or higher-level degree** in horticulture, agronomy, forestry, or an agricultural related field.
**Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education (https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home). If your degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States or its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. This information can be found at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. Candidates are responsible for the evaluation fee.
If you are a veteran or an individual with a disability and would like to apply for the Department of Civil Service’s 55-b/c Program, please visit https://www.cs.ny.gov/rp55/ for more information.
Subsequent 55-b/c Qualifications:
A subsequent 55-b/c appointment may be considered if you have at least one year of permanent or contingent-permanent qualifying service and have a current Civil Service 55-b/c letter of eligibility.
Reassignment Qualifications:
Current NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Employees only, with at least one year of permanent or contingent-permanent qualifying service as a Horticultural Technician 2; if you have less than one year, you must be reachable on the current Horticultural Technician 2 eligible list for this location, if one exists.
52.7 Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) Qualifications:
As required by the New York State Department of Civil Service, we are posting for this position to determine if there are any qualified OPRHP employees interested in a permanent appointment to the position. To be eligible for NCP, candidates must be in the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation promotion field and have at least one year of permanent or contingent-permanent qualifying service as a Horticultural Technician 1. If 3 or fewer qualified NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation eligible promotional employees respond to this posting, Civil Service may approve the permanent appointment of one of the qualified employees without further examination.
In order to be considered for appointment via non-competitive promotion, candidates serving in the established promotion field must not have failed the two most recent Horticultural Technician 2 examinations.
NOTE: Non-competitive refers to not competing in an examination; the appointment will be competitive. For purposes of non-competitive examination, the nominating agency may consider only the next lower level, direct line title as the qualifying title.
For all transfers noted, a comprehensive list of titles approved for transfer is available through Civil Service GOT-IT at https://careermobilityoffice.cs.ny.gov/cmo/gotit/.
Additional Comments OPERATING NEEDS:
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license that allows the candidate to legally operate a motor vehicle in New York State as a term and condition of employment.
• Must possess a NYS Category 3A Pesticide Applicator’s License from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation or obtain one within the probationary period and maintain it as a term and condition of employment.
• Must be qualified and medically cleared to wear a respirator and have knowledge of good safety practices.
• Must complete CPR/First Aid/AED training within the probationary period and must maintain the certification as a term and condition of employment.
• As a term and condition of employment, must have the ability to operate a chainsaw and pole saw and must complete OPRHP sawyer training or equivalent and obtain certification within one year of the date of appointment and maintain chainsaw certification. If OPRHP sawyer training or equivalent is not offered within one year of appointment, employee must complete OPRHP sawyer training or equivalent and obtain certification at the first available opportunity. Failure to obtain and maintain chainsaw certification may result in removal from position.
• Must have the ability to perform medium to heavy physical labor and to lift a minimum of 50 pounds.
BENEFITS:
Generous benefits package, worth approximately 65% of salary, including:
Paid Time Off:
· 44 days - 13 Vacation days, 13 Sick days, and 5 Personal Leave days, 13 Holidays.
· PEF: Three (3) days of professional leave annually to participate in professional development.
Health Care Benefits:
· Eligible employees and dependents can pick from a variety of affordable health insurance programs.
· Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost.
· Health Insurance Opt-Out: This program may be available to eligible employees who have other employer sponsored health insurance coverage.
Additional Benefits:
· New York State Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) Membership
· NYS Deferred Compensation
· Health Insurance coverage in retirement
· Health Care Spending Account (HSA)
· Dependent Care Advantage Account
· Adoption Advantage Account
· Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs, as well as U.S. Savings Bonds
· Tuition Assistance programs for CSEA/PEF and M/C employees
· Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
· Paid Parental Leave
To learn more about our benefits, visit: https://parks.ny.gov/employment/benefits.aspx
*NY HELPS PROGRAM:
For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a permanent non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.
At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.
Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.
Email Address allegany.employment@parks.ny.gov
Address
Street 2373 ASP Route 1, Suite 3
Notes on ApplyingPlease be advised that New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation does not use E-Verify and does not offer sponsorship for employment visas statuses (i.e. H-1B, Self-Sponsorship, STEM OPT). Candidates sponsored for employment by an organization should be aware of their sponsorship status and the relevant expiration date(s) of that sponsorship before applying to this position.
All candidates must submit a written resume and cover letter which clearly demonstrates how they meet the minimum qualifications for the position. Please submit your resume and cover letter as a Word or PDF attachment. We are unable to open documents from Google Docs, Google Drive, OneDrive, Apple Pages, and/or “the cloud.”
All candidates must submit a written resume and cover letter which clearly demonstrates how they meet the minimum qualifications for the position. These documents must be received by 10/21/2026 and submitted via email to allegany.employment@parks.ny.gov. You must include "Horticultural Technician 2” in the subject line of your email. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for the position.
It is the responsibility of each applicant to accurately describe their experience and demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualifications.
Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to ensuring equal opportunity for persons with disabilities and workplace diversity.
New York State (NYS) is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. NYS Law prohibits discrimination because of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, domestic violence victim status, carrier status, gender identity or prior conviction records, or prior arrests, youthful offender adjudications or sealed records unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.
Executive Order 31 commits New York State government to becoming a model employer for people with disabilities, increasing the participation of people with disabilities in state service, and ensuring equal access to opportunities. OPRHP encourages people with disabilities to apply. We provide reasonable and religious accommodations for any part of the application and hiring process. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please send a request to the Equal Opportunity Unit at ReasonableAccommodation@parks.ny.gov or (518) 486-7754.