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Accepting Applications: Jan. 21-March 31, 2026

Number of Positions: 10

Season: Full Time (40 hours/week) – May 11-Aug. 21
Opportunities for part-time hours during spring and fall semesters for student employees

Hours: 7:30 a.m.-4 pm. Monday-Friday (some weekend and evening hours may be required)

Pay: According to experience and qualifications – starting at $11.85/hour

2026 Application

Job Description:

The seasonal gardener will be an employee of McCrory Gardens and South Dakota State University, under the general supervision of the crew leader and director of horticulture and grounds. The seasonal gardener will play an important role in maintaining McCrory Gardens and its variety of plantings during the growing season. Together with a team of gardeners, volunteers and maintenance technicians, as well as the McCrory Gardens administration team, the seasonal gardener’s responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following.

Primary Tasks:

• Planting of 30,000+ annuals, perennials, vines, bulbs, grasses, shrubs and trees;
• Care for variety of plantings located throughout McCrory Gardens;
• Hand water and monitor irrigation of plantings, especially during time of establishment and drought;
• Perform seasonal landscape work including pruning, clean-up, bulb planting, dividing and transplanting;
• Stage equipment, supplies and materials for daily operations;
• Operate a variety of hand tools, power tools and vehicles needed for daily operations;
• Participate in trash removal procedures, as needed;
• Maintain highest standards for cleanliness and order throughout McCrory Gardens;
• Interact in a friendly and respectful manner with visitors and answer general questions from the public;
• Maintain equipment and tools needed to perform daily tasks;

Advantages: Employees will be trained on:

• Garden maintenance strategies
• Use of horticultural tools, equipment and vehicles
• Plant identification
• Weed identification and management
• Mulch types and application methods
• Understanding seasonal impacts on horticulture
• Irrigation, fertilization and other plant care techniques
• Factors that affect plant placement

Requirements:

• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to lift 25 pounds
• Willing to work in all types of weather, under strenuous conditions
• Team player, creative and organized
• Self-motivated with the ability to work alone and in groups
• Enthusiastic, work to high standards and ability to take direction
• Strong work ethic
• Background check required

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

• Commercial Pesticide Applicators License (certification obtained once hired at no personal cost)
• Knowledgeable about hand tools and small machinery a plus
• Driver’s license preferred
• Basic carpentry and irrigation/plumbing skills a plus
• Scout for pests and disease and correctly manage via pesticides or cultural practices
• Strong gardening skills
• Demonstrated ability of hardy plant care appropriate to the region

Accepting Applications: Jan. 21-March 31, 2026

Number of Positions: 2

Season: Full Time (40 hour/week) – May 11-Aug. 21
Opportunities for part-time hours during spring and fall semesters for student employees

Hours: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday (some weekend and evening hours may be required)

Pay: According to experience and qualifications – starting at $13/hour

2026 Application

Job Description:

McCrory Gardens is seeking summer horticulture interns. The interns join the horticulture staff and experience the daily tasks and responsibilities of a public garden horticulturist. McCrory Gardens horticulturists teach the interns through discussion-based learning, practical, hands-on experience and mentorship. This internship is intended to give real-world training and understanding into the upkeep and maintenance of a public garden.

Under the direction of supervising staff members, interns experience a variety of topics including annual and perennial plant management, greenhouse operations and propagation, woody plant care, curation practices, educational programming, community outreach and more.

The emphasis of this internship is to allow students to explore the various facets of horticulture in a public garden setting. McCrory Gardens’ horticulture internship is pleased to offer an “intern-centric” experience that focuses on the intern’s growth, development and understanding of horticulture. The horticulture intern will be an employee of McCrory Gardens and South Dakota State University. The horticulture intern will play an important role in maintaining McCrory Gardens and its variety of plantings during the growing season. Together with a team of gardeners, volunteers, and maintenance technicians, as well as the McCrory Gardens administration team, the horticulture intern’s responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following.

