Description
Those fortunate enough to land one of these positions have the benefit of experiencing an entire seasonal cycle of working in horticulture. They are assigned to a particular collection and essentially become part of the staff. Interns participate in regularly scheduled educational programs and field trips, work on independent projects that benefit the arboretum, and are supervised by the arboretum's professional staff. Compensation for the 2008 year-long internship is approx. $14.56/hr. The work week for most interns is Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. College credit may be arranged by the student and is encouraged.

Qualifications
Applicants need to have either completed at least 24 hours of relevant course work or have acquired one year of practical experience in horticulture or a related field. Basic gardening or laboratory skills, interest in plants, and the ability to work independently are very important.

Duties & Working Conditions
Interns will be responsible for the standard duties of working in a public garden. Examples include assisting in all aspects of garden maintenance and development, including greenhouse work, potted plant maintenance, propagation, planting, watering, weeding, mowing, and pest management. Interns will also assist with the accurate labeling of plants and answering visitors’ questions. Outdoor internships involve exposure to temperature and weather extremes throughout the year.

National Herb Garden: This garden is the largest designed herb garden in the world, containing over 800 taxa, including a collection of antique roses. In this internship, you will assist in all aspects of garden maintenance, propagation, planting, watering, etc. An interest in herbs as 'useful' plants as well as in antique roses, is highly desirable. Interest in garden interpretation and public education is useful. Summer schedule will include one weekend day.

Asian Collection: This collection's dramatic landscape features plants collected from the rich floras of China, Japan, and Korea. In this internship, you will gain hands-on experience throughout the Asian Collection's extensive planting. In addition, you will be involved with managing plant records.

To apply for the Year-Long Internships:

Applications for the year-long horticultural internship must go through the ARS Human Resources Department. The announcement and information link is here. Applications are due no later than July 18th, 2008. [A PDF preview of the announcement and application details can be found here].