Botany/Horticultral Internship

Botany imagePeace River Refuge & Ranch is currently accepting applicants for a horticultural internship at our facility.

We are looking for undergraduate or graduate level college students wishing to earn course credits for work related to landscaping of wild animal habitats and the general sanctuary grounds. This internship is specifically geared towards students studying horticulture, botany, urban forestry, landscape construction and maintenance, or landscape architecture.

This internship would involve exposure to garden maintenance, animal enrichment, animal habitat simulation, planning and design, landscape construction, and irrigation installation and repair.

The sanctuary has a vast botanical collection and can provide internship projects related to accessing, labeling, and organizing collection records. Other projects may be available in horticulture education or landscape architecture. Special projects will be considered upon request if they further the goals of the horticulture section and can be accomplished in the time frame of the internship.

Important!

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

  • This program does not include direct contact with potentially dangerous animals residing at our facility
  • Direct contact is defined as any physical contact with any animal, including contact through cage wire (reaching of limbs through fences or cages), etc.
  • These animals are not pets. If you are looking for an internship that offers direct contact with animals you should consider an internship working with domestic animals.
  • Any and all violations involving direct physical contact with the wild animals will cause an intern to be the subject of immediate dismissal from the property under escort by security, and/or management or staff, there are no exceptions to this policy.
  • Safety of the animals, management, staff, interns and volunteers always comes first at our facility.
  • If an wild animal bites or scratches you, it immediately places the welfare of the animal and our entire facility at risk, so the above rules are taken very seriously.

Internship Objectives:

  • Gain professional hands-on horticultural experience at an wild animal sanctuary and educational facility.
  • Provide support to full-time sanctuary staff.
  • Enhance the overall sanctuary architectural landscape and provide naturalistic and safe habitat designs for the different animal species at the sanctuary.

Internship Guidelines:

  • Minimum age is 18.
  • Internships are available year-round, with flexible dates.
  • The positions are non-stipend during the summer months but can include a stipend of $300-$500 after the first 4 weeks (non-stipend for the first 4 weeks.) This is to be negotiated during your interview process. All interns receive lodging and meals.
  • Positions last for a period 4 weeks up to six months, and require a minimum of 40 hours per week. Students should be able to work a flexible schedule.
  • Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or otherwise legally allowed to work in the United States, as we do not have the ability to participate in any application visa process.
  • Candidates must be enrolled in a college curriculum OR have completed at least two years of college (currently enrolled) in a degree program OR have graduated with a degree. This internship is specifically geared towards students studying horticulture, botany, urban forestry, landscape construction and maintenance, or landscape architecture or related field.
  • One school reference (school contacts/phone numbers, NOT letters) must be submitted with the application.
  • Two letters of reference including addresses and contact numbers from two individuals not related to you who have known you for over a year submitted at time of application, preferably from volunteer work or other employment.
  • Must be able to provide proof of a current negative TB test.
  • Hepatitis B, and tetanus vaccinations are recommended.
  • Must be able to lift and carry 50 pounds on a routine basis.

Although not required, the following items will increase your odds of selection:

  • Proof of a current pre-exposure rabies vaccination
  • Your own car to drive while you are here so that you are not dependent upon us for transportation

Application process

Permanent link to this article: http://peaceriverrefuge.org/internships/botany/