Position Title: Native Plant Program Intern
Reports to: Native Plant Program Director and Native Plant Program Manager
Hours/Week: 8 hours/week
Internship Date Range: January 14, 2026 to May 14, 2026
Location: Patagonia, AZ
About the Resilience Internships and Student Experiences (RISE) Program
The RISE Program is hosted by the Arizona Institute for Resilience (AIR) and provides undergraduate and graduate students with paid internships related to resilient environments and societies. RISE internships give students experience in workplace settings with an opportunity to grow their interpersonal skills and prepare them for careers after graduation.
About Borderlands Restoration Network (BRN):
BRN is a 501c3 based in Patagonia, AZ that is dedicated to ecological restoration in the binational biodiversity hotspot that is the Sky Islands ecoregion of southern Arizona and northern Sonora. BRN envisions connected borderlands where rivers flow, plants, wildlife and cultures thrive, and communities develop an inclusive restorative economy where a sense of place inspires a sense of purpose. We partner to grow a restorative economy by rebuilding healthy ecosystems, restoring habitat for plants and wildlife, and reconnecting our border communities to the land through shared learning. BRN’s program areas include watershed restoration, education, and native plants.
The Native Plant Program includes the BRN Seed Lab, a seed storage and processing facility, and the BRN Native Plant Nursery, a plant and seed propagation/production facility. The program now encompasses the production of over 100,000 plants a year and a regional seed center with over 550 collections of seed from wildlands. The mission of BRN’s Native Plant Program is to promote and protect biodiversity by providing individuals, communities, and land managers access to restoration quality plant materials and guidance for effective use. We offer organically grown plants and seeds specific to the Madrean Archipelago’s semi-arid highlands, focusing on those with high habitat value and in-situ survival rates.
Internship description:
The Native Plant Program Intern will support the Native Plant Program staff and will work at the seed barn, native plant nursery, and farm.
This position serves as a project support for the Native Plant Program. The intern will help with program tasks including native plant propagation, transplanting, weeding, seed collection, and seed cleaning.
Compensation:
The intern will be hired and paid by the University of Arizona. The pay rate is $19/hour.
Credit Requirements:
The intern will be hired as a U of A student employee.
For internships during the academic year: applicants must be active U of A students enrolled in at least 6 credits.
Allowable Work Hours:
During the semester, student employees are limited to 25 hours/week (20 hours/week for international students) across ALL U of A positions.
International Students:
International students should consult with International Student Services (ISS) if work authorization is needed before securing an internship. ISS advising information can be found here.
How to Apply:
Please send your resume and cover letter to Francesa Claverie and Perin McNelis at horticulture@borderlandsrestoration.org.
Applications must be submitted no later than November 9th, 2025.