Horticulture Instructor

Kwantlen Polytechnic University

CONTRACT INSTRUCTOR – Competition ID: 3355
POSITION TYPE: NR1 
POSITION START: September 2024 

KPU proudly offers all learners opportunities to achieve success in a diverse range of programs that blend theory and practice, critical understanding, and social and ethical awareness necessary for good citizenship and rewarding careers.  

FACULTY OVERVIEW:

As Canada’s only polytechnic university, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) is the fourth largest university in the province of British Columbia and serves communities in the South Fraser region and beyond. A leader in innovative education with a teaching-focused mandate, KPU offers all learners opportunities to achieve the highest standards of academic performance. 

Within KPU, the Faculty of Science has over 1,500 full-time students and over 200 faculty members and instructors from across the natural and applied sciences. Faculty of Science includes nine departments and over 30 programs at the undergraduate level, with offerings at four KPU campuses. The Faculty is also home to Canada Research Chair: Dr. Paul Adams. 

Faculty of Science offers experiential learning through hands-on curriculum, co-ops and research collaboration opportunities with KPU’s Institute for Sustainable Horticulture (ISH), Institute for Sustainable Food Systems (ISFS), and Applied Genomics Centre (AGC). As well, our faculty is home to over a hectare of horticulture field lab, a working farm and a state-of-the art teaching brewery, which has been recognized internationally and locally, winning BC Brewery of the Year in 2019.  

For more information about the Faculty of Science, please visit our website at:

POSITION OVERVIEW:
The School of Horticulture invites applications for Part-Time Non-Regular Type 1 Contract Instructor(s) to teach one, some, or all of, HORT 1118 Machinery Operations & Maintenance (Fall 2024 & Spring 2025 Semester), HORT 1132 Turf Maintenance Operations (Fall 2024 Semester), HORT 1232 Sports Turf management Practices (Spring 2025 Semester), and HORT 2437 Golf Course Irrigation (Spring 2025 Semester). All of these classes are offered at the KPU Langley campus. 

The following is a brief description of the specific course, and supplementary qualifications: 

HORT 1118 Machinery Operations & Maintenance - Students will be introduced to horticulture machinery. They will perform preventative maintenance. Students will safely demonstrate machinery operation.  Students will complete a Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Certificate.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. Describe the function and working principles of horticulture machinery 
2. Perform machinery operation and preventative maintenance 
3. Use appropriate safety systems and apparel 
4. Use basic hand tools in machinery preventative maintenance 
5. Describe machinery storage procedures 
6. Evaluate machinery specifications for specific horticultural tasks 
7. Recognize alternative power sources 
8. Apply the Workers' Compensation Act in the workplace 
9. Recognize environmental issues caused by horticulture machinery 
10. Compete a WHMIS Certificate

HORT 1132 Turf maintenance Operations – Students will operate machinery at the School of Horticulture Field Lab to gain practical experience in turf maintenance. They will engage in tasks including mowing, cultivation, topdressing, seeding, sodding, and sand trap maintenance. Students will explore employment opportunities in the turfgrass industry.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. Summarize the range of careers in the turfgrass industry 
2. Recognize turfgrass industry commodity groups 
3. Practice turfgrass career advancement strategies 
4. Identify hand tools common to turf maintenance 
5. Use hand tools common to turf maintenance 
6. Perform turfgrass maintenance tasks 
7. Operate landscape and turfgrass equipment effectively and safely 
8. Perform operation of turf maintenance machinery safely 
9. Write field trip reports

HORT 1232 Sports Turf management Practices - Students will explore management techniques for specialized turf areas such as football, rugby and soccer fields, baseball diamonds, bowling greens, and grass tennis and croquet courts. They will examine the management of alternative sports surfaces such as synthetic turf athletic fields, skinned baseball infields, clay and asphalt tennis courts, and hybrid turf and synthetic sports fields. Students will practice sports turf maintenance. They will prepare abstracts from relevant journal articles.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. Perform maintenance procedures on athletic fields
2. Practice laying out athletic fields such as baseball diamonds and soccer fields
3. Maintain and repair turf on sports fields 
4. Perform safety inspections on athletic fields and playgrounds
5. Evaluate an annual maintenance and renovation schedule 
6. Evaluate the construction and maintenance of synthetic turf surfaces 
7. Examine challenges of sports field managers 
8. Describe sustainable innovations and future trends in sports field maintenance 
9. Write abstracts from relevant journal articles 
10. Discuss sustainable methods of sports turf management practices

HORT 2437 Golf Course Irrigation - Students will design, analyze, and maintain golf course and athletic field irrigation systems. They will analyze sprinkler head selection and performance, pumping systems, valves types, controllers, software, and pipe characteristics. Students will discuss issues of water use and water quality. Through laboratory exercises students will perform irrigation audits, calculate water delivery, and schedule irrigation.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. Evaluate and discuss factors affecting sprinkler performance 
2. Evaluate irrigation systems for golf course greens, tees, and fairways Maintain a golf course irrigation system 
3. Draft and design an irrigation system for a golf course 
4. Evaluate irrigation systems used on athletic fields and specialized sports turf 
5. Calculate and discuss irrigation scheduling for sports turf

Applicants interested in applying to teach can find further information on the School of Horticulture by visiting our website at

More information concerning the working conditions for a faculty member are outlined in Article 12 of the Kwantlen Faculty Association (KFA)  

QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum general qualifications for this position include 5 years of relevant industry experience. Preference will be given to individuals who currently hold a Landscape Horticulturist Red Seal, or other industry certification, and or an appropriate Bachelor’s Degree, teaching experience is preferred.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Candidates are asked to submit:

• Current resume 

SALARY INFORMATION:
Placement on the will be dependent on level of education and relevant teaching experience.  Advancement up the pay scale is based on FTE and employment status. 

Why Join KPU?

• Recognized as one of B.C.'s Top Employers  
• KPU is committed to actively fostering an equitable and inclusive working environment
• Hybrid environment
• Defined Benefit Pension Plan – College Pension Plan
• Extended Medical, Dental, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance, Optional Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment, Emergency Travel Assistance, Employee and Family Assistance Program, Teledoc
• Vacation, Professional Development and Accountable Time 
• Maternity and parental leave top-up
• Campus work environment, outdoor sitting areas and nearby walking trails
• Campus athletic and fitness centers with a variety of instructor-led classes
• Tuition waiver program – eligible to waive tuition costs of courses at KPU equivalent to 3 credits per semester
• Inhouse training and development
• Networking and social events such as KPU Day, Holiday Social etc.
• Intercampus shuttle
• Access to automotive, horticulture, brewery and other programs’ services
• Clubs: Jeopardy, E-sports, Ted Talks etc.
• Library and Bookstore (discounts)  

Note to Applicants:
Kwantlen Polytechnic University welcomes and encourages applications from equity deserving groups and diverse experiences including, but not limited to, Indigenous people, racialized people, people with disabilities, and members of the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community.

If there are any barriers that you are experiencing or an accommodation that we can provide to support you through the application process, please reach out to us at humanresources@kpu.ca.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

We thank all applicants for their interest in employment with KPU. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. 

Kwantlen Polytechnic University is committed to protecting the safety and welfare of employees, students, and the general public, and upholding the reputation and integrity of the University. For this reason, final applicants will be asked to undergo a background check.