Job Description
About Our Organization
Lauritzen Gardens, acclaimed as the Best Attraction in the 2025 Omaha Metropolitan Area Tourism Awards and voted #5 by USA Today for Top Botanical Gardens in the United States, is home to 100 acres of horticultural displays showcasing the diverse Nebraska landscape. Lauritzen Gardens is a non-profit organization that provides conservation efforts across the Great Plains, practices and promotes thoughtful and ecologically minded horticulture practices, creates educational and inspirational experiences, and offers a year-round schedule of tours, programs, and workshops that explore, explain, and celebrate the world of plants. Lauritzen Gardens is dedicated to upholding its exceptional standards and providing joyful experiences for its visitors.
Job Summary
The Horticulture Intern will work directly with the garden's horticulture team to gain practical experience in horticultural maintenance. Interns will spend time working in one main area with exposure to different outdoor gardens, indoor floral displays, greenhouse production, and plant records. Within the horticulture department, there are many opportunities for discussion with staff in relation to your personal area of interest. The regular full-time staff members have various stages of experience and areas of expertise allowing you to explore multiple areas and methods via one internship.
Internships range from mid-May to mid-September; a 10-week commitment is preferred. The start and end dates are flexible. There is a seasonal position opportunity for a candidate that can commit to a longer duration, April to October. There are two work schedules to choose from: Sunday-Thursday or Tuesday-Saturday. Work hours are either 7:00 AM-4:00 PM or 8:00 AM-5:00 PM. This is a full-time position with a 40-hour work week.
Primary Job Duties
- Plant, prune, water, fertilize, and maintain trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, and turf.
- Monitor plant health and diagnose pests, diseases, and nutrient deficiencies.
- Assist with landscape design, garden installations, and seasonal displays.
- Display commitment to excellence and a keen eye for garden detail.
- Be able to understand and interpret instructions to work effectively and efficiently with minimal supervision.
- Bring creative solutions to challenges.
- Be able to lift 40 lbs. safely, stand, squat, kneel 8 hour a day, and work safely in extreme environmental conditions.
- Must be willing to use fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides with the label-stated safety precautions and attain and applicator's license within 12 months of start date.
- Operate small engine equipment safely (golf cart, weed-eater, blower, edger, etc.).
- Clean and use hand tools and equipment responsibly.
- Weekly computer usage.
Education & Experience
- Applicants must be enrolled in college (current degree field may be related or unrelated) or have graduated with a degree in a related field.