2024 Summer Internship - Growers

Company Overview 

Who is Costa Farms? We’re one of the world’s largest horticultural growers—but without an ego to match our acreage. Our headquarters are in Miami, Florida, where we were founded in 1961. Costa Farms started on just 30 acres, and over the last 60 years, we’ve grown to more than 5,000 acres around the world. We have farms in North and South Carolina, Central and South Florida, and the Dominican Republic, plus an office in China. Costa Farms now employs nearly 6,000 people: engineers, marketers, accountants/analysts, human resources professionals, and of course, growers and plant scientists!   

Here at Costa Farms, we live by the values of H3: being Humble, staying Hungry, and always Hustling. The team rallies to the mission of being a lean, green, growing machine dedicated to enriching the world by bringing plants into everyone’s life.  

True to that mission, we grow more than 1,500 plant varieties. Driven by the spirit of innovation, the team is always testing new plants and developing new solutions to make it easier for retailers and plant parents to enjoy plants. We’re also continuously testing different ways of growing our plants to increase quality and improve their ecological footprint as one aspect of our many sustainability efforts.  

We cultivate plants, as well as a winning culture. Join the team, and you’ll find opportunities to learn and grow. You’ll collaborate with other driven, determined people who together keep Costa Farms an industry leader. You’ll support and be supported by a team that cares about each other, our customers, our consumers, and our community.   

You’ll also find right away that Costa Farms is committed to providing a diverse environment. We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, disability, age, military status, marital status or veteran status, or any other group status protected by federal, state, or local law.  

Internship Opportunity

Being a Costa Farms intern means you get an immersive experience with the rest of the organization. Working in a project team setting with your cross-functional peers, you’ll learn all about our business while solving real-world challenges. Your internship as a Grower will allow you the opportunity to work alongside one of the best horticulture/agriculture teams in the industry. If you successfully complete the program, you will receive a contingent offer of employment to return as a full-time employee upon graduation from college.

As a Grower Intern at Costa Farms your responsibilities may include

· Work with growing team on developing and executing trials on several plant varieties. Gathering empirical data to find solutions to produce better crops.

· Documenting growing protocols and develop specification sheets to ensure a standardized process

· Gain exposure to the day to day operations by assisting the growing teams with the following tasks:

o Inspection and document the condition of all incoming young plants

o Help scout for insects and diseases in their section

o Monitor moisture management of the plants in their section

o Keep track of finished weeks of crops in their section

o Work with the grower plant maintenance crew daily in their section

Not Your Average Internship!

Costa Farms is committed to creating a fun and enriching experience for the 2022 internship cohort! You can expect to join your fellow interns for outings and other team-building activities, such as team lunches, offsite bowling, scavenger hunts, and more. Not only do we provide a challenging and enjoyable work environment, but we will also invest in your professional development with valuable group training. You will come away prepared to join our team and thriving culture when you graduate!

Don’t just take our word for it; here’s what interns from the 2021 cohort had to say about their experience:

“Doing activities like this with my team really helped build camaraderie for us, which makes our work more effective and enjoyable.” -Julianna Krause

“I’ve loved my internship and every day I get to spend with my fellow interns, as well as meeting all the different people in all the departments.” -Tabitha Gato (now a full-time Costa Farms employee!)

Requirements

·       A rising Senior (graduating by Summer of 2025)

·       Be able to attend in-person for 10 weeks at our headquarters in Miami, FL

·       Include a resume and cover letter with your application

·       Be a resourceful team player that manages ambiguity and is able to adapt to different situations and people

·       Demonstrates our humble, hungry, and hustle culture

* * All applications must be submitted by December 21st, 2023.

“All applicants must be work authorized. Costa Farms will not sponsor any visa for this position.”

Preferred Skills and Experience

·       3.0 GPA

·       Knowledge or courses are taken in the area of discipline

·       Member of school club(s)

·       Comfortable with public speaking

·       Ability to quickly learn new technologies

·       Bilingual (English and Spanish)

·       Please inquire with us if you have questions about your qualifications

Salary

·       Undergraduate Students: $20/hr 

·       Graduate Students: $23/hr

Salary : $23