How to Apply

Applications are welcomed and encouraged from all qualified individuals regardless of background and identity. A one-page cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume in a single pdf file. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experiences that directly relate to it. 

Job Summary

The MBGNA summer internship takes place Monday, May 4 to Thursday, August 20, 2026.  In order to fully participate in team collaboration and project work, selected candidates are expected to complete all dates of the internship. The Arboretum Stewardship Intern will work with our team using land stewardship techniques to care for the unique ecosystems, woody plants and collections found on over 100 acres at the Nichols Arboretum. The internship program runs May through August and includes some evening and weekend hours. 

Who We Are

Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum (MBGNA) is a transformative force for social and ecological resilience through the waters and lands we steward.

• We turn this commitment into action by:
• Positioning humans as active participants within the natural world and compelling the university community and our publics to negotiate the full complexity that entails
• Advancing partnerships, programs, user experience, and all that we steward to catalyze access and impact in a radically changing world
• Emerging as University of Michigan's premier partner for research, teaching, and public impact in sustainability, climate-forward practices, and biocultural diversity
• Promoting healthier communities, cultures, and ecosystems through active care and cultivation of the gardens, fields, natural habitats, and dynamic systems that sustain our world.

For more information about MBGNA and the summer internship program, please visit: https://mbgna.umich.edu/summer-internships

For questions about the internship application, please contact:
[email protected] 

Responsibilities*

This internship position is part of the Natural Areas team at MBGNA.  This internship is focused on the stewardship of the Nichols Arboretum. As part of the Natural Areas team, this position will regularly interact with visitors, volunteers, and other MBGNA departments during the course of a workday.  

This internship position will support the goals of the Natural Areas team through the following: 

• Operating tools and equipment, using herbicides, and other ecological restoration tools and techniques to control exotic invasive plants.
• Scouting for and collecting native plant seeds for direct sowing and plug production. 
• Surveying important conservation targets, such as threatened and endangered plants and animals, and threats, such as new occurrences of exotic invasive species.
• Co-leading volunteer eco-work days on Saturdays or Sundays 1 - 2 times per month
   

Required Qualifications*

• Applicants must have one year of experience enrolled in a college or university by the internship start date. Recent college graduates who earned a degree in December 2025 or are planning to earn a degree by May 2026 are eligible to apply. 
• Hands on experience with related tools and equipment 
• Plant ID skills - native and exotic invasive
• GIS data collection and management
• These positions may require a valid driver's license and a motor vehicle record check in order to operate MBGNA vehicles.
• This position may require frequent travel between MBGNA site locations. 
• Willingness to do physical work outdoors in all weather conditions.
   

How You'll Grow

The MBGNA summer internship provides university-level students with opportunities to:

• Participate in experiential learning in a nature-based organization
• Directly contribute to strategic operations of a mission-driven organization
• Help unify and catalyze access and impact across lands, waters, and dynamic systems

As part of a learning community, interns will be expected to:

• Attend a group orientation at the beginning of the summer
• Participate in professional development sessions offered throughout the summer
• Engage in opportunities for assessment and reflection
• Attend a final celebration at the end of the summer

Work Schedule

Hours Per Week / Days Per Week
40 hours per week

Interns will be asked to co-lead ecological restoration workdays, 9 AM - 12 on Saturdays or 1 - 4 PM on Sundays, 1 - 2 times per month

Work Locations

MBGNA comprises 841 total acres, spanning across four sites, including the gardens, arboretum, a bog, and natural areas. This internship will take place at the Nichols Arboretum.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

The MBGNA internship application will be open Wednesday, January 6 - Sunday, March 1, 2026.  Applications will be reviewed after the internship application closes.  Selected candidates will be contacted for interviews beginning Monday, March 9, 2026.  Final candidates will be notified by March 27, 2026.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.

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