Student Jobs

Olbrich Botanical Gardens is home to 16 acres of outdoor display gardens and a 10,000 square foot tropical conservatory. The award-winning outdoor gardens include 10 unique specialty gardens. Indoors, the tropical Bolz Conservatory exhibits an extraordinary collection of exotic plants and orchids complemented by colorful birds and koi. Olbrich is committed to a culture of sustainability and education so that everyone - including future generations - can experience and learn about the fascinating world of plants and gardens. Olbrich Botanical Gardens is operated through a public/private partnership between the City of Madison and OBS, the non-profit organization that raises over $3 million each year to support the daily operation of the Gardens.  Olbrich Botanical Gardens aspires to be a destination where all visitors, volunteers, and staff are valued and feel they belong. With conscious intent and continuous learning, Olbrich Botanical Gardens' staff, volunteers, and board will address barriers to inclusion through education, operational changes, and partnerships with the community.

12 – 16 weeks, mid-May/June through mid-late August, 30 – 40 hrs. /week

Olbrich’s horticulture internship offers enthusiastic students an opportunity to immerse themselves in the gardens and grow professionally alongside the horticulture staff and volunteers.  Interns will work directly with horticulture staff in the outdoor gardens to gain valuable practical work experience in public horticulture. Individuals will learn all aspects of environmentally responsible horticulture through sustainable gardening practices during the course of the gardening season and will be immersed in innovative and artistic garden designs and seasonal displays. This internship will include several paid all-day field trips to other gardens and horticultural enterprises. Interns will experience Olbrich during peak visitation times, by working approximately one weekend per month along with one of the three summer holidays.  Interns will have the opportunity to hone their managerial skills by working with and occasionally supervising garden volunteers. 

While in the outdoor gardens, interns work alongside staff in the Dry, Event, Gravel, Herb, Meadow, Perennial, Rain, Tower, Shade, Sunken, Thai and Wildflower gardens. Individuals work extensively with annual bed and container plantings, tropicals, aquatics, perennials, and woody plantings.  Interns will also have an opportunity to work on annual displays with the horticulture staff on State Street, one of Madison’s popular restaurant and shopping districts. Interns may also assist with work in the supporting greenhouses and plant production areas.

Candidates interested in working with a creative, fun and hard-working team of professional horticulturists and volunteers are encouraged to apply!

Qualifications: 

• Coursework and/or practical experience in horticulture, botany, landscape architecture, plant pathology, soils, agronomy, plant production, or related field preferred
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate effectively to work as a team with the horticulture staff and volunteers
• Ability to follow policies and procedures as outlined by Olbrich Botanical Gardens and Olbrich Botanical Society.
• Willingness to submit personal information for a criminal background check, as well as the ability to successfully pass a criminal background check.
• Ability to commit to the work schedule, maintain adequate attendance, working weekend and holiday hours as required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to be tactful and courteous with garden visitors, volunteers and staff.
• Ability to work under adverse environmental conditions, including rainy, sunny, hot and humid conditions.
• Ability to perform manual and semi-skilled tasks for extended periods of time.
• Ability to multi-task and complete repetitive tasks in a quality manner.
• Ability to safely use hand tools and small powered equipment typically used in routine garden maintenance, such as pruners, shovels, tillers, and mowers. 
• Ability to safely operate a golf-style utility cart.

• Perform Related Work as Assigned.

How to Apply: To apply, please email the following items to Director of Horticulture, Samantha Peckham

speckham2@cityofmadison.com

• Resume
• Horticulture internship questionnaire
• OBS application

All applications materials can be found on our website (www.olbrich.org) and are due by February 16th 2025