Primary Tasks:

• Planting of 30,000+ annuals, perennials, vines, bulbs, grasses, shrubs and trees;
• Care for variety of plantings located throughout McCrory Gardens;
• Hand water and monitor irrigation of plantings, especially during time of establishment and drought;
• Perform seasonal landscape work including pruning, clean-up, bulb planting, dividing and transplanting;
• Stage equipment, supplies and materials for daily operations;
• Operate a variety of hand tools, power tools and vehicles needed for daily operations;
• Assist with curation of plant collections;
• Assist with educational and extension related outreach;
• Maintain highest standards for cleanliness and order throughout McCrory Gardens;
• Interact in a friendly and respectful manner with visitors and answer general questions from the public;
• Maintain equipment and tools needed to perform daily tasks;

Advantages: Employees will gain experience with:

• Landscape installation and maintenance
• Integrated pest management
• Landscape design
• Propagation
• Greenhouse and nursery management
• Turf management
• Geographic information systems
• Irrigation
• Machinery operation
• Database management
• Land management
• Education and outreach

Requirements:

• Strong passion for working with plants
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to lift 25 pounds
• Willing to work in all types of weather, under strenuous conditions
• Team player, creative and organized
• Self-motivated with the ability to work alone and in groups
• Enthusiastic, work to high standards and ability to take direction
• Strong work ethic
• Background check required

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

• Obtained or currently pursuing a degree in a related field (horticulture, landscape architecture, etc.)
• Commercial Pesticide Applicators License (certification obtained once hired at no personal cost)
• Knowledgeable about hand tools and small machinery a plus
• Driver’s license preferred
• Basic carpentry and irrigation/plumbing skills a plus
• Scout for pests and disease and correctly manage via pesticides or cultural practices
• ​Strong gardening skills
• Demonstrated ability of hardy plant care appropriate to the region

Accepting Applications: Jan. 21-March 31, 2026

Number of Positions: 2

Season: Full Time (40hour/week) – April 1-Nov. 21
Opportunities for part-time hours during spring and fall semesters for student employees

Hours: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday

Pay: According to experience and qualifications – starting at $15/hour

2026 Application

Job Description:

The seasonal arborist will be an employee of McCrory Gardens and South Dakota State University under the general supervision of the director of horticulture and grounds. The seasonal arborist will play an important role in maintaining the 45-acre South Dakota State Arboretum at McCrory Gardens during the spring, summer and fall seasons. The seasonal arborist’s responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following.

Primary Tasks:

• Tree and shrub pruning, removal, planting, propagation, etc.;
• Mowing, string trimming, weeding, etc.;
• Scout for pests and disease and correctly manage via pesticides or cultural practices;
• Stage equipment, supplies and materials for daily operations;
• Operate a variety of hand tools, power tools and vehicles needed for daily operations;
• Participate in trash removal procedures, as needed;
• Maintain highest standards for cleanliness and order throughout McCrory Gardens;
• Maintain equipment and tools needed to perform daily tasks;

Requirements:

• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to lift 25 pounds
• Willing to work in all types of weather, under strenuous conditions
• Team player, creative and organized
• Self-motivated with the ability to work both alone and in groups
• Enthusiastic, work to high standards and ability to take direction
• Strong work ethic
• Background check required

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

• Experience using chainsaws of varying sizes safely and efficiently
• Obtained or currently pursuing a degree in a related field (horticulture, landscape architecture, etc.)
• Commercial Pesticide Applicators License (certification obtained once hired at no personal cost)
• Knowledgeable about hand tools and small machinery a plus
• Driver’s license preferred
• Completion of HO 339 – Arboriculture and Urban Forestry
• Strong gardening skills
• Demonstrated ability of hardy plant care appropriate to the region
• Demonstrated ability to identify trees and shrubs appropriate to the region

Season: Full Time (40 hr./week) – April 1-Jan. 6, 2027

Hours: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday (some weekend and evening hours may be required)

Pay: According to experience and qualifications - starting at $15/hour

2026 Application

Job Description:

The seasonal irrigation technician will be an employee of McCrory Gardens and South Dakota State University under the general supervision of the crew leader and director of horticulture and grounds. The seasonal irrigation technician will play an important role in maintaining McCrory Gardens and its variety of plantings during the spring, summer and fall seasons through the operation, installation, maintenance and repair of manual, semiautomatic and automatic irrigation systems. Together with a team of gardeners, volunteers and maintenance technicians, as well as the McCrory Gardens administration team, the seasonal irrigation technician’s responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following.

