Mount Vernon Gardens and Landscapes Part-time Position Summer 2024
George Washington’s Mount Vernon Horticulture Department has openings for paid summer positions that may have the potential of fulfilling an internship requirement for undergraduates in horticulture, landscape architecture, environmental sciences, agriculture, botany, or a related field. These positions offer the chance to gain practical, hands-on horticultural experience at a renowned historic site. Students are expected to be dependable and highly motivated, and will have the opportunity to work alongside the gardeners in all areas of the Mount Vernon Estate, including the historic gardens and grounds, the museum, Fred W. Smith Memorial Library landscapes, as well as in the surrounding woods, managing invasive plants. Exposure to adverse weather conditions such as heat and humidity is to be expected, as well as periods of strenuous physical activity. Schedule is a 40-hour week, 6:30am-3:00pm, including one weekend day. Applicants are expected to behave and communicate in a manner that promotes and fosters a culture of teamwork and cooperation, within the Horticulture department and throughout the Estate, with co-workers, management, and volunteers.
Expected duties include, but are not limited to, assisting gardeners with:
- Planting, seed sowing, watering, and staking annuals, vegetables, and perennials.
- Weeding and mulching.
- Pruning grapes and ornamental vines, shrubs, and fruit trees.
- Dead-heading and seed collecting of perennials and annuals.
- Harvesting produce.
- Invasives control in woods.
Ability to use hand tools and operate mowers, string trimmers, and blowers are a plus.
Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume by March 28th, 2024 to: Leslie Bird, Curator of Historic Gardens and Landscapes at lbird@mountvernon.org