Horticultural Data and Asset Management Intern

Description

Duration: May through August 2026

Job Summary

The Borough of West Chester is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Horticultural Data & Asset Management Intern for Summer 2026. This position supports the Borough’s ongoing efforts to improve the accuracy, completeness, and usability of horticultural and landscape asset data within its asset management and GIS systems.

The intern will work closely with Borough staff to collect, verify, and clean data related to trees, landscaped areas, parks, and other green infrastructure assets. This internship offers hands-on experience at the intersection of field data collection, data quality assurance, and municipal asset management.

Key Responsibilities

• Collect and verify horticultural and landscape asset data in the field, including trees, planting areas, parks features, and right-of-way greenery.
• Update and maintain asset records within the Borough’s asset management system and associated GIS layers.
• Perform data cleansing tasks, including identifying incomplete, outdated, or inconsistent records and resolving discrepancies between field observations and system data.
• Apply established data standards and naming conventions to ensure consistency and long-term usability of horticultural asset records.
• Assist with basic data analysis and reporting, such as summary statistics or condition tallies related to horticultural assets.
• Coordinate with Borough staff to document data collection methods and support continuous improvement of data workflows.

Benefits

• Hands-on experience with real-world municipal asset management and data systems.
• Opportunity to work directly with professional staff in public works, planning, and data management.
• Development of marketable skills in field data collection, data cleansing, and applied GIS/asset management.
• Competitive hourly wage of $20.00 per hour.

Requirements

• Currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree program in horticulture, environmental studies, geography, planning, data analytics, public policy, or a related field.
• Strong attention to detail and interest in data accuracy and quality control.
• Comfort with outdoor fieldwork in varying weather conditions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, Word); experience with GIS or asset management systems is a plus but not required.
• Ability to follow data standards and document observations clearly and consistently.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with Borough staff.
• Ability to handle sensitive or internal-use data with professionalism and confidentiality.

Interested candidates should submit a resume and brief cover letter outlining relevant coursework, skills, and interest in the position to data@west-chester.com