Spring 2026 Internship

Application deadline: March 2, 2026

Duration: The week of March 30, 2026 - the week of June 8, 2026

Location: Home-based business headquartered in midtown Bend, Oregon with residential, school, and community garden sites throughout Central Oregon. 

Company Overview: BUG is a woman-owned edible landscaping business focused on empowering aspiring gardeners to grow food in Central Oregon. BUG offers exceptional support to beginning and experienced gardeners alike. Services range from on-site consultations and empowering garden lessons, veggie garden maintenance, custom raised garden bed construction, innovative season extenders, expertly designed personalized crop plans, and a wide variety of climate-appropriate plant starts. Please explore our website, bendurbangardens.com, to get a more in depth idea of what we offer.

Position Overview: BUG is seeking support in building and caring for local vegetable gardens during our busiest time of the season April - June, with the potential for continued employment into the summer, and possibly even through October depending on your availability and market demand. Internship guarantees 10 hours of work per week, with strong possibility of more hours based on your availability. Daily hours can be flexible based on inclement weather, your course schedule, and personal obligations. We are open to personalized scheduling possibilities and can discuss more. Our goal is to create a work environment where every team member can thrive personally and professionally, while also honoring timely follow through on our commitments to clients. Background check required. 

Compensation: 

• $18-$20/hour + 3-4 OSU Cascades internship credit hours

• Mileage reimbursement (from demonstration garden to job sites when not traveling together in BUG’s van)

• Complimentary plant starts for your personal garden 

• Discounts on other products we carry 

Qualifications:  

• Genuine enthusiasm for BUG’s mission and a strong desire to contribute to it. 

• Strong work ethic and attention to detail. 

• Reliable and punctual. 

• Physical ability to sustain repetitive tasks, like lifting and moving heavy objects up to 50 lbs, walking, standing, reaching, stooping, squatting, digging, shoveling and working outdoors in cold, hot, wet, or mildly smoky conditions on uneven surfaces. 

• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and in partnership or part of a team.

• Has a growth mindset, welcomes constructive feedback, and is guided by curiosity and asking questions. 

• Positively collaborates to overcome challenges. 

• Compassionate, helpful and friendly demeanor when interacting with clients and teammates. 

• Possesses reliable transportation.

• Would be extra awesome: Woodworking skills and knowledge of edible plants, organic gardening practices, and/or sustainable landscaping. 

Potential duties, as needed: 

• Independently and collaboratively prep boards and install raised garden beds, mini hoophouses, and berry trellising.  Installation may include plants, drip irrigation, soil, and pathways as well. 

• Co-create written standard operating procedures for potential new products, featuring models, visuals, acronyms and checklists to simplify processes and procedures. 

• Demonstration garden and client garden maintenance. 

• Seeding, up-potting, labeling, and watering plant starts in and out of demonstration garden greenhouse. . 

• Would be extra awesome: availability for occasional weekend support at in-person events

How to apply:

Submit your resume, including contact and basic information (name, preferred pronouns, address, phone, email), at least two references, and either a cover letter or a short (less than 5 min.) video (or a combination) detailing your interest, including responses to the questions below. Send all materials to Ashley at info@bendurbangardens.com. 

Please keep in mind that we care more about your lived experience and what your strengths are vs. your qualifications on paper. We’re looking forward to genuinely getting to know you, so please share authentically.

• Why are you a good fit for this position and how does it fit into your short and long term goals? 

• What part of this work do you feel you’ll be best at?

• What part of this work do you feel will be a challenge / give you room for growth? 

• What would you do if you encountered a challenge you weren’t able to solve on your own? 

• What is most important to you in a job? What part of a job motivates you to show up every day with your best self?  

• What makes you feel valued and appreciated as a team member?