Join a Great Team, Work for a Great Cause
Passionate about native plant conservation, horticulture, or botanical education?
Native Plant Trust welcomes your skills and enthusiasm! We provide a collaborative, congenial atmosphere for our employees at our headquarters and botanic garden, Garden in the Woods, in Framingham, MA, and at our native plant nursery, Nasami Farm, in Whately, MA. See the green boxes below for descriptions of open positions.
We also provide rewarding internships in our Conservation, Horticulture, and Public Programs departments. Our internships offer opportunities to get your hands dirty (literally) while gaining valuable experience. Scroll down the page to learn about the internships available for the next year.
Want to volunteer with us? Volunteers fill crucial roles in all aspects of our work. Read about our Plant Conservation Volunteer program and our other volunteer opportunities.
About Native Plant Trust
Native Plant Trust leads the movement to conserve native plants in the wild and use them in designed spaces. We do this to increase the beauty and resilience of New England and the planet. From our base in Massachusetts, staff and trained volunteers work throughout New England to monitor and protect rare and endangered plants, collect and preserve seeds to ensure biological diversity, detect and control invasive species, conduct research, and offer a range of educational programs.
We welcome visitors from all over the world to Garden in the Woods, our renowned native plant botanic garden in Framingham. We also operate a nursery at Nasami Farm in western Massachusetts and manage six plant sanctuaries in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont that are open to the public. Native Plant Trust is the nation’s first plant conservation organization, the only one solely focused on New England’s native plants, and among the first organizations worldwide to receive Advanced Conservation Practitioner accreditation by London-based Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), which included an endorsement by an International Advisory Council representing six continents.
Native Plant Trust is entering an exciting time of transition and expansion. As we celebrate our 125th anniversary, the board and staff seek to elevate the visibility and impact of the organization with an anticipated doubling of staff in the next five years. Doing so requires strategically investing in staff, systems, and programs that facilitate organizational growth and growth in the movement to protect native plants in the wild and use them in the built environment.
Native Plant Trust is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to a culture of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access and to being a welcoming and safe place for all who engage with us. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business need.
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We have no job openings at this time. Please check back.
Annual Internships
Native Plant Trust offers the following annual internships in conservation, horticulture, and marketing (Public Programs).
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Marylee Everett Internship
Two of Native Plant Trust’s core initiatives – the New England Plant Conservation Program (NEPCoP) and the Plant Conservation Volunteer (PCV) program – engage professional and community volunteers in rare species monitoring, habitat management, reintroduction and augmentation projects, and long-term conservation planning. We work closely with Natural Heritage programs and with conservation organizations in all six New England states.
Description
Native Plant Trust is offering one 13-week conservation internship for the 2025 field season. The internship offers a range of learning opportunities in areas that are integral to the NEPCoP and the PCV programs, from coordinating with landowners and volunteers to conducting botanical surveys and processing data. The intern will work with conservation staff to outline internship goals, have the opportunity to take Native Plant Trust’s educational programs and courses at no cost, and participate in seminars and an informal reading and discussion group in the conservation department.
In addition, the intern will complete an independent project on a topic of interest in botany, ecology, and/or conservation. Interns will also have the option of participating in botanically interesting field trips and our seasonal field work, which may include the implementation of management activities, invasive species initiatives, and seed collection.
Desired Skills
Candidates should be passionate about plant conservation, have some familiarity with the flora of New England and associated ecological systems, excellent speaking and writing skills, a willingness to call landowners to secure access to their property, and a sense of humor. Experience with volunteers and data management is preferred. Interns must respect and maintain the confidentiality of rare species locations and sensitive data. Access to a personal vehicle is strongly recommended.
Details
Starting date: April 7, 2025, but can be flexible
Location: Based at our headquarters in Wayland, MA (~15 min drive from Garden in the Woods in Framingham), but can be flexible.
Hours and Compensation: 40 hours/week at $15.00/hour
To Apply
We are no longer accepting applications for 2025. Please visit us again in 2026.
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Herbert J. and Esther M. Atkinson Conservation Internship; Lovejoy Conservation Internship
Two of Native Plant Trust’s core initiatives—the New England Plant Conservation Program (NEPCoP) and the Plant Conservation Volunteer (PCV) program—engage professional and community volunteers in rare species monitoring, habitat management, reintroduction and augmentation projects, and long-term conservation planning. We work closely with Natural Heritage programs and with conservation organizations in all six New England states.
Description
Native Plant Trust is offering two 25-week internships for the 2025 field season. The two conservation internships offer a range of learning opportunities in areas that are integral to NEPCoP and the PCV programs, from coordinating with landowners and volunteers to conducting botanical surveys and processing data. Interns will work with Conservation staff to create a personal education plan, have the opportunity to take Native Plant Trust’s educational programs and courses at no cost, and participate in seminars and an informal reading and discussion group in the Conservation department.
In addition, the intern will complete an independent project on a topic of interest in botany, ecology, and/or conservation. Interns based in New England will also have the option of participating in botanically interesting field trips and our seasonal contract work, which may include the planning and implementation of habitat restoration and management activities, invasive species initiatives, and seed collection.Desired Skills
Candidates should be passionate about plant conservation, have some familiarity with the flora of New England and associated ecological systems, excellent speaking and writing skills, a willingness to call landowners to secure access to their property, and a sense of humor. Experience with volunteers and data management is preferred. Interns must respect and maintain the confidentiality of rare species locations and sensitive data. Access to a personal vehicle is strongly recommended.
Details
Starting date: April 7, 2025, but can be flexible.
Location: Based at our headquarters in Wayland, MA (~15-min drive from Garden in the Woods in Framingham). Interns have the option of renting a room for the duration of the internship in a house steps away from Garden in the Woods, both as needed and as available.
Hours and Compensation: 40 hours/week at $15.00/hour.
To Apply
We are no longer accepting applications for 2025. Please visit us again in 2026.
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Chester B. Allen, Jr., Native Plant Propagation and Horticulture Internship
Description
Native Plant Trust is offering a 6-month propagation internship at our nursery at Nasami Farm, which produces plants for habitat restoration, wildlife landscapes, garden displays, and sale to the public at both the nursery and Garden in the Woods.
The intern will gain hands-on experience identifying, propagating, and cultivating New England native plants. As a member of our small, dedicated nursery team, the intern assists in many facets of nursery operations, including propagation and care of numerous species, retail plant sales, seed collection and processing, record keeping, and public information duties. This is an opportunity to gain valuable skills by learning from staff, coordinating volunteers, leading projects, and participating in the development of an expanding nursery. The intern will also complete a special project of their interest, participate in educational activities, network with professionals, and attend field trips. The internship provides entry into both native plant studies and nursery management.
Desired Skills
Candidates should possess some botanical understanding, familiarity with horticultural practices, an interest in native plants of New England, excellent communication skills, and a strong desire to learn.
Details
Location: Nasami Farm, Whately, MA, no housing available
Application Deadline: Jan. 27, 2025
Duration and Start Date: 6 months (28 weeks), starting late March/early April, start/end dates flexible
Hours and Compensation: 40 hours/week (some flexibility available) at $15.00/hour. One weekend day is required; schedule is typically Tuesday-Saturday.
To Apply
We are no longer accepting applications for 2025. Please visit us again in 2026.
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Elizabeth Farnsworth Native Plant Internship, Garden in the Woods
Number available: 2 Horticulture
Application deadline: February 1, 2025
Duration: 6 months (26 weeks), starting in March or April (flexibility in start date available on case-by-case basis)
Hours and compensation: 40 hours/week at $15.00/hour
Contact: Uli Lorimer, Director of Horticulture
Telephone: 508-877-7630 ext 3401
Fax: 508-877-3658
Email: ulorimer@NatvePlantTrust.org
Interns assist in all aspects of botanic garden operations for Garden in the Woods, including instruction on ecological horticulture practices (such as planting, pruning, weed management, propagation, and seed collection), renovation and construction of new gardens, inventory and plant record keeping, and public education. They will gain hands-on experience identifying and cultivating native plants in a botanical garden. Interns are expected to undertake a 3-month independent study project and present the results to staff and garden members. There will be opportunities to go on field trips and take classes at Native Plant Trust. This is an exceptional learning opportunity aimed at gaining valuable career experience caring for gardens and natural areas, planning and leading projects, and managing volunteers.
Horticulture interns working at Garden in the Woods can rent a room for the internship in a shared house, a 5-minute walk away from the Garden, for $300/month. This includes all utilities except the internet and phone.
Worker’s compensation covers interns, who will receive paid sick time per Massachusetts law. Native Plant Trust does not provide seasonal interns health insurance or vacation benefits.
The ideal candidate is passionate about ecology and eager to learn about ecological horticulture and native plants. Strenuous manual labor, consistent with outdoor work in all types of weather, is expected.
We are no longer accepting applications for 2025. Please visit us again in 2026.