Alpine Seed Curation Internship, Intern

Description

About Denver Botanic Gardens: Green inside and out, Denver Botanic Gardens was founded in 1951 and is considered one of the top botanical gardens in the United States and a pioneer in water conservation. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, The Gardens has a robust living plant collection, natural history collection and art collection along with temporary art exhibitions. The Gardens is a dynamic, 24-acre urban oasis in the heart of the city, offering unforgettable opportunities to flourish with unique garden experiences for the whole family – as well as world-class exhibitions, education, and plant conservation research programs. 

For more information, visit us online at www.botanicgardens.org.

Denver Botanic Gardens is currently seeking a Alpine Seed Curation Internship, Intern in our Horticulture Department! Read below to see if the requirements might be a good fit for you:

Position Summary and Goals:

The Intern will learn how to collect, curate, and conserve seeds from wild collected Alpine plants, inventory update and catalog creation of these collections. Primary work areas will include the York Street site and the Mount Goliath Natural Area.

Compensation package includes a housing stipend of $1,000. Details to be covered during the interview process.

Background: 

Alpine plant species exist in ecosystems highly vulnerable to climate threats. The creation and implementation of the North American Botanic Gardens Strategy for Alpine Plant Conservation endeavors to protect and conserve these at-risk Alpine species, and this internship can play an important role in Colorado species seed conservation. This internship will add to the growing efforts of ex-situ conservation of seeds and seed banking, as well as work on in-situ data collection at Mount Goliath, taking phenological data on selected Alpine species.

To be considered, please submit your application by Friday, January 30, 2026.

Requirements

Internship Highlights:

Interns will take part in field trips, lectures, and group projects. We at Denver Botanic Gardens feel strongly that there is no substitute for hands-on learning, so in addition to the project and participating in the learning opportunities, interns are expected to work alongside their mentors and other horticulturists in the Gardens. This will include participating in the daily activities associated with public garden maintenance – weeding, watering, planting, accessioning, preparing for special events, etc. 

The goal of the internship is to provide an overview of public horticulture as well as useful experience in a specific area which can help interns define their interests in horticulture. 

 As a member of Denver Botanic Gardens staff, interns will participate in employee meetings and other day-to-day operations and will be subject to all Denver Botanic Gardens employment policies. 

In Denver temperatures can reach a sizzling 100° in mid-summer, while temperatures at our Mount Goliath site can drop into the 50’s. Humidity is very low here, however, there are occasional days of rain or drizzle. Interns should be prepared to work in these environmental extremes as the work site is primarily outdoors.

Regular attendance at the work site may be required. As with all positions at Denver Botanic Gardens, the incumbent must be in good performance standing to be eligible for remote work. Remote work is at the discretion of management at all times.

All Gardens employees must be committed to the mission of connecting people with plants, especially plants from the Rocky Mountain region and similar regions around the world, providing delight and enlightenment to everyone.

General Duties and Responsibilities/Deliverables:

• Update inventory and create catalog of Denver Botanic Gardens’ Alpine seed ex-situ collections. 
• Add Alpine field data to the National Phenology Network collection site. 
• Inventory of a seed herbarium collection.  
• Field collection experience in the Colorado Alpine. 
• Presentation to staff and blog post detailing highlights of internship experience.

Skills that will be learned or refined:

• Phenology data. 
• Herbarium voucher collecting. 
• Seed curation and organization for seed herbarium. 
• Creation of an inventory for seed herbarium and photography of seed.  

Horticultural knowledge that will be learned and how this project will link classroom theory with practical experience:

Alpine plants and ecosystems are usually not addressed in classroom curriculum. This internship will expose learners to curate, conserve, and propagate Alpine species. 

Eligibility Requirements:

• Candidates must be currently authorized to work in the United States.
• High school diploma / GED and/or combination of education and equivalent experience is required.
• Experience/interest in plant conservation a plus.
• Experience/interest in working in a horticultural environment a plus.
• Must have proven excellent customer service, interpersonal, and communication skills in dealing with the public.
• Ability to maintain stability under pressure and able to deal well with stressful situations.
• Ability to be flexible and willing to modify plans, when necessary, throughout the day.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends and/or holidays.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Suite products, specifically Word, Excel and Outlook and Teams. 
• Ability to work overtime as necessary.
• Must be a positive representative of the Gardens both internally and externally at all times.
• Must work with respect and cooperation at all times with fellow employees and the public.
• Must be committed to working safely at all times.

To be considered, please submit your application by Friday, January 30, 2026.

Come work for a place that offers you SO much more than just a paycheck!

Salary : $22