Program Description

The U.S. National Arboretum offers a limited number of internships to qualified individuals seeking on-the-job work experience and training in horticulture, botany, research, education, facilities management, and public garden administration. Selected individuals gain hands-on experience throughout the Arboretum's various plant collections, greenhouses, and research laboratories.

Bonsai Internships:

Description: This internship will be at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum.  The intern will be trained by the curator in the care and maintenance of the bonsai collection.   This position will start April 8th.   Compensation is approx. $11.91/hr. Weekend work will be required.  The intern may work a full time or part time schedule depending on availability.  Internship will not exceed 480 hours.

Qualifications: Applicants should have an active interest in the art of bonsai.  The incumbent should have a basic understanding of plant care and have the ability to accurately follow instructions relating to planting, pruning, weeding and other routine garden maintenance tasks.  Applicant must be a U.S. Citizen.

Duties & Working Conditions: Duties include assisting with the day to day care of the bonsai collection.  The intern will work under the direction of the museum curator.  The intern will assist in a wide variety of tasks required in the maintenance of the bonsai collection as needed such as watering, repotting, trimming and wiring.   

Deadline for applications is January 18th, 2013.

Horticulture Internships:

Description: Horticulture interns are assigned to one or more gardens or collections. All interns participate in regularly scheduled educational programs and field trips, work on a project that benefits the Arboretum, and are supervised by the Arboretum's professional staff. Internships are 6 months long and will begin in April or May 2013.  Compensation for the internships is approx. $11.91/hr. College credit may be arranged by the student and is encouraged. There are full-time and part-time internships available. 

Qualifications: Applicants need to have either completed course work or have acquired practical experience in horticulture or a related field. Basic gardening, interest in plants, and the ability to work independently are very important.

Duties & Working Conditions: Interns will be responsible for the typical duties of working in a public garden. Assist the plant collection curators in the development and maintenance of the plant germplasm collections at the arboretum. Perform general gardening tasks that provide proper environmental conditions for germplasm collections, including watering, mowing, mulching, and weeding. In addition, procedures for maintaining proper greenhouse conditions will be stressed, including correct nutritional regimens, and environmental variables. Assist horticulturists and Plant Records staff with updating records and labels of plants in collections. Internships will involve heavy lifting and exposure to extreme heat and humidity.

Interns will be assigned to one of the following areas:

Friendship Garden: The Friendship Garden is an innovative landscape that includes woody plants, perennials, ornamental grasses, and bulbs designed for year-round interest.

Azalea & Boxwood Collections: The Azalea Collection features cultivated azaleas in a wooded setting. The National Boxwood Collection is one of the most complete collections of boxwood in the world.

Asian Collections: The dramatic landscapes of the Asian Collections features plants collected from the rich floras of China, Japan, and Korea. 

Dogwood & Native Plant Collections: The Dogwood collection features more than 100 varieties and species of Cornus in a naturalistic setting.  The Native Plant Collection features plants native to Eastern USA in woodland and meadow settings.

Conifer Collection & Introduction Garden: The Gotelli Conifer Collection highlights hundreds of varieties of conifers. The Introduction Garden displays new plants to the gardening public, including new National Arboretum introductions.

There is no deadline.  However, to receive first consideration, please apply before February 18th, 2013.

Research Internships:

Description: The mission of the U.S. National Arboretum is to enhance the economic, environmental, and aesthetic value of ornamental plants through research, conservation, and display. Pending available funding, the Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit may have several research internships available this summer in areas such as molecular biology, plant pathology, plant breeding, horticulture, and production. Interns would be located in Beltsville, MD or at the Arboretum in northeast Washington, DC. Interns are assigned to a particular area within the arboretum. All 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 is approximately $11.91/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 a plant production or laboratory setting. Experience in horticulture, plant science, or laboratory work and the ability to work independently are very important.
Duties & Working Conditions: These positions are located in the Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit in Beltsville, MD, or at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. Depending on the project, duties could include plant propagation, seed germination, pollinations, transplanting, DNA/RNA extraction and analysis, sequencing, PCR, and other laboratory, greenhouse, or nursery procedures.

Note:  Although the research internships have not yet been funded, we are still accepting applications of interested candidates.

To apply for any of the above internships:

Please send a cover letter and resume via postal mail or email to::

Please send a cover letter, resume, transcripts (unofficial are acceptable), three references, and a completed supplemental questionnaire via email to USNA.Internships@ars.usda.gov