Internship Program

Reiman Gardens is a unique growing operation, especially for central Iowa, offering experience with small batches of hundreds of varieties of regional and tropical plants for a range of horticultural operations. Duties of the Greenhouse Production & Glasshouse Display intern include planning and scheduling summer crop production, ordering, transplanting, pest management, and all associated greenhouse tasks such as watering, weeding, fertilizing, cleaning/sanitizing, deadheading, pinching, and soil/water testing, etc. The intern will be encouraged to study and test for an Iowa Pesticide Applicator’s license and will also be expected to engage with and answer questions from visitors, in addition to completing several other educational projects. The intern will also assist with Conservatory and indoor display installations. The intern may also assist with projects related to strategic goals for indoor horticulture. This is an intensive learning and work experience in a fast-paced setting. 

The Science Communication intern will work closely with the Director of Education to help develop, implement, and coordinate educational programming related to plant-centered climate change, including on site programs, virtual program hosting, and written and mobile interpretation. This intern will also assist with scientist training, and the creation and implementation of a Plants & Climate Symposium scheduled for mid-September 2023. May also develop and/or support youth & family education programs. Emphasis is on informal education and science communication to facilitate face-to-face interactions between scientists and public audiences.

The Science Communication intern will work ~12 hours per week from January 9 – Sep 30.

The Event Management intern will assist with the planning and implementation of special events and rentals at Reiman Gardens throughout the spring such as Spring Enchantment, Rovers at Reiman, Plant Sale Extravaganza, Orchid Fest, and the summer Garden Art Fair. The intern will also on occasion be responsible for moving tables and chairs to prepare indoor or outdoor spaces for various events, classes, and programs. Additionally, the event management intern will be trained and may be asked to serve as a tour guide for prospective rental clients. Other duties for public events include communicating with vendors and other contacts, creating event plans and related documents, and providing top-notch customer service for event participants, visitors, staff, and volunteers.

Event management for private events includes assisting with the planning and implementation of private rentals such as weddings, conferences, birthday parties, and banquets throughout the summer. This includes planning, organizing, managing vendor arrival times and set-ups, as well as the possibility of special projects.

The Entomology intern will assist the Director of Entomology in the processing and maintenance of butterfly cultures for release in the Butterfly Wing. Such work will involve maintenance of a variety of invertebrate colonies, processing and handling tropical chrysalis shipments, as well as light research on maintained colonies. This internship provides the opportunity to work directly with all life stages throughout the rearing process for a variety of invertebrates. The intern will be working in a USDA regulated lab and must be comfortable working with live insects  The intern will also serve as a Butterfly Wing docent, giving information to Gardens’ visitors. There may be hours available after the internship if you are interested. Compensation is $12/hr.

The summer Event Management intern will assist with the creation and implementation of special events and rentals at Reiman Gardens throughout the summer such as Pollinator Fest, Rose Fest, Independence Day Celebration, Garden Art Fair, and others. This includes planning, organizing, developing activities, managing catering, and completing setups. The intern will also on occasion be responsible for moving tables and chairs to prepare indoor or outdoor spaces for various events, classes, and programs. Additionally, the event management intern will be trained and may be asked to serve as a tour guide for prospective rental clients. Event management for private events includes assisting with the planning and implementation of private rentals such as weddings, conferences, birthday parties, and banquets throughout the summer. This includes planning, organizing, managing vendor arrival times and set-ups, as well as the possibility of special projects. Compensation is $15/hr.

The Horticulture: Community & Edible Gardening intern will maintain annual and perennial plant collections in the outdoor Edible Garden and other vegetable production areas. Emphasis is on developing horticulture skills in planting, weeding, watering, mulching, edging, pruning, and fertilizing, while working closely with volunteers to manage Reiman Gardens’ support for the Plant-A-Row for the Hungry program, providing produce to area food pantries. This intern will also coordinate some Saturday Farmers’ Market pickups and will be required to perform other outdoor gardening duties as assigned. Compensation is $13.25-14.25/hr. depending on experience.

The Horticulture: Landscape & Ornamental Gardening intern will maintain permanent and annual plant collections in all areas of the outdoor gardens. Emphasis is on developing horticulture skills in planting, weeding, watering, mulching, edging, pruning, fertilizing, and maintaining outdoor displays and water features. The intern will work with the rose collection, woody plants, Iowa native plants, water plants, perennials, annuals, turf grass, fruits, and vegetables. Compensation is $13.25-14.25/hr. depending on experience.

The Horticulture: Turfgrass & Irrigation intern will help maintain plant collections in all areas of the outdoor gardens, with particular emphasis on managing irrigation systems and maintaining turf. Daily work includes monitoring, setting, and fixing irrigation equipment and systems. Additional emphasis is on developing horticulture skills in planting, weeding, watering, mulching, edging, pruning, fertilizing, and maintaining outdoor displays and water features. The intern will work with the rose collection, woody plants, Iowa native plants, water plants, perennials, annuals, turf grass, fruits, and vegetables. Compensation is $13.25-14.25/hr. depending on experience.

The Plant Collections & Records intern will assist with maintaining the plant collection records at Reiman Gardens. Responsibilities include inputting data into the plant database, researching plant nomenclature and characteristics for educational displays, contributing to national research projects, creating accurate display labels and accession tags for plant materials, updating maps of installed plant materials, and photographing certain plant collections. The intern will work with several computer software programs like AutoCAD. Compensation is $13.25-14.25/hr. depending on experience.

The Volunteer Engagement Intern will work directly with the Manager of Volunteer Engagement to support volunteers with a variety of activities this fall. The Volunteer Engagement Intern will assist with recruitment, scheduling, and staffing for the annual pumpkin carving event. The intern will also assist with recruitment, scheduling, and training for the holiday light show, Winter Wonderscape. The intern will identify new opportunities to expand student volunteer engagement and satisfaction. Other responsibilities will include creating a schedule of events and suggested entertainment for this year's annual Volunteer Appreciation Reception. The Volunteer Engagement Intern will learn best practices for volunteer engagement and how a university program differs from other non-profits. This position has been filled for 2023-2024.