Urban Agriculture Intern

Urban Agriculture Intern

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a National Historic Landmark and accredited museum in Miami, Florida. The Urban Agriculture Intern is a hands-on position that helps connect Vizcaya's growing spaces with its public and educational programs during the peak agricultural season. Working across cultivation, harvest support, and seasonal program preparation, the role contributes to how crops are grown, interpreted, and shared with visitors. The position is on the Engagement & Cultural Resources Team in the Horticulture & Sustainability Department and reports to the Senior Horticulturist and Horticulture Manager. The role is ideal for emerging professionals interested in food systems, agriculture, and sustainability.

Vizcaya is owned by Miami-Dade County and operated by the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Trust, Inc. Our mission is to preserve the estate's cultural and environmental resources to engage people in connecting with the past, understanding the present, and shaping the future. Our vision is a "Home for Miami, an Inspiration for All."

Essential Functions

• Conduct routine data collection across growing areas, documenting operations, crop performance, harvests, and seasonal field conditions.
• Support plant propagation, crop care, harvesting, and post-harvest processing, including documenting yields and plant development.
• Use landscape hand tools, power equipment, and post-harvest tools safely and effectively.
• Assist with volunteer coordination, nursery management, and general plant care tasks.
• Track crop schedules, harvest timing, seasonal growing patterns, and field observations through consistent recordkeeping.
• Help identify and document edible crops suited to South Florida conditions and diversified planting strategies.
• Support educational and public programming by tracking crop availability and maintaining records aligned with tours, workshops, and Farmers Market demonstrations.

This internship description is not designed to be comprehensive; duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Learning Opportunities

This intern will gain:

• Hands-on skills with food-processing equipment.
• Skills in post-harvest handling and product preparation.
• Experience taking field notes that are detailed, structured records of observations, activities, and decisions made on a farm.
• An understanding of how crop cycles connect to educational experiences, including K–8 school tours and adult workshops.

Position Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent with an interest in urban agriculture, food systems, sustainability, or environmental work.
• Ability to work outdoors in varying weather conditions and safely traverse uneven surfaces.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 40 lbs.
• Strong communication skills, attention to detail, and ability to maintain clear, organized records.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Comfort with documenting observations, maintaining consistent field notes, and supporting basic agricultural recordkeeping is required.
• English fluency

Compensation

The salary for this internship is $20/hour.

Work Environment/Physical Demands

The majority of work takes place outdoors in Vizcaya's agricultural growing spaces, including The Field, perennial and annual beds, and nearby program areas—often in South Florida heat, humidity, and variable weather conditions. Tasks require standing, kneeling, bending, lifting up to 40 lbs, and performing repetitive motions during planting, harvesting, and maintenance. Some work will occur indoors in programming or processing areas (such as Teaching Kitchen prep spaces or storage rooms) when preparing educational materials or assisting with equipment. Vizcaya is a non-smoking environment.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work/Schedule

This is a part-time internship averaging 24 hours per week for 50 consecutive weeks, beginning on a rolling basis in the fall and aligned with Vizcaya's primary growing seasons. The intern will work three days per week, Monday through Friday, with occasional weekend shifts as needed. Daily hours will vary based on field operations, program activities, and seasonal priorities.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is committed to equity and inclusion and is engaged in a strategic process to ensure that our staff, Board, and volunteers reflect our community's diversity. Vizcaya welcomes applicants from groups that are underrepresented in cultural organizations and seeks to recruit, develop and retain a diverse workforce.