Botanical Collections

These positions are designed to provide experience in a broad range of horticultural skills through daily hands-on gardening tasks. One position is reserved for a non-plant science major (i.e. students not studying Plant Science, Crop and Soil Science, Horticulture, Plant Biology, Plant Breeding, or Plant Pathology). Printable Job Description.

Duties and Responsibilities

Basic, recurring jobs include weeding, planting, mulching, watering, and brush clearing. Common tasks include preparing planting beds, pruning trees and shrubs,
planting trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, dividing perennials, and operating a variety of hand tools and small power equipment.

Based on needs and interns' interests, work might include:

• Scouting plants for insects and diseases to assess overall plant health,
• Assisting with arboricultural activities involving instruction on climbing techniques,
• Assisting with landscape construction and stonework,
• Assisting with our plant records database, conducting surveying and mapping of plant collections.
• Assisting with current landscape design projects involving site planning, design, development and implementation.

Requirements

• Ability to commit to the entire internship period,
• Currently enrolled or accepted Cornell University students
• Coursework or work experience involving plants or the natural world,
• Enthusiasm for the horticultural field,
• Ability to alternative between independent and group work,
• Ability and willingness to do repetitive tasks,
• Learn to follow proper safety protocol,
• Ability to move up to 50 pounds,
• Participate in weekly group intern activities as scheduled, and
• a valid driver’s license and 2-3 years driving experience preferred though not mandatory

This is a full-time, 12 week internship. Typical work hours are M-F 8 am - 430 pm