Summer Intern – Brookside Gardens – Seasonal

Summer Intern – Brookside Gardens – Seasonal
Organization Montgomery Parks
Location Wheaton, Maryland
Job Type Seasonal
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2024

Description

Are you looking for an exciting job opportunity with Montgomery County Parks’ premier Brookside Gardens Facility? The Brookside Gardens team is seeking undergraduate students and recent graduates to fill paid summer intern positions. This is an opportunity for motivated individuals to work closely with professionals in a public garden setting, learning first-hand about the varied facets of operating a public garden with outstanding plant collections and displays, a diverse customer base, and engaging learning opportunities. Experience and skills acquired through the internship will prepare participants for professional positions in related fields within the green industry and will complement undergraduate or graduate studies in horticulture or related fields.

Brookside Gardens is a 55-acre horticultural display garden with intricately crafted landscapes, permanent and seasonal displays, and two conservatories. Throughout the year, the Gardens welcomes more than 1,000,000 visitors, at engaging programs and events for children and adults, including the winter light display. Learn more about us at https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/

Internship Experience

The pay rate for this position is $17.00 per hour. The schedule is Monday-Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm (may vary). Must be available for occasional alternate weekdays, weekends, and evenings.

Interns will rotate through several sections throughout the gardens and will work on projects crucial to Brookside Gardens’ operations in each department. Interns should expect to assist with:

  • Outdoor Garden Maintenance
  • Indoor Garden (Conservatory) Maintenance
  • Plant Propagation
  • There will be periodic training sessions on topics relevant to the Gardens’ operations, in addition to field trips to other gardens and related facilities. Each intern will work on an independent project, presenting their findings before Montgomery Parks staff at the end of the summer.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Applicants must be currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, an undergraduate program related to Horticulture, Plant and Environmental Sciences, Soil Sciences, or Landscape Architecture.
  • Applicants should have a passion for learning new and varied skills relevant to running gardens and be capable of working independently or on a team.
  • Please include a copy of your college transcripts with your application.

Working Conditions

Interns work both indoors and outdoors. May expect exposure to summer weather conditions, dirt, dust, unpleasant odors from fumes from fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, and pesticides. May also encounter wildlife or harmful insects, and traffic hazards and noise.

Supplemental Information

  • Brookside Gardens will cooperate with universities and colleges that offer credit for internship programs; however, it is the responsibility of the intern to make all arrangements for receiving academic credit with their institution.
  • No housing available.
  • This position does not provide benefits.
  • A criminal background investigation will be completed prior to hire.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is a six-time National Recreational and Parks Association Gold Medal Award Winner. The Montgomery County Department of Parks has a career staff complement of nearly 800 employees, and we serve a diverse population of more than one million residents in the Washington, DC area. We manage 421 parks on nearly 37,000 acres of parkland. Go to our website to learn more: https://www.montgomeryparks.org/

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate a workplace culture of diversity, equity and inclusion without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, gender identity, or any other non-merit factor.

Applicants with Disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

If you require accommodations or special arrangements due to a qualifying disability, please notify the Recruitment & Selections Services Unit at the time of applications at or 301-454-1411 (Maryland Relay 7-1-1)

M-NCPPC will make all efforts to reasonably accommodate you.

Application Link