Internship Program
Rutgers Gardens offers a paid summer season internship program, which runs for 15 weeks starting May 18, 2026 and ending August 28, 2026. The summer internship is a hands-on, immersive outdoor learning and working experience. Student interns accepted into the program will work at Rutgers Gardens five days (35 hours) per week, with weekend rotations.
Eligibility
Applicants must be enrolled as students at Rutgers. No previous experience is required, though candidates must have a strong desire to work outdoors and be adaptable to varied weather conditions. Safety and skills training will be provided by Rutgers Gardens staff and other university professionals.
Program Tracks
Rutgers Gardens offers two program tracks: 1) Horticulture and Landscape Management and 2) Sustainable Agriculture. Students are invited to apply for one or both tracks of the Rutgers Gardens Internship Program. Note that students applying to both tracks, if selected as an intern, may only participate in one track for the 2026 season.
Horticulture and Landscape Management Track
Students develop horticultural skills through hands-on experiences such as planting and maintaining annual and perennial display gardens, caring for trees and shrubs, learning proper lawn care, conducting woodland maintenance (including removal of invasive plants), and completing landscape equipment operation and safety training. Interns learn the essentials of keeping a university botanical garden beautiful, functional, and safe while also building community engagement skills throughout the season.
Sustainable Agriculture Track
The Sustainable Agriculture track immerses students in small-scale organic vegetable production, community gardens management, and urban farming. Student interns can expect to learn skills in crop planning, seeding, field preparation, planting, crop maintenance, pest and disease control, harvesting, and distribution. In addition to hands-on training in crop production, interns gain marketing and sales experience through weekly farmers market and CSA programs and contribute to community food security on campus and within the greater New Brunswick area.
Application Process
The Rutgers Gardens Summer Student Internship Program is now accepting applications for the 2026 Internship Program! Completed application packages are due no later than Sunday, February 1st, 2026.
Please note that while applications will be accepted until the February 1st deadline, interviews will begin, and acceptance letters may be extended to selected candidates, on a rolling basis beginning in early January.
