Plant Propagator

About the Role

Eram Talent is seeking a Plant Propagator to join their team in Jeddah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, with potential work in Thuwal. This contract role is central to supporting the Botanic Gardens' living collections, displays, conservation programs, and horticulture operations. The Plant Propagator will be responsible for the propagation, establishment, and management of plant material, applying a range of methods to produce healthy and genetically appropriate plant stock.

Role Overview

The Plant Propagator manages nursery areas and propagation stock, developing and refining protocols for rare, endangered, and difficult-to-propagate species. This position involves monitoring plants through various stages of establishment, maintaining detailed propagation records, and evaluating success rates to continuously improve techniques. The goal is to support the long-term sustainability and conservation value of the Botanic Gardens' plant collections.

Key Responsibilities

• Propagate plants using various techniques, including seeds, cuttings, grafting, budding, layering, and division.
• Select appropriate propagation techniques based on species characteristics, seasonal requirements, and collection objectives.
• Collect, prepare, process, and store seeds and vegetative propagation material, assessing their quality and viability.
• Prepare appropriate propagation media and containers according to species-specific needs.
• Apply necessary seed treatments, such as scarification, stratification, or soaking.
• Prepare and treat cuttings and other vegetative material to promote successful rooting and establishment.
• Undertake specialist propagation activities including grafting, budding, and division.
• Monitor germination, rooting, establishment, growth, and overall plant health throughout the propagation process.
• Identify and address propagation problems, including poor germination, rooting failure, disease, pests, and environmental stress.
• Manage and maintain nursery and propagation areas, ensuring optimal growing conditions, hygiene, and organization.
• Manage nursery plant stock to meet the requirements of garden collections, seasonal displays, and conservation programs.
• Monitor and manage irrigation, humidity, shade, temperature, growing media, fertilization, and plant nutrition.
• Coordinate the movement of successfully propagated plants into nursery, greenhouse, indoor, or outdoor garden environments.
• Support hardening and acclimatization of young plants prior to establishment in garden collections.
• Develop, test, document, and refine species-specific propagation protocols, especially for rare and difficult-to-propagate species.
• Conduct propagation trials to improve germination, rooting, survival, and establishment rates.
• Collaborate with curators, botanists, horticulturists, and conservation specialists to identify propagation priorities.
• Support ex situ conservation and collection-development programs through the propagation of priority plant species.
• Ensure propagation activities maintain appropriate provenance and collection information for conservation and scientific material.
• Maintain detailed records of propagation activities, methods, source material, dates, treatments, environmental conditions, and success rates.
• Maintain accurate nursery stock inventories and update relevant plant collection or propagation databases.
• Analyze propagation outcomes to improve future protocols and practices.
• Implement appropriate nursery hygiene, sanitation, plant-health, and biosecurity procedures.
• Support Integrated Pest Management (IPM) within nursery and propagation areas.
• Maintain propagation tools, equipment, facilities, and work areas in a clean, safe, and operational condition.
• Ensure compliance with applicable health and safety, environment, biosecurity, and horticulture operating procedures.

Qualifications and Experience

• A minimum of 5-10 years of experience in plant propagation.
• Demonstrated expertise in a wide range of propagation methods.
• Experience with managing nursery areas and propagation stock.
• Ability to develop and refine propagation protocols for diverse plant species.
• Proficiency in maintaining detailed records and analyzing propagation success rates.

Work Type and Location

This is a Contract position based in Jeddah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, with responsibilities extending to Thuwal. The salary for this role will be discussed during the interview process.