​​Intern - Landscape Gardener​

About the Position

Performs landscape tasks at entry level while receiving training in garden maintenance, equipment, and conventional hand tools. Provides basic skills and knowledge to restore, maintain, and create the gardens in the Historic Area.

Responsibilities

• Cultivates soil, weeds, and edges beds; prunes/harvests as necessary.
• Prunes trees, shrubs, hedges and espaliered fruit trees; shears topiary.
• Operates and performs basic service on power and hand-held landscape and gardening equipment (e.g., string trimmers, edgers, leaf blowers, similar landscape maintenance equipment and conventional hand tools).
• Does garden detail work such as edging, weeding, dead-heading, and raking.
• Works with the IPM Technician to monitor insect and disease problems.
• Works with the Irrigation Technician in on automatic irrigation systems.
• Works with the Arborists to learn arboricultural practices.
• Performs emergency landscaping work due to bad weather (storms, etc.).
• Performs other related duties as required.

Required Education and Experience

• Completed a minimum of one year of college in a major related to horticulture, floriculture, landscaping, arboriculture or similar field of study.
• Knowledge of landscape gardening and maintenance, ability to learn topiary and espalier pruning techniques.
• Must possess a valid Commonwealth of Virginia driver’s license and have an acceptable driving record based on The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s criteria.
• Must be able to provide a 5-year Motor Vehicle Record prior to employment.
• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• May not have more than 1 moving violation or at fault accident within 12 months.
• May not have more than 2 moving violations or at fault accidents within 36 months.
• May not have any serious motor vehicle violations including but not limited to excessive speeding, reckless driving, DUI/DWI, suspended or revoked license, etc.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience as a gardener’s helper or groundskeeper;
• Desire for professional career in the horticulture field.

Key Skills / Competencies

• Ability to read instructions and fill out reports,
• To operate in a professional and safe manner,
• Experience with push mowers, and power hedge shears.

Physical and Environmental Demands

• Stand: frequently
• Walk: frequently
• Sit: occasionally
• Use hands/fingers: frequently
• Talk or hear: frequently
• Lift up to 10 lbs: occasionally
• Lift up to 25 lbs: occasionally
• Lift up to 50 lbs (with assistance): rarely
• Lift up to 100 lbs (with assistance): rarely
• Wet/humid conditions: frequently
• Work near moving mechanical parts: frequently
• Fumes/airborne particles: rarely
• Extreme cold: rarely
• Extreme heat: frequently

Typical Work Schedule

Monday - Friday 6:00 AM - 2:30 PM