Primary Tasks:

• Assist with preventive maintenance of irrigation system;
• Assist in maintaining and recording irrigation parts inventory;
• Check irrigation system daily for leaks;
• Monitor and perform irrigation of plantings, especially during time of establishment and drought;
• Perform all maintenance and repair of irrigation systems;
• Scheduling and monitoring of automatic irrigation systems;
• Perform all routine maintenance of water features (fountains, waterfall, etc.);
• Install new irrigation systems;
• Update irrigation maps;
• Assist with Garden Glow setup and operation;

Secondary Tasks:

• Assist in planting of 30,000+ annuals, perennials, vines, bulbs, grasses, shrubs and trees;
• Install various annual display beds as well as containers;
• Care for variety of plantings located throughout McCrory Gardens;
• Perform seasonal landscape work including pruning, clean-up, bulb planting, dividing and transplanting;
• Stage equipment, supplies and materials for daily operations;
• Operate a variety of hand tools, power tools and vehicles needed for daily operations;
• Participate in trash removal procedures, as needed;
• Maintain highest standards for cleanliness and order throughout McCrory Gardens;
• Maintain equipment and tools needed to perform daily tasks;

Requirements:

• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to lift 25 pounds
• Willing to work in all types of weather, under strenuous conditions
• Team player, creative and organized
• Self-motivated with the ability to work alone and in groups
• Enthusiastic, work to high standards and ability to take direction
• Strong work ethic
• Background check required

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

• Obtained or currently pursuing a degree in a related field (horticulture, landscape architecture, etc.)
• Knowledgeable about hand tools and small machinery a plus
• Driver’s license preferred
• Basic irrigation/plumbing skills a plus
• Strong gardening skills

Season: Up to 30 hours per week – starting date and ending date depend on events needs and schedules.

Hours: Variable – weekend, evening and night hours are required; some holidays may be required as well.

Pay: According to experience and qualifications for year-round regular part-time. Paid positions are $12/hour.

2026 Guest and Venue Services Application

Job Description:

A person in this role will be an employee of McCrory Gardens and South Dakota State University under the general supervision of the Venue Sales and Services Coordinator and the Director of McCrory Gardens and will play an important part in assisting with scheduled events, primarily during the spring, summer and fall seasons, with potential to extend employment possible through the holiday season. Together with a team of garden staff, volunteers and other SDSU entities, as well as the McCrory Gardens administrative team, the guest and venue services staff position responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Primary Tasks:

• Assisting with events — taking reservation request/inquiry, coordinating room layout, catering communications, greeting customer, AV equipment set up, flexibility in rearranging to customer’s needs and take down/clean up after event.
• Setup and takedown of event equipment (chairs, tables, etc.) inside and outside.
• General and thorough cleaning and trash removal during and at conclusion of events, including cleanup of the unexpected.
• Safe and efficient operation of garden vehicles for the hauling of materials, as well as the transport of guests.
• Staff the welcome desk as needed greeting customers, processing admission, sales and inventory in the gift shop and operating the payment systems.
• Keeping the Education and Visitor Center and Straw Bale House clean and tidy for visitors and events.

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

• Strong work ethic
• Flexible, dependable and punctual
• Able to work nonstandard hours such as early morning or late into the night for banquets and weddings (sometimes after midnight), weekends and holidays (allowed to miss up to two wedding weekends during busy wedding season May-December)
• Able to assist with event organize from start to finish
• Excellent communication skills, appropriately knowledgeable and assertive with clients/guests/visitors
• Team player, creative, detail-oriented and organized
• Willing to work in all types of weather, under strenuous conditions
• Bending and lifting up to 50 pounds; able to move and set up tables and chairs for indoor and outdoor events
• Willing to learn to become certified and drive equipment (gators with a trailer and golf carts)
• Self-motivated with the ability to work alone and in groups, also organizing volunteers
• Using initiative in anticipating and knowing what needs to be done
• Enthusiastic, work to high standards and ability to take direction

Professional communication and work attire is required. Proper footwear for setting up indoor and outdoor events. McCrory staff and volunteers represent McCrory Gardens and SDSU.

Requirements:

• Background check required