CSSA Intern

At The Huntington, we believe that having a team of diverse backgrounds and voices working together will enable us to support and promote the appreciation of the humanities, the arts, and botanical science. The Huntington is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, disability, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal law.

Founded in 1919, The Huntington is a collections-based research and educational institution open to the public, housing world-class library, art, and botanical collections. Its mission is to support research and promote education in the arts, humanities, and botanical science and to display and interpret its extraordinary resources for diverse audiences.

Here we are committed to the highest of standards in all that we do – from preserving and protecting the collections, to exhibitions, educational and scholarly programming, visitor and reader services, and beyond.  Achieving excellence across these pursuits requires a diversity of perspectives, expertise, experience, and methodologies. 

At The Huntington, our organizational Culture is shaped by the following core values: Intellectual curiosity, Collaboration, Stewardship, Belonging, and Integrity.

• Intellectual Curiosity: Knowledge, lifelong learning, and a spirit of inquiry are at the core of our mission and organizational culture.

• Collaboration: Teamwork and a collaborative attitude are important at all levels of The Huntington. We foster relationships internally among our departments and externally with organizations throughout the community.

• Stewardship: We are committed to the care and development of our collections, our financial and physical resources, our staff, and our community.

• Belonging: We strive to attract and maintain a workforce of individuals with diverse talents, backgrounds, and perspectives. Our organizational culture promotes a sense of welcome, inclusion, and connection.

• Integrity: We value respect and honesty, working to fulfill our mission with honor and ethical principles.

About the Role

S/he/they will demonstrate a background of working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds, using a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible approach.

The Cactus & Succulent Society of America (CSSA) offers a structured and comprehensive horticultural internship within the renowned Desert Garden at The Huntington. This eight‑week appointment provides practical, supervised training in the cultivation, management, and preservation of an internationally significant collection of cacti and succulents. Interns will work alongside professional horticultural staff and will contribute directly to the care and long‑term stewardship of the Desert Garden’s living collections.

Essential Duties

• Conduct manual weeding and general grounds maintenance.
• Apply mulch and assist with soil conditioning and preparation.
• Perform pruning, grooming, and routine care of cacti, succulents, and associated desert flora.
• Assist with planting, transplanting, and establishment of desert plant species.
• Harvest, clean, label, and properly store seeds in accordance with horticultural protocols.
• Assist with hand watering, irrigation tasks, and monitoring of soil moisture conditions.
• Participate in special horticultural or conservation projects as assigned.
• Carry out physically demanding tasks including bending, lifting, kneeling, and transporting materials while adhering to safety guidelines.
• May perform other related duties as assigned.

Candidate Requirements and Experience

Knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Foundational knowledge or formal training in horticulture, botany, plant science, or related discipline.
• Ability and willingness to perform sustained outdoor physical work in varied weather conditions.
• Demonstrated interest in cacti, succulents, arid‑land flora, or botanical garden management.
• Ability to follow established horticultural and safety procedures, particularly when working with spiny or hazardous plant material.
• Practical experience in professional horticultural maintenance and operational best practices.
• Identification, cultivation, and specialized care of desert-adapted plant species.
• Seed collection, processing, labeling, and documentation techniques.
• Principles of sustainable landscape management in arid environments.
• Experience working within a public botanical institution and collaborating with garden staff.

Preferred:

• Current enrollment in a horticulture, botany, or related college or university program.
• Affiliation with a cactus and succulent club, botanical society, or similar organization.
• Spanish language proficiency to support collaboration with staff and volunteers.
• Prior experience in public gardens, nurseries, or plant collection management.

Working Conditions  

Physical Demands: The 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 accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Prolonged standing and working in outdoor conditions.
• Candidate must be comfortable frequently bending, stooping, kneeling, and crouching for extended periods. You will also be required to reach overhead, perform repetitive hand/wrist movements for pruning, and maintain balance on uneven terrain or ladders.
• Must have visual acuity and ability to communicate to quickly identify and address safety and security concerns.
• Must be able to access and traverse across a large campus on paved and unpaved roads and work in all weather conditions.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and be able to operate a motor vehicle.
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times.