Plants Voluntary Work Placement

Plants Voluntary Work Placement Flexible - Part time or full time voluntary work placement from September 2025 Do you have a passion for plants? Are you excited by the prospect of gaining invaluable work experience with our award-winning Plant teams and collections? Here at Chester Zoo, we have an exciting opportunity to work with a diverse collection of temperate and tropical plants as well as gaining and developing hands on horticultural experience. Chester zoo has an international reputation for conservation breeding programmes, research, and education, and these work placement opportunities are practical in nature with some theoretical input. **What you’ll be doing** - Working with an extensive temperate outdoor plant collection across the Chester Zoo site - Gaining practical experience of the seasonal work to maintain herbaceous and shrub species - Horticultural maintenance of feature gardens areas, including rock garden, wildlife gardens, woodland gardens alongside themed planted areas replicating geographic areas including "Islands", "Madagascar" and the newly opened “Heart of Africa" - Supporting the maintenance of interior landscapes within the visitor access able areas of the indoor animal habitats. - Involvement in horticultural development projects being undertaken on the zoo site. - Working with a diverse collection of tropical plants, including the five National Plant collections that are cultivated in the greenhouses. - Be involved in growing plants as part of the UK plant conservation projects that the zoo is involved in. - Gaining experience and training in plant propagation, potting on, watering of a wide range of plants in a greenhouse or polytunnel. - Attending monthly workshops, arranged to teach other Zoological management topics including basics of nutrition, collection planning, breeding programmes, conservation programmes, record keeping, enrichment, etc. In the Nursery Team you will grow and propagate a wide range of rare, endangered, tropical, an hardy plants for our gardens, our conservation work, animal enclosures, animal houses, etc. **The Work Placement** - Voluntary work placement for a minimum of 6 months commencing in September 2025 - Full uniform provided, along with lunch vouchers for the days you attend - Monthly stipends of up to £120 per month may be payable based on appropriate expenses - The Plants teams typically work 5 days out of 7, working an average of 8 hours per day, between the hours of 7am and 4.20pm (start and finish times vary with the season). **Our Requirements** - Have a passion for growing plants. - Interest in all aspects of horticulture and the work of Chester Zoo - Studying for, or have completed, a Horticulture or plant science related course at miniumum Level 2 NVQ, HND or above. In some cases, students from other related courses (e.g. Zoology or Geography) will be considered - Able to work and communicate effectively within a team as well as well as on your own initiative. - Ability to financially support yourself for the entire length of the placement. **Please note: This is a physical role that involves outdoor working in all weather conditions. It will also involve heavy lifting, operating machinery and being on your feet for long periods.** **Interested in applying?** Applications from individuals living outside of the UK are welcome, but you will be expected to fund your own travel and relocation costs if successful. **More about us** Chester Zoo is a major wildlife charity that’s committed to the recovery of endangered species, globally.And, as the world faces an extinction crisis, we’remaking a hugely significant contribution to conservation at a time when it’s needed most. We are Chester Zoo, and we prevent extinction.