Becker Bees Legacy Grant Intern
Opportunity:
The Horticulture & Collections and Research departments seek a Becker Bees Legacy Grant Intern candidate. This is a shared position between two departments. The intern will assist with butterfly garden care, meadow restoration ecology including monitoring of plants and invertebrates, both in the core gardens and natural areas. The Becker Bees Legacy Grant Intern will work with other Holden Forests & Garden Departments with opportunities for cross-training. The intern will have the opportunity to participate in professional development experiences with all Holden Forests & Gardens’ interns and will have the opportunity to develop and present their research at HF&G’s SEARCH symposium. This position is based at the Holden Arboretum campus in Kirtland, OH with occasional travel to the Cleveland Botanical Garden.
Position Details:
- Position begins in May, flexibility in start date
- 12-week internship
- Approximately 40 hours per week
- Pay $12.50
- Low-cost housing may be available
- Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents
- Open to undergraduate or recent graduates
Key Responsibilities:
Key responsibilities of the Becker Bees Legacy Grant Intern include, but are not limited to:
- Support Holden Forests & Gardens’ mission, vision, values, and core commitment
- Work with supervisor to develop and complete an independent project which will be presented at the SEARCH symposium at the end of the internship
The Becker Bees Legacy Grant Intern will learn a variety of skills, including, but not limited to:
- Understand how to sustainably care for and maintain a living collection with focus on plant health, garden aesthetic and ecological diversity
- Enhance skills in proper planting techniques of herbaceous and woody plant material
- Learn about guest engagement in person and online at a public garden
- Work with full-time horticulturists and gardeners on garden design
- Collect data for entry and analysis
- Complete OSHA certified equipment trainings
- Other Duties as Assigned
Qualifications and Skills:
- Demonstrate a passion for people and nature
- Pursuing or recently completed an undergraduate degree in Environmental Education, Biology, Conservation, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, Plant Science, Horticulture, or related field, preferred
- Passion for connecting people with the wonder, beauty and values of trees and plants to inspire action for healthy communities along with a strong interest in natural resource management and conservation education
- Previous experience with plant an invertebrate ID, preferred
- Native and invasive plant identification, a plus
- Experience setting up and conducting biological field surveys, a plus
- Excellent ability to communicate and interact with the general public
- Ability to understand basic instructions is required
- Strong communication, organizational skills, adaptability, and critical thinking skills, highly desired
- Able to work well in a diverse team
- Able to work independently when needed
- An interest in working outdoors performing manual labor in all weather conditions
- Proficient use of Microsoft 365 products, specifically Teams, Outlook (email and calendar), Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Working with or managing volunteers, a plus
- A valid Driver’s License with acceptable driving record and a reliable means of getting to and from work
Physical Requirements:
Must be able to perform with or without reasonable accommodation:
- Perform required tasks in all weather conditions
- Ability to safely operate small-engine machinery e.g., brush cutter or weed-whip or a desire to learn
- Effective vision and hearing
- Hand and arm dexterity
- Walking and working on wet, uneven, slippery terrain
- Occasionally lifting and carrying of up to 50 lbs.
- Kneeling, bending, stooping, grabbing, and reaching
- Ability to hike up to 3-5 miles per day in variable terrain
Apply:
Would YOU like to join us and play an integral part at this exciting time for HF&G and add a competitive edge to your resume and experience? Review of applications will begin on February 01, 2023.
Qualified applicants should submit résumé, letter of interest discussing why you are interested in working at Holden Forests & Gardens and your interest in garden care, restoration & Ecology and contact information for at least two references.
Holden Forests & Gardens (Holden Arboretum and Cleveland Botanical Garden) is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to hiring a diverse and talented workforce. Interns who join the HF&G team will receive a comprehensive experience that supports individual department needs, integrates professional experiences to develop skills, and fosters opportunity recognition for future professionals. We strive for all HF&G Interns to have a transformative experience exploring and growing in their area of study and gaining exposure to a variety of career options.