Posted: January 9, 2017
The Office of Physical Plant at Penn State is offering paid ($10/hour) greenhouse and nursery production internships for undergraduates, graduate students, and recent graduates interested in career paths in horticulture and related disciplines. This is a full-time (40 hour/week) position with a 14-week term from May 8–August 11, 2017.
Application Deadline: Wednesday, February 15, 2017
- Opportunity: The Office of Physical Plant at Penn State is offering paid ($10/hour) greenhouse and nursery production internships for undergraduates, graduate students, and recent graduates interested in career paths in horticulture and related disciplines. This is a full-time (40 hour/week) position with a 14-week term from May 8-August 11, 2017.
- Experience: This internship provides a hands-on introduction to greenhouse and nursery operations in a public landscape setting. Interns work side by side with Penn State staff horticulturists to manage day-to-day operations at Penn State's Tower Road Greenhouse complex, which produces ornamental plants for use in landscapes across the University Park campus, including The Arboretum at Penn State. Highlights include hands-on training in annual, perennial, and woody crop production, irrigation systems, and crop planning, as well as training in the use of tools and equipment. Although most time will be occupied with daily tasks related to the nursery and greenhouse, interns will participate in several educational field trips and will gain exposure to other aspects of campus landscape management, including IPM, arboriculture, and horticulture.
- Qualifications: Applicants should be enrolled in, or have completed, an academic degree program in Horticulture, Biology, Ecology, Environmental Resource Management, Forest Ecosystem Management, Landscape Architecture, Landscape Contracting, or related fields of study. Applicants should have strong oral communication skills, a demonstrated willingness to work in a team environment, and a strong work ethic. Highest preference will be given to candidates who have a demonstrable interest in the field and can explain how this opportunity will help them to reach their career goals. Previous experience in nursery production will be considered an advantage. Some duties will require physical effort consisting of lifting or moving items weighing between 20 and 60 pounds and occasionally moving materials that weigh over 60 pounds.
- Application: Applications must be submitted electronically via the Penn State Jobs website at psu.jobs. This position is listed as Job #68249. Please make certain to include a cover letter and resume in application materials. Instructions for using the PSU Jobs website are available at psu.jobs/faq. Qualified applicants will be contacted for in-person interviews during early March.
