Zoo Horticulturalist

Purpose of the role

London Zoo isn’t just a zoo, it’s a world-leading centre for conservation, education, and animal care right in the heart of Regent’s Park. As part of ZSL (Zoological Society of London), every role here directly contributes to our global vision of a world where wildlife thrives. We are seeking a skilled and passionate Zoo Horticulturalist to join our London Zoo team, playing a vital role in shaping and caring for our extraordinary living landscapes. This is a unique opportunity to combine your horticultural expertise with a love for wildlife, conservation, and visitor engagement.

• Working hours are 07:00 – 15:30 in summer, 07:00 – 14:30 in winter, Monday – Friday.

Key responsibilities:

• Amenity Care: Maintain and enhance amenity areas across the zoo to the highest standards, creating beautiful spaces for visitors to enjoy.
• Animal Exhibit Support: Maintain animal exhibits to agreed standards and provide forage and plant-based enrichment.
• Visitor Engagement: Engage with visitors and key audiences, helping to inspire a deeper appreciation for plants, wildlife, and the natural world.
• Biodiversity Management: Optimise the biodiversity value and function of the Zoo grounds through appropriate habitat management.
• Team Support: Supervise apprentices, volunteers and work placements as required.

About You

• A good knowledge of current horticultural, arboricultural and conservation management techniques and the ability to put these into practice.
• A Level 2 Diploma in Horticulture (or equivalent), or comparable level of experience in countryside management or similar land-based sector is desirable.
• Excellent plant knowledge.
• NPTC/LANTRA certifications in the use of machinery and equipment such as hedge trimmers, brushcutters, mowers and woodchippers are desirable.
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently and good understanding of current health and safety legislation.
• Sound literacy, numeracy, IT skills and good communication.
• A valid full clean driving license is desired.
• Thrives working outdoors in all weather conditions and in the zoo’s indoor exhibits.

This role is subject to standard pre-employment checks, including the candidate's right to work in the UK.

We strongly encourage applications from all backgrounds and celebrate the value of having a team of employees with diverse skills, experiences, and heritage. We are committed to ensuring our teams can bring their authentic selves to work without fear of discrimination. ZSL has active equality networks for our staff with lived experience and those who provide active allyship in Race and Culture, Team Pride, Disability Network, and Menopause Network, complemented by our strategic EDI Steering Group.

About Us

We’re ZSL, an international conservation charity. Through our unrivalled animal experts in our two zoos (London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo), the work of our pioneering scientists, our dedicated conservationists, our purpose is to inspire, inform and empower people to stop wild animals going extinct. Our vision is a world where wildlife thrives and we’re working every day to achieve this. From investigating the health threats facing animals, to helping people and wildlife live alongside each other, we are committed to bringing wildlife back from the brink of extinction.

What do we offer?

At ZSL, we are proud of our approach to employee benefits. Our benefits include:

• Our vision and purpose - you’ll work alongside colleagues who are passionate about science-led conservation, knowing that you will help us to inspire, inform and empower people to stop wildlife going extinct
• Pension scheme - we offer a generous pension scheme with up to 12% contributory pension
• Flexible working – talk to us about your flexible working requirements and we will do everything we can to make sure you work in a way that suits you
• Holidays – 25 days annual leave allowance, plus UK bank holidays
• Wellbeing – access to a blended programme of wellbeing initiatives, including confidential access to our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Life assurance – eligible employees will be enrolled in ZSL’s life assurance scheme from their first day
• Complimentary tickets – annual allocation of Whipsnade Zoo and London Zoo tickets, with a 30% discount in online and retail shops
• Family friendly policies – we offer enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption packages

NB: We reserve the right to close our advertisement early or extend the advertising date until a suitable candidate has been found.

It’s important to personalise your application to highlight your unique skills, experience, and knowledge. Over reliance on AI-generated content may miss key criteria outlined in the job description and reduce the effectiveness of your application.