Who We Are: Based in Stratford, Ontario, the Stratford Festival is one of the world’s foremost repertory theatre companies. It operates year-round, presenting a season of about a dozen plays each year between the months of April and November, a rich stream of digital content and hundreds of events designed to deepen understanding of the plays. For every person a theatregoer sees on our stages, we have seven people working behind the scenes, some of the world’s most dedicated and experienced arts workers.

The Stratford Festival is committed to ongoing work to support equity, inclusion, anti-racism and anti-oppression in all areas of our work. These areas include play selection, casting, marketing and public relations efforts, education programs, production, design, recruitment of staff and volunteers, and the composition of the Board of Directors.

Why You Should Apply:

• Creative work environment
• Employee Assistance Program to encourage work-life balance and strong mental health
• Complimentary & discounted ticket offers and events
• Employee discounts on merchandise and event space
• Being a part of the magic of live theatre!

The Student Gardener will work under the direction of the Head Gardener. They will share in the responsibilities of maintaining the Stratford Festival grounds and properties including the main Festival Theatre property, the Avon/Studio Theatre gardens, the Tom Patterson Theatre gardens and the Brunswick St. Warehouse facility. The grounds consist of extensive perennial beds, annuals, rose and carpet beds and the lawns that surround all the Festival Theatre buildings.

Responsibilities:

• Perform general grounds and plant maintenance including, grass cutting, raking, edging, weeding, trimming, watering, mulching, planting, pond maintenance and other care for the lawns, gardens and container plants.
• Clean up and removal of litter, leaves and debris from the grounds.
• Power washing the sidewalks and parking surfaces.
• Painting of exterior fixtures, handrails.
• Assist Gardeners with other gardening tasks and duties as directed.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Interest in gardening and ground care are preferred.
• Past experience operating powered equipment such as leaf blowers, grass trimmers and lawn mowers with an interest in gardening and ground care are preferred.
• Excellent verbal communication skills are expected as interaction with the public is required.
• You must be able to work flexible hours including days, weekends and holidays.
• Ability to meet the physical requirements of the job including: bending, lifting utilizing hand tools and working in various weather conditions.
• Must provide own CSA approved footwear.

This seasonal student position is a full-time contract position located in Stratford, Ontario and will begin in May until end of August.

This seasonal posting is for an existing vacancy located in Stratford, Ontario and will begin May 2026. This position requires the candidate to work onsite. Regular work hours for this position are Monday to Friday, but may require the candidate to work holiday and weekend hours as scheduled.

**Job Type:**Seasonal

Hourly Rate:$18.60

**Application Deadline:**Open Until Filled

Shared Values:

• Inclusion: contribute to an environment where everyone is welcome, valued and respected; consistently demonstrate an open-mindedness and intellectual curiosity that promote and celebrate the diversity of perspectives.
• Innovation: put experience and knowledge into creative problem-solving and the continuous improvement of the organization.
• Rigor: show integrity in behaviour, attention to detail in work and commitment to excellence and professional evolution
• Caring: be empathetic, understanding and attentive to others
• Connection: establish and maintain trusting relationships that are respectful and constructive

Who Should Apply: We welcome applicants of every identity, and encourage applications from Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Deaf, disabled and 2SLGBTQ+ folks. We are committed to accommodating people with disabilities throughout the recruitment process and beyond. If you require accommodation (including, but not limited to, an accessible interview site, alternative format documents, ASL Interpreter or Assistive Technology) during the recruitment and selection process, please let our recruitment team know.

No candidate will meet every desired qualification. If your experience looks a little different from what we've identified and you think you can bring value to the role, we’d love to learn more about you!

If you would like to contribute your own remarkable talents to North America’s largest not-for-profit theatre, we’d like to hear from you.