Kia mahi ngātahi mō Pōneke mō tōna āpōpō | Working together for Wellington's future

Our city's open spaces, natural areas and facilities are huge part of what makes Pōneke unique. Our spaces are highly used and valued by a huge number of Wellington whānau and manuhiri. This proximity to taiao (nature) plays a key role in Wellingtonians excellent quality of life and great experiences, and we believe this helps us to be happy, healthy and well.

Wellington Gardens comprises of Truby King Park, Bolton Street Memorial Park and two of the country's leading Botanic Gardens - Wellington Botanic Garden recognised as a Garden of National Significance by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture with 25 hectares of beautiful gardens and 150 years of history and Ōtari Native Botanic Garden which is a six-star garden of international significance. Our gardens play an important part in conservation, research, education, and recreation.

With a series of curated collections designed and cared for by our on-the-ground teams of dedicated kaimahi, we have an amazing range of beautiful, botanical plant species to see from all over the world, as well as collections that pay tribute to New Zealand's natural heritage.

Purpose of the Internship

The purpose of this Orchid Horticultural Internship is to contribute to the establishment of horticultural best practices, which will enable botanic gardens to create living collections of native orchid species from temperate regions.

Please note that this is a part-time fixed term role, 24hrs a week from 3rd March to 5th December 2025.

Key Responsibilities:

Maintain the nursery orchid collection through hands-on activities such as repotting, grooming, watering, applying fertilizers and pest management.
Collaborate with other Ōtari Garden's staff to strengthen the native orchid collection.
Work with the Conservation and Science Advisor to prioritise orchid species for deflasking.
Research species specific environmental needs to optimise survival of deflasked seedlings.
Work with the science team to design and implement deflasking protocols.

About You

You are self-motivated, proactive, and thrive in a dynamic environment. You would have completed or are working towards a degree in horticultural science and have a love for all things Orchids. You have a knack for communication and excel at building relationships with a diverse range of people. With strong organizational skills and a detail-oriented mindset, you take pride in your work and are ready to contribute to a collaborative team.

Skills and Experience:

Sound researching skills
Good computer skills, use of PC windows and Office software.
Reasonable level of physical fitness to conduct fieldwork and able to do some lifting.
A track record of using initiative and being self-driven.

Applicants must be prepared to undergo pre-employment health screening, including police vetting and have a valid driver's license.

For questions about the role, contact the Conservation and Science Advisor, Karin Van Der Walt, at Karin.VanderWalt@wcc.govt.nz.

Applications close 27th of January 2025. All applications must be submitted online, and all applicants must have the right to work in New Zealand.

We want to make sure any accessibility requirements you may have, are well supported so the selection process is equitable for everyone. Please let us know if there are any adjustments or support, we can offer to make our process more accessible to you by emailing: recruitment@wcc.govt.nz

Orchid Horticultural Internship

Wellington City Council

Orchid Horticultural Internship

Wellington City Council

Wellington

Wellington City Council

Orchid Horticultural Internship

Location

Job Description

Hard Skills Required

Soft Skills Required

Benefits and Perks

Job Schedule