Visitor Services Assistant

Applications are welcomed and encouraged from all qualified individuals regardless of background and identity. A one-page cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume in a single pdf file. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experiences that directly relate to it.

The MBGNA summer employment takes place Monday, May 4 to Saturday, August 22, 2026. This position will assist with weddings and other events and work with the Visitor Experience team. This position also serves as the primary point of contact for many of our over 500,000 annual visitors at both the Nichols Arboretum and Matthaei Botanical Gardens. This position includes evening and weekend hours.

Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum (MBGNA) is a transformative force for social and ecological resilience through the waters and lands we steward.

We turn this commitment into action by:

• Positioning humans as active participants within the natural world and compelling the university community and our publics to negotiate the full complexity that entails
• Advancing partnerships, programs, user experience, and all that we steward to catalyze access and impact in a radically changing world
• Emerging as University of Michigan's premier partner for research, teaching, and public impact in sustainability, climate-forward practices, and biocultural diversity
• Promoting healthier communities, cultures, and ecosystems through active care and cultivation of the gardens, fields, natural habitats, and dynamic systems that sustain our world.

As part of the Visitor Experience team, this position will regularly interact with visitors, volunteers, and other MBGNA departments during the course of a workday.

This internship position will support the goals of the Visitor Experience team through the following:

• Greet visitors, take phone calls and communicate information about our properties and programs
• Assist with retail operations, plant sales, weddings, rentals, and special events.
• Assist with the upkeep and maintenance of interior and exterior spaces at both Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum.

• Applicants must have one year of experience enrolled in a college or university by the employment start date. Recent college graduates who earned a degree in December 2025 or are planning to earn a degree by May 2026 are eligible to apply.
• Must have a flexible schedule with weekend and evening availability from early May through August.

• Previous experience working with MBGNA

32 hours per week

MBGNA comprises 841 total acres, spanning across four sites, including the gardens, arboretum, a bog, and natural areas. This internship will take place at rotating MBGNA sites and locations.

The application will be open Wednesday, January 6 - Sunday, March 1, 2026. Selected candidates will be contacted for interviews beginning Monday, March 9, 2026. Final candidates will be notified by March 27, 2026.

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.