POLLINATOR PLANT PROPAGATION INTERN

Description

Part-time Position 10-15 hrs/week - internship ends on or around 12/15/2025

Assist with propagation and outreach activities for Great Milkweed Grow Out, as well as occasionally with research on native plants and insects. Develop skills in the field of habitat conservation and native plant propagation while working with Garden professionals.

About Great Milkweed Grow Out:

Great Milkweed Grow Out, the Garden's monarch butterfly and pollinator conservation initiative, works to grow native milkweeds and nectar plants for monarch butterflies and pollinators, engage the community in monarch and pollinator conservation, and conduct research into the best native milkweeds for monarchs and pollinators. At the Garden, we propagate thousands of milkweeds and other nectar plants native to Arizona every year, including some species that are not otherwise in cultivation. We are developing protocols to grow these little-understood species so they can be used later for habitat restoration and research.

Essential Duties

• Plant milkweed and pollinator plant seeds into cones and pots
• Assist with repotting milkweed seedlings into larger pots
• Collect data on seed germination rates
• Maintain soil mixes for repotting and seeding
• Work closely with Garden volunteers
• Assist as needed with seed and plant distribution and community outreach
• Assist as needed with data collection on plants and insects

$17.50 per hour

Requirements

• Desire to learn more about native plant propagation and habitat restoration, or interest in a related career
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to work outdoors in a variety of terrains and conditions.
• Valid driver's license is required
• Ability to work off-hours with occasional evenings, weekends, and/or holidays.
• High school diploma required.

Equipment Used

Typical office equipment; this role will also use lab and field equipment specific to the needs of research areas of inquiry, including horticultural tools and rearing of invertebrate animals.

Internal Communication

Regular communication with Garden employees and volunteers.

External Communication

Limited.

Working Conditions

Physical demands include primarily those associated with outdoor work, which could be in the Garden, or in the field (local, regional). Occasional work will occur in a normal office environment.

Must be able to walk, sit, stand, stoop, kneel, bend, see, hear, speak, read, and type. Manual dexterity and the ability to lift up to 25 pounds required. Much of this role will be outdoors and subject to extreme weather.

Reasonable accommodations may be made, when necessary and feasible, to allow a qualified individual to perform essential job functions.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Desert Botanical Garden is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by law.

The Garden fosters and supports workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion to honor the unique perspectives, experiences, and contributions of all, to celebrate successes, and to cultivate individual and institutional excellence.

All employees will help add to the Garden's diversity and fully embrace it.

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and deliverables of the role. This is not a contract and should not be viewed as such. Other duties may be assigned by supervisor and/or his/her/their designee.