JOB DESCRIPTION
Heritage Gardener
POSITION
Heritage Gardener, Oshawa Museum
13-week term, 32 hours/week
June 2 – August 29, 2025
REPORTS TO
Visitor Experience Coordinator, Oshawa Museum
COMPENSATION
$17.68 per hour
ABOUT THE OSHAWA MUSEUM
The Oshawa Museum is operated by the Oshawa Historical Society, a not-for-profit charitable institution. The Oshawa Museum preserves and actively promotes awareness and appreciation of Oshawa’s history for the education, enrichment and enjoyment of a diverse audience.
For over 60 years, the Oshawa Museum has celebrated Oshawa’s history with engaging events, inspiring exhibits, and an immense collection of archival materials. Nestled on the shores of Lake Ontario in beautiful Lakeview Park, the Oshawa Museum tells the story of Oshawa from Indigenous inhabitants to present day.
The Oshawa Museum is situated on the traditional territory and treaty lands of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation. Our work on these lands acknowledges the signatory communities of the Williams Treaty, as well as the Mississauga Nation and other members of the broader Indigenous community, for their resilience, and their longstanding contributions to the area now known as Durham Region.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Oshawa Museum is seeking a collaborative, friendly and knowledgeable person to assist in caring for and re-developing the heritage gardens at Henry House, which are important to museum programming, and includes decorative, medicinal, food-producing plants and heritage-designated trees. The Heritage Gardener will work as part of a team led by the Visitor Experience Coordinator, supported with current museum garden volunteers and museum maintenance staff.
In addition, as part of an effort to activate UNDRIP, this team will work collaboratively with the local Indigenous community, to seek opportunities into the creation of a garden inspired by the
medicine wheel and story of the three sisters.
Through spaces and experiences such as these gardens and the museum’s Indigenous Gallery, the Oshawa Museum is seeking to improve the enjoyment and understanding of the community’s Indigenous heritage.
The Heritage Gardener will also assist with or lead programming, and assist with events.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
– Activating UNDRIP through working with the Curator, Visitor Experience Coordinator and Oshawa’s local Indigenous community to plan and create a shared medicinal garden and/or three sisters garden
– Assist the Visitor Experience Coordinator and other staff to share information on the museum and gardens
– Research plants that would be historically appropriate to the time, place, and themes interpreted at the museum
– Assist in regular garden maintenance, including as planting, weeding, watering, trimming, and pruning
– Assist with site tours, events, and other museum programming
– Assist with weekly house cleaning and preventative maintenance
ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
– Currently pursuing a university degree or college diploma program with course work focus in history, education, museum studies, fine arts; or a combination of experience, education and training
– Proficiency in Microsoft Office
– Ability to write and speak English proficiently
– Team player with ability to work on their own with minimal supervision
This position is funded in part by Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations (YCWHO), an employment program that offers students the opportunity to improve their skills while acquiring practical knowledge in the heritage field. YCWHO requires that participants:
– are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, or have refugee status in Canada (non-Canadians holding temporary work visas or awaiting permanent resident status are not eligible);
– are legally entitled to work in Canada (have a valid social insurance number);
– are between 16 and 30 years of age inclusively at the start of employment; and
– are a high school, college, CEGEP or university student.
PREFERRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
– Responsible, flexible and self-motivated individual
– Ability to interact and share information with the public with an open and friendly manner
– Knowledge or an interest in aspects of the history of Oshawa
– Knowledge or an interest in horticulture and heritage gardens
WORKING CONDITIONS
The Heritage Gardener is required to work within the museum’s regular hours (Tuesday – Friday: 8am-4pm). However, they may also be required to assist with special events outside of these hours.
The Heritage Gardener is a part of a flexible team of other museum staff, and we endeavour to schedule hours of work with consideration for your other commitments.
This position may be required to assist with programs or other museum functions, and may be required to help with setting up for programs and exhibits. They must therefore be able to frequently move indoors and outdoors, between buildings, and work in occasionally noisy and/or public environments.
PLACE OF WORK
Oshawa Museum
1450 Simcoe St. South
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8S8
JOB POSTING INFORMATION
The Oshawa Museum is committed to supporting a diverse environment and seeks candidates from underrepresented communities. LGBTQ2+, Indigenous, people of colour, people experiencing disability, and new Canadians are encouraged to apply.
TO APPLY:
Apply with a cover letter and C.V. Please enter the job title in the subject line, include your cover letter as the email body, and attach your C.V. in PDF format only. Other attachments will not be considered.
By email: [email protected]
The Oshawa Museum will retain all applications for this role for 1 year from the application deadline. We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
APPLICATIONS DEADLINE: 4:00pm on May 2, 2025.
