Horticulture Intern (Outdoor Landscapes)

Job Description

Summary:
Missouri Botanical Garden Horticulture Division is seeking to fill our paid summer internships for the 2026 season.  These seasonal, full-time internships provide a hands-on learning experience for students or early-career professionals interested in exploring career opportunities within public horticulture. Interns will work directly with staff to assist with the design, installation, and maintenance of landscapes and individual plants while learning the highest standards of care.

About Us

Founded in 1859, the Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the nation’s oldest botanical gardens in continuous operation and a National Historic Landmark.

The Garden is a center for botanical research and science education, as well as an oasis in the city of St. Louis. The Garden offers 79 acres of beautiful horticultural display, including a 14-acre Japanese strolling garden, historic architecture, and one of the world’s largest collections of rare and endangered flora.

For over 163 years, the Garden has been an oasis in the city, a place of beauty and family fun—and also a center for education, science, and conservation.

The Missouri Botanical Garden’s mission is driven by the need to protect and conserve plants and their ecosystems. We seek to inspire and educate all members of our local region about the benefits of being good environmental stewards through responsible and sustainable use of natural resources.

Duties & Responsibilities

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Performs a wide range of landscape maintenance tasks important to the cultivation, preservation, protection and transplanting of existing plants, including but not limited to soil preparation, planting, staking, mulching, weeding, watering, fertilization, pruning, training, and IPM.
Collaborates with Horticulture staff to record changes in inventory in Living Collections Management System.
Ensures that all tool storage areas and work areas are kept clean and tidy.
Ensures that all applicable safety standards are followed and adapts or modifies work methods to reduce hazards.
Reports all accidents, injuries and near-miss accidents immediately to supervisor.
Meets expected attendance guidelines.
Follows and adheres to established policies and procedures, including but not limited to Employee Handbook, Garden Safety Guidelines and Department Policies.
Behaves and communicates in a manner that promotes and fosters a culture of teamwork, cooperation, and respect within our division and throughout the Garden with all employees, supervisors/managers, volunteers, visitors and others.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

Qualifications/Experience:
Demonstrated interest in public gardens and public horticulture career opportunities.
Basic knowledge of plant material and landscape maintenance techniques.
Basic knowledge of safe operating procedures of various landscaping tools and equipment.
Ability to work as part of a team to complete general projects.
Ability to communicate effectively at all levels; must enjoy and feel comfortable interacting, answering questions and working in close proximity to general public.
Scheduling flexibility that allows working weekends and holidays for annual watering schedule.
Interest in living collections, curation and plant recording.
The Garden is committed to the safety and wellbeing of our employees, volunteers and guests. All staff are strongly encouraged to receive all vaccinations as recommended by your healthcare provider prior to hire date. The Garden reserves the right to require future proof of current vaccination status, based on local health department guidelines. When international travel is necessary for Garden business, staff must be able to obtain required travel clearances, driving permits, and vaccinations for all countries where travel is required.
The requirements and duties listed are representative and not exhaustive of the knowledge, skill, and/or abilities required.

Education:
Completion of or current enrollment towards degree in Horticulture, Biology, Botany or related field.
An equivalent combination of skills, education and experience may be considered.

Computer Skills:
Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite (i.e., Word, Excel and Outlook Email).
Ability to enter data into spreadsheets and databases.
Solid internet research skills required.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:
Must possess and maintain valid driver’s licenses.
Must have the ability to pass a background screening and motor vehicle report (MVR) to meet minimum insurance underwriting criteria.

Application Instructions

Cover Letters are recommended.

Apply Online at:
https://jobs.dayforcehcm.com/en-US/mbg/CANDIDATEPORTAL/jobs/4718