RichmondCC Looking to Fill Horticulture Instructor Position to Keep Unique Program Going for Inmates

April 14, 2026 – Over the past two years, Richmond Community College horticulture instructor Joseph Ruperd has been teaching inmates at Richmond Correctional Institute how to grow vegetables, herbs and many other plants.

Ruperd developed the entire program from scratch, including the classroom space, outdoor garden plots and even an herbarium, a curated collection of preserved plant specimens. He was also introducing the inmates to innovated gardening such as hydroponics, a soil-free, water-based farming method that grows plants in nutrient-rich solutions.

Ruperd is moving onto a new opportunity for his horticulture talents and leaves behind very big shoes to fill, shoes that RichmondCC Dean of Adult Education Nicole Worley hopes to fill quickly so this program at Richmond Correctional Institute can remain in place.

“This is a unique position requiring someone with a special niche. Sadly, we are losing Joseph, who built the Horticulture program from nothing. Our hope is to identify a qualified candidate soon to have someone step in and take over the good work he has done to this point,” Worley said.

Qualifications for the horticulture instructor position include:

• Associate degree in horticulture, agriculture or closely related field or a combination of degree and four years of work experience in horticulture or master gardening.
• Experience in landscape design, turf culture, irrigation methods, business marketing and greenhouse production.

This individual must also be at ease working in a correctional facility with inmates. This requires a person to have strong communication and organizational skills, be assertive and able to deal with possible conflict in a calm, orderly manner.

The horticulture instructor’s duties include:

• Developing and planning course content and methods of instruction.
• Establishing course goals in cooperation with the correctional facilities.
• Teaching principles, techniques, procedures, and methods appropriate to horticulture.
• Evaluating students' work to determine progress, provide feedback, and suggest improvement.
• Administering oral, written, or performance tests to measure progress and evaluate training effectiveness.
• Supervising and monitoring students' use of tools and equipment.
• Completing and maintaining records, including student registration, grades, and attendance.
• Caring for all plants maintained on site.
• Ordering all plants, food, bedding, tools, and equipment required for the garden or greenhouse operations.
• Maintaining the cleanliness of class/grounds/labs area and the security of tools and equipment.

The horticulture instructor must also adhere to the college and correctional facility’s rules, policies and procedures.

Applications must be completed online and submitted online with RichmondCC.

APPLY HERE

If you require accommodation due to a disability in order to complete the application process, make contact the Human Resource Office at (910) 410-1804 or (910) 410-1796, or by email at employment@richmondcc.edu.