Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Who We Are:

The Scott Arboretum and Gardens is a unique garden of ideas and suggestions, encouraging horticulture in its broadest sense through displays on the 400-plus acre campus of Swarthmore College. The Arboretum is a living memorial to Arthur Hoyt Scott, Swarthmore, Class of 1895, and was established in 1929. We strive to offer some of the region’s most intimate, authentic, and accessible horticultural experiences.

The Scott Arboretum and Gardens’ mission is to delight, educate, and inspire visitors to enjoy the many benefits of horticulture, regardless of their resources or expertise. Our “garden of ideas” features plant varieties that thrive in this region, encouraging wise stewardship as well as the cultivation of plants to sustain the body, enchant the eye, and sooth the spirit.

The Arboretum has been accredited as a Level III Arboretum by ArbNet. The collection houses over 4,000 types of ornamental plants across 14 plant collections, over 20 formal garden spaces, and a 200-acre maintained woodland. Three of the collections, Ilex (hollies), Quercus (oaks), and Magnolia are nationally accredited and the Arboretum is recognized as an American Conifer Society Reference Garden.

Garden spaces are maintained by a staff of 18 full-time horticultural professionals with the assistance of volunteers. For more information, visit scottarboretum.org.

The opportunity:

The Scott Arboretum Summer Internship offers a unique work experience in a campus arboretum well-suited to an individual interested in a career in ornamental/public horticulture. On-the-job training includes exposure to garden maintenance, plant records and curation, plant propagation, and volunteer interaction. Summer interns rotate with gardening staff affording exposure to all areas of the Scott Arboretum including but not limited to The Dean Bond Rose Garden, gardens of the Cunningham House and Wister Center, Fragrance Garden, Cosby Courtyard, Harry Wood Garden, green roofs, and seasonal container gardening featuring annuals and tropical plants. Other opportunities include: admittance to the Woody Plant Conference, weekly plant walks, lunch with the Director, field excursions to visit area gardens, informational sessions with staff, equipment use demonstration, and creating written and video content for our Garden Seeds blog.

The internship is a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 28 weeks; typically starting in March to May and ending Aug. to Oct. Work hours are 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, with occasional evening and weekend hours depending on events.

Essential Responsibilities

• Assist Arboretum staff and volunteers with the care of gardens and collections across the arboretum. Maintenance tasks include, but are not limited to pruning, cutbacks, mulching, weeding, raking, watering, tool maintenance, and planting.
• Attend educational garden trips and tours, programs, and conferences.
• Create written and video content for Arboretum publications.
• Assist with greenhouse management including, pest control, watering, and propagation.

Who you are:

• Interest and ability to work outdoors with a variety of plants and garden spaces.
• Able to work with a variety of people including volunteers of different generations and staff across the Arboretum and College.
• Detail oriented and self-motivated, ability to work independently and in small groups.
• Curious about plants, public gardens and their maintenance.
• Attention to detail and willingness to learn on the job
• Interest in working with staff, volunteers, and the public.
• Ability to express written ideas in English and perform research for publications and tours.

What you bring:

Required Qualifications

• Interested in a career in ornamental/public horticulture.

Physical Demands

• Physical mobility to conduct walking tours, lift up to 50 pounds, and to work outside maintaining garden areas. Other physical requirements include: shoveling/raking/pruning motions and kneeling/bending/squatting motions for extended time.
• Must be able to read and understand labels, manuals, and new information related to Arboretum practices.
• Ability to maintain written and computerized records.

Working Conditions

• Must be available to work in variable outdoor conditions.
• Must be available to assist with events and assignments after hours and on weekends.

What You Will Get:

You’ll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 400-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. You will be joining a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff. You will receive a well-rounded working-knowledge of public gardens and the maintenance they require.

We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration, submit applications with pay expectations including a resume and cover letter by January 31, 2025. Applications received after this date may be reviewed on a rolling basis until the job has been filled.

PA Criminal Required

Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all staff positions prior to the start of employment.

Swarthmore College actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.