Intern - Plant Production Greenhouse and Nursery

Chicago Botanic Garden • Glencoe, IL

10d • Onsite

About The Position

Learn about plant production by rotating through and working with the growers in the five divisions of the Plant Production Department. These divisions include the nursery, indoor floriculture, outdoor floriculture, orchids, and plant propagation. Attend staff meetings, field trips, and weekly intern meetings with guest speakers during the summer to learn about general botanic garden operations. Work schedule typically 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m during the week day and Saturday.

Requirements

• Be enrolled in a college horticulture program or related field with an interest in garden maintenance. Candidates within a year of their graduation will also be considered.
• Be able to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Have good communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Work with the nursery supervisor to produce a broad range of plants including trees, shrubs, perennials, native plants, and aquatics through potting, transplanting, fertilizing, weeding, spacing pots, setting up irrigation, watering, and pruning.
• Work with the indoor floriculturist to produce crops for interior displays, education programs, and special events through potting, pruning, fertilizing, watering, grooming, and training.
• Work with the outdoor floriculturist to produce crops for spring, summer, and fall annual displays through potting, watering, pinching, fertilizing, and spacing.
• Work with the orchid floriculturist in the care and maintenance of the orchid collection and other tropical collection plants.
• Work with the plant propagator to propagate plants through sowing seeds, taking cuttings, making divisions, stratifying and scarifying seeds, grafting, and budding.
• Assist with delivery of plants.
• Prepare and lead a 15 to 20-minute tour around your assigned areas highlighting your experiences throughout the season for other horticulture staff.

Benefits

• Wellness initiative benefit
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Retirement plan
• Holidays
• Holiday Thank you pay
• Garden membership - free to employees at Household Plus level
• Discounts to Garden Shop, Cafe, Garden-sponsored educational classes
• Employee events such as Orchid show, Night of 1,000 Jack-o'-Lanterns, Lightscape employee & friends preview night

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees