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.
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. Having recently celebrated our 125th anniversary, we are seeking 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.
Employment at Native Plant Trust is on an “employment-at-will” basis. An employee or the organization may terminate employment for any reason, at any time, with or without notice.
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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Open Positions
We have no open positions at this time.
Annual Internships
Native Plant Trust offers the following annual internships in conservation and horticulture.
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Atkinson/Lovejoy and Everett Conservation Internships
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.
Native Plant Trust is pleased to offer two 25-week internships in 2026. These positions with the New England Plant Conservation Program and Plant Conservation Volunteers program offer a range of hands-on learning opportunities. Interns work closely with Conservation Department staff, supporting these programs by communicating with landowners and volunteers to enable surveys of rare plants on public and private lands, using GIS and databases to gather and share information, and conducting field work including rare plant surveys, habitat management, and seed collection. Interns focus on an area of interest by working on an active botany, ecology, or conservation project, and are invited to join educational botanical field trips. Training is provided, and interns may also enroll in Native Plant Trust’s educational programs and courses.
These are non-exempt, hourly, full-time, seasonal positions based at our headquarters in Wayland, MA. Compensation is $15.00/hour for 40 hours/week for 25 weeks (max wages $15,000). The work schedule is 9am - 5pm, Monday - Friday, with occasional early morning, evening, or weekend hours. Shared housing may be available at $300 per month. These positions report to the Community Science Coordinator and work collaboratively within the Conservation Department and with other Native Plant Trust Departments.
The ideal start date is Monday, February 23, 2026, with some flexibility.
Primary Responsibilities● Communicate professionally with landowners, volunteers, and staff to enable surveys of rare plants on public and private lands both by phone and in writing
● Support volunteer surveys of rare plants and seed collection efforts by providing materials, timely information, and answers to questions
● Use GIS, databases, and other technology to map, and communicate information about rare plants
● Enter data and ensure the quality of observational and spatial data collected by volunteers
● Perform botanical surveys of rare plant species and their associated plant communities
● Participate in habitat management, seed collection, and other Departmental and organizational efforts
● Contribute to the advancement of an active botany, ecology, or conservation project and present results
Skills, Experience, Attributes, Education, and Certifications● Demonstrated interest in conducting botanical field work
● Ability to communicate clearly (in writing and orally) and interact well with the public
● Strong organizational skills, and the ability to work on multiple projects while remaining detail and deadline oriented
● Willing to travel throughout New England
● Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Google Workspace, and other standard computer operating programs. Ability to perform basic spatial analysis and map making in ArcGIS Pro is preferred
● Some knowledge of the flora and habitats of New England is preferred.
● Personal transportation to regular work locations is required. Transportation will be provided to field sites.
Physical Demands and Work Environment FactorsThe physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:
● Sit or stand in an office while conducting computer work.
● Walk, stand, kneel, crouch, and crawl for extended periods of time in field sites with uneven terrain.
● Conduct field work during inclement weather.
● Engage with a computer screen, speakers, and video camera.
To ApplyPlease submit a letter of interest and resume in a single PDF document to CommunityScience@NativePlantTrust.org, using the subject line “Conservation Intern Application” and your last name as the first word of the file name. Review of applications will begin Monday, January 5, 2026.
These positions exist thanks to the generous donors who funded the Herbert J. & Esther M. Atkinson/Lovejoy and Marylee Everett conservation internships.
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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.