Reporting to the Director of Facilities and Landscapes, the Landscape Gardener (LG) will assist in the maintenance and preservation of Drayton Hall’s historic and modern landscapes. The LG will work with other Drayton Hall Preservation Trust staff contributing to the achievement, support and compliance of established and future landscape objectives as outlined in Drayton Hall’s Landscape Master Plan, 2030 Strategic Plan, and as new projects and plans are initiated.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Contribute to the overall success of Drayton Hall in achieving its mission.
Maintain and present the Garden landscape according to the highest professional horticultural standards.
Follow proper Horticulture Garden planting techniques, watering, fertilizing, and mulching; planting and pruning of flowers, shrubs, hedges, and trees; Removal of invasive plant material and dead plant material; Turf maintenance including trimming, mowing, pest control, fertilizing.
Oversee the operation, inventory, and maintenance of assigned landscape tools, equipment, and machinery.
Provide guidance, assistance, and/or interpretation on how to apply procedures and standards to specific situations within selected landscape and garden areas.
Supervise and direct Landscape Garden Volunteers in their varied gardening tasks.
Ensure that all property signs and garden interpretation are well maintained and unobstructed.
Assist in emergency storm preparations and recovery, as required.
Develop knowledge of the site and its history by attending enhancement programs and reviewing the site landscape plans and horticulture documents.
Attend all meetings as required and help ensure effective communications.
Become knowledgeable in site security procedures.
Assist with special events and programming as needed, including arriving early and staying late to open/close the site, some evenings, weekends, or holidays might be required.
Work as a cooperative member of a team, and be willing to lead, follow, and support colleagues in a tactful, positive way.
May perform other duties as assigned.

Physical Demands and Work Environment
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.
While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee is regularly required to use hands or fingers, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is required to stand, walk, sit, reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must be able to work outdoors in high humidity, hot and cold temperatures, bright sun or shaded environments, and windy conditions. The employee may have exposure to moderate noise, crowds at functions or events, and at times flying insects that sting and/or bite.
The employee may have to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
Minimum Qualifications (Education, Experience, Skills)

Bachelor of Science degree or higher in Horticulture with minimum 1-year applied work experience.
Horticulture-based Internship and/or Research Assistant involvement.
Applied knowledge of Landscape/Garden Design, Integrated Pest Management, Nuisance Wildlife Control
South Carolina Herbicide and Pesticide certification highly desired; or ability to earn certification within 12 months from start date.
Demonstrated ability to operate and maintain landscape equipment including tractors, commercial mowers, chainsaws, trimmers, woodchippers, and other power equipment.
Possess a valid SC Driver’s License along with a safe driving record.
Demonstrated knowledge of Greenhouse Operations and Management
Ensure all work is performed in a safe manner; also demonstrate an understanding of instructions and deadlines yet take initiative and work independently.

Pay and Benefits

This is a Full-time, non-exempt- level position, eligible benefits position.
Hiring range $38,000-42,000 based on a schedule of 35 hours /week.

Please Email resume to jmcneely@draytonhall.org

Note: This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills aptitudes and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship. “At-will” employment means that either of you or the company can terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any or no reason, with or without cause, and with or without notice, subject to restrictions under applicable law.

Drayton Hall is accepting applications for the 2026 Jenrette Fellowship. Supported by the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation, the Jenrette Fellow will work under the direction of the Curator of Education and Museum Programs to strategically identify and develop preservation-focused educational opportunities, using the upcoming preservation efforts on Drayton Hall’s Great Hall ceiling as a tool to connect guests to conservation through professional museum interpretation in
real time.

Drayton Hall is a unique setting for educating about historic preservation, and that must be emphasized in all interpretive programs. This fellowship offers a unique opportunity to help shape how historic preservation is taught at Drayton Hall. The Fellow will expand existing training materials to create in-person learning sessions for museum interpreters, introducing them to the theory and real-world practice of preservation.

The Fellow will also cultivate a hands-on teaching collection, drawing on existing research and resources, to support an already-developed K–12 field trip program and correlate its content with applicable state education standards, allowing students to explore historic preservation through tools, materials, and interactive learning.

The 2026 fellowship will consist of a 8+ week program to be held at Drayton Hall and associated archives during the summer or fall. All applicants must be students or recent graduates of an accredited university and be available to work full or part-time during the program. Fellows will receive a stipend, a travel and research allowance, and a housing stipend as needed. Applications will be accepted January 23–April 10, 2026. A decision will be made no later than April 15, 2026.

To apply, please send a résumé, cover letter, and statement of purpose detailing primary areas of interest to: Amber Satterthwaite, Curator of Education and Museum Programs, Drayton Hall, 3380 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC 29414. E-mail applications and questions can be directed to asatterthwaite@draytonhall.org

Drayton Hall is now accepting applications for the 2026 Charles Scott Riley Collections Fellowship. Named in memory of Charles Scott Riley III, this program is designed to offer a graduate level fellowship with a focus on Drayton Hall’s collections including the decorative arts and archival holdings. The focus of the fellowship will be data entry for our recent acquisitions using Re:Discovery software, and assisting staff towards the initial phases of establishing a public-facing collections database. Applicants are invited to submit a fellowship proposal indicating their areas of interest and possible outcomes.

Drayton Hall is one of the oldest unrestored plantations in America that is open to the public. Its main house is an icon of colonial American architecture, and the entire site—the house, landscape, archeological sites, and collections—constitute a compelling story of Southern and American identity. Established by John Drayton in 1738, it passed through seven generations of the Drayton family before sale to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1974. Today, Drayton Hall’s staff and visiting consultants create a “faculty” capable of teaching and nurturing emerging professionals.

The 2026 fellowship will consist of an 8-week program to be held at Drayton Hall and associated archives during the summer or fall. All applicants must be a student or recent graduate of an accredited university and be available to work full or part-time during the program. Fellows will receive a stipend along with a travel and research support allowance.

Applications will be accepted January 1–April 10, 2026. A decision will be made no later than April 15, 2026. To apply, please send a résumé, cover letter, and statement of purpose detailing primary areas of interest to: Michelle Tyler, Drayton Hall, 3380 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC 29414. E-mail applications and questions can be directed to MTyler@draytonhall.org.