Knoll Intern; Summer

This position is only available to Middlebury College students who are on-campus for spring semester and returning for Fall 2026.

This application is for the Knoll Summer Internship starting May 26, 2026 and continuing through the 16 weeks of summer, until the start of fall '26 classes. This internship happens in-person, and on-campus, cohort-style housing will be provided through the duration. More details are forthcoming and subject to change. This position is only open to currently enrolled, returning-for-fall Middlebury College undergraduate students.

This is a Middlebury student Level C position and pays $15.40 per hour.

Application timeline:

• Application opens week of 12/19/25.

• Optional Information Session to come, more details at go/knoll intern.

• Application will close on Tuesday, January 20th at 12pm (noon).

• Selected candidates will be offered interviews between Friday, January 23 - Tuesday, January 27

• Further selected candidates will be offered positions at the end of the week and have about a week to accept and finalize the offer.

• If you have questions, please reach out to Megan Brakeley, associate director of the Knoll at mbrakeley.

The intention of creating this application is to make the hiring process more accessible for the Knoll Internships. Our goal is to remove some of the formalities of a cover letter (to whom do you address it? What font? How do I virtually sign it?) which apply less directly to this role. While written communication is one skill in a suite of those we value in interns at the Knoll, some of the most important skills, dispositions and awareness es of great Knoll summer interns are: reliability, the ability to work as a team member, the ability to create a fun and care‑filled environment for others, care with language, active communication, a willingness to learn and try new things, and persistence.

The use of A.I. is not permitted in this application as the nature of our work is not computer‑based, and relies on self‑produced communication. We encourage authentic expression in your responses and thus, ask that you bring your fullest and truest self, word, and spirit.

Mission of the Program:
The Knoll’s mission is to explore food as a medium to cultivate well‑being in people, place, and the planet. In doing so, our work begins with understanding and dismantling oppression, with particular attention to the racism, land theft, cultural erasure, and colonial supremacy that built our food system and remain at the fore. We commit to creating access for people who have been barred access from the freedom to choose whether, and how, to engage with agriculture and the land.

We aim to broaden understanding of the political, historical, and cultural frameworks and hegemonies, including white supremacy, that have built our predominant narratives and understandings of the food system and our landscape. These goals are aspirational; we recognize limitations of the site and our programs (e.g., the Knoll is not an ADA accessible site) while simultaneously working to improve conditions.

We invite interns to step into this ongoing work with us.

The Knoll is comprised of the Educational Garden, the Outdoor Kitchen and the Serenity Garden. The Educational Garden’s 1 acre grows diversified vegetables and fruits and supports student and faculty research. We aim to test theories and develop techniques that move us toward sustainability, regeneration, and resilience.

Time Commitment:
The summer internship is unique in that it spans 16 weeks. The internship runs from May 26 until the start of fall classes. This is in‑person, full‑day, cohort work with days typically running from 8:15am – 4pm with a break for lunch. Work weeks will be 35 hours/week from the start of summer until approximately Friday, July 3rd; from there we will reduce our schedule to 30 hours/week until the start of the fall semester.

Due to weather, events, and the season’s needs, occasional additional hours may be requested. Some weekend hours are also expected in organizing a weekend watering schedule and for hosting special events (e.g., Reunion). Interns take three weeks of unpaid time off after July 1. (The…