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Botanical Collections


Four positions 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 majoring in Plant Science, Crop and Soil Science, Horticulture, Plant Biology, Plant Breeding, or Plant Pathology). 


Printable Job Description (118 KB)

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, 
  • Operating variety of hand tools and associated power equipment, including trucks and gators (ATV’s).
  • All collections interns will do weekly documentation of learning and skill development which will be shared with all staff on the last official day of the internship.

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 Plantations 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
  • Must have or be able to obtain a valid driver’s license.

This is a full-time, 12 week internship.  Must be able to work Saturday of  Reunion Weekend.  Typical work hours are Monday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Friday 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.