Fall/Winter Seasonal Horticulture Internship

(Paid Opportunities) Return to Paid Opportunities

Start Date: October 20th  Compensation: $22/hr

Madison Square Park Conservancy (MSPC) is the nonprofit entrusted by the City of New York to operate Madison Square Park, a 6.2-acre public space in the heart of Manhattan. Our mission is to conserve, maintain, and program this ever-evolving historic green space, including raising 100% of the park’s operating budget. Our dedicated team takes great pride in caring for and shaping an urban oasis for all to enjoy.

Anchoring a diverse and vibrant live-work community, Madison Square Park is both an intimate neighborhood park and an international destination for 60,000 daily visitors. A public space since 1686, the park has long been a gathering place for people from all walks of life. Today, it is also a public garden, urban forest, wildlife habitat, public art exhibition space, a haven for children and pets to play, and one of New York City’s most transcendent and welcoming places.

Our curated, public green space connects our city neighborhood to nature. Madison Square Park is proud to be a world-class garden that houses a vibrant horticultural program. Our dedicated gardeners curate seasonal exhibitions, take meticulous care of our trees and lawns, and keep our collections of plants and flowers thriving year-round. The seasonal Horticulture Intern will report to the Horticulture Manager and assist the horticulture team.

Responsibilities/Duties

  • Horticulture:
    • Perform horticultural maintenance, including, but not limited to: mulching, woody and herbaceous pruning, weed identification and removal, and application of fertilizer, soil amendments, or other supplements to world-class standards.
    • Reporting pest issues or damage to the horticulture manager. 
    • Desire to learn about plant nomenclature and identification, specifically with plants native to the Northeast. 
    • Maintain garden beds, borders, and plant displays to ensure they are visually appealing and healthy.
    • Assist the team with perennial cutbacks following sustainable practices.
    • Aerate, mow, edge, rake, seed, and observe lawn areas following organic and sustainable practices.
  • Operations:
    • Remove litter and natural debris from garden beds, lawns, and containers, ensuring pathways are clear and safe. 
    • Record and report potential hazards to parkgoers.
    • Operation of, or a desire to learn how to operate, a variety of power tools, hand tools, and landscape machinery, including lawn mowers, string trimmers, blowers, edgers, mulchers, etc.
    • Assist with set up and breakdowns for programs, tabling, and public events.
    • Assist with snow removal and leaf chipping operations.
  • Administration:
    • Act as an ambassador to park patrons and be a park steward.
    • Collaborate interdepartmentally with the communications team; taking pictures, videos, creating blog posts, social media content, etc. 
    • Ability to work independently and as part of a team, collaborate with other interns, volunteers, and staff, and contractors in completing tasks and supporting park-wide initiatives.
    • Respond to emails, phone inquiries, and requests in a timely and appropriate fashion.
    • Keep detailed records of plant varieties, installation changes, and maintenance work, as well as compiling information for reports or assessments of the project.

Qualifications/Requirements

Applicants must have a high school diploma/GED, and at least 200 hours of relevant experience in gardening work. Applicants should be enthusiastic about nature and sustainability efforts. This position is best suited for someone intending to apply to, already enrolled in, or recently graduated from a professional certificate or degree-granting program in horticulture, agriculture, forestry, botany, or landscape maintenance.

  • Excellent written and oral skills
  • Familiarity with Microsoft Office and Google Suite
  • Detail-oriented and organized
  • Ability to lift at least 40 pounds and work in a variety of weather conditions. This opportunity does require lifting, bending, and some tasks that may be considered physically strenuous.
  • Ability to work effectively on multiple projects and to meet deadlines
  • Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and new projects

Additional Information

Please send a cover letter and resume to gchrysostomou@madisonsquarepark.org

Contact Information

Madison Square Park Conservancy
Contact Name: Gabriela Chrysostomou
Email: gchrysostomou@madisonsquarepark.org
Phone: 3477682451