Wild Gardens of Acadia intern Maya McDonald prunes an area in the bog. (Photo by Ashley L. Conti/Friends of Acadia)

See all job openings on our Employment Opportunities page

Wild Gardens of Acadia Intern, Friends of Acadia

Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine
Compensation: $17.85/hour
Hours: approximately 40 hours/week; 500 hours total

Friends of Acadia is accepting applications for the Wild Gardens of Acadia Intern for the 2023 summer season. Located at Sieur de Monts in Acadia National Park, the Wild Gardens of Acadia is an important park destination with thirteen habitats displaying native plants in habitats that are similar to those found in the park. Habitats range from deciduous and coniferous woods to a beach, bog, pond, roadside, and mountain. A committee of volunteers, the Supervisory Gardener, and the Wild Gardens of Acadia Intern manage the Wild Gardens in partnership with the National Park Service and Friends of Acadia. Friends of Acadia also provides financial and administrative support.

Intern Duties
1. Perform regular maintenance activities, such as weeding, watering, transplanting, pruning, raking paths, turning compost, and setting up informational materials.
2. Learn about the habitats in the Wild Gardens, the native plants in those habitats, and the importance of conserving native plants.
3. Greet visitors to the Wild Gardens and answer their questions with patience and politeness. Share with visitors the importance of native plants. Respectfully inform visitors of Wild Gardens’ policies (e.g., no pets allowed, no picnicking, etc.) if visitors are observed ignoring them.
4. Complete daily log of work activities. Record observations of visitor use and impacts, maintenance needs, and visitor comments, compliments, and complaints.
5. Work with the Supervisory Gardener and volunteers to plan and implement special events, such as garden tours.
6. Assist with preparing educational materials, such as information for the Wild Gardens’ bulletin boards or new children’s activities.
7. Write an end-of season evaluation of work experience with FOA and ANP.
8. Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications
Excellent communication and people skills. Ability to follow through on directions. Willingness to work independently and take initiative. Knowledge of or willingness to learn about Acadia National Park, native plants, and gardening. Must be eager and capable of working hard at a physically and socially demanding job which may involve lifting 50 pounds, bending, kneeling, raking, working in inclement weather (hot, cold, or wet), and attending to routine tasks. Reasonable accommodations will be made. Flexibility to adapt to quickly changing work demands and schedules and ability to be prepared for anything on any given day. Botany coursework helpful.

Requirements
Applicant will be provided with Wild Gardens uniform shirts, a pair of boots or shoes for use on the job, rain jacket, hat, fleece jacket, nametag, and personal protective equipment. A small stipend will be provided for purchasing pants, rain pants, or shorts. Applicant must wear tidy, non-ripped clothing while working in the Gardens.

Period of Service
Start and end dates to be determined by candidate’s academic calendar; intern may work up to 500 hours total. Hours and Days off: to be arranged with Supervisory Gardener, but generally, the gardens should be covered by staff or volunteers during peak hours 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Intern will work no more than 40 hours per week. Compensation: $17.85/hr. Pay period: Every two weeks. Housing: Not provided. Work Environment: Most of the work is performed outdoors and may involve moderate risks or discomfort.

To Apply
Email cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information for three references to Stephanie Clement at stephanie@friendsofacadia.org.

Application deadline: February 6, 2023. Applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled.

Email Stephanie Clement at stephanie@friendsofacadia.org with questions.

Friends of Acadia is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Friends of Acadia is an independent nonprofit organization, founded in 1986. Its mission is to preserve the outstanding natural beauty, ecological vitality and cultural distinctiveness of Acadia National Park and the surrounding communities, and thereby to ensure high quality experiences for visitors and residents.