Agronomy Intern

About Sand Valley

Sand Valley is a golf resort and community settled gently upon 12,000 acres of rugged, prehistoric sand dunes in central Wisconsin. Here, residents and guests will find six world-class golf courses built in harmony with the land: Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes, Sandbox, The Lido, Sedge Valley, and Commons.  Founded in 2016 by brothers Michael and Chris Keiser, the resort is known for its friendly hospitality and a community of golf and outdoor enthusiasts who have been drawn to the raw beauty and serenity of the vast Wisconsin Wilderness.

Beyond premier golf, Sand Valley is a year-round celebration of all the outdoors from fat-tire biking, hiking, and kayaking to ice hockey, skating, or a guided cold plunge. The resort now features a 13,000-square-foot Tennis Center with 16 grass tennis courts and the twelfth Court Tennis facility in the United States. Alongside soul-stirring golf and outdoor exploration, Sand Valley offers a variety of savory dining venues showcasing globally inspired and rustic Wisconsin cuisine.

The Sand Valley team works together to create experiences of a lifetime by asking questions and sharing ideas. With authenticity and a hard-working attitude, Sand Valley helps guide guests through an immersive experience in Wisconsin's natural beauty and away from the demands of daily life.

About the Internship

The Agronomy Internship offers students and recent graduates the opportunity to build practical experience in a learning-focused, team environment. Interns work alongside experienced agronomy leaders and team members while gaining exposure to golf course maintenance, turfgrass management, irrigation, equipment care, and natural area stewardship.

Through daily course preparation and specialized projects, interns develop a deeper understanding of the care, consistency, and teamwork required to maintain exceptional playing conditions. Assignments are based on each intern’s education, experience, and readiness.

Preferred Availability: April or May through October 2027

Application Deadline: December 31, 2026. Applications are reviewed as received, and positions may be filled before the deadline.

What You'll Learn and Do

Assist with daily course setup, mowing, bunker maintenance, and other routine maintenance
Collect and track TDR moisture meter readings
Safely operate a variety of golf course and construction equipment
Learn the Toro Lynx central control system and assist with overnight watering programs, irrigation audits, and sprinkler head maintenance
Support aquatic maintenance of lakes and ponds
Gain experience maintaining bentgrass, fine fescue, and ryegrass across a variety of areas
Perform turfgrass cultural practices, including mowing, verticutting, topdressing, aerifying, and rolling
Participate in fertilizer and pesticide applications, calibration, and recordkeeping
Assist with finish and grow in grow-in projects, including seedbed preparation and seeding greens, tees, fairways, and native areas using techniques such as hydromulching
Help maintain and restore natural areas, including sand barrens, tree groves, and sedge areas
Learn a minimalist maintenance approach that supports firm and fast playing conditions
Assist with maintaining grass tennis courts
Gain exposure to cutting unit setup, reel and bedknife grinding, preventive maintenance, and basic equipment repairs

What We’re Looking For

Currently enrolled in, planning to enroll in, or recently graduated from a two-year or four-year turfgrass management program or a closely related field
Eager to learn, ask questions, and contribute with a positive attitude
A strong work ethic, attention to detail, and pride in a job well done
Ability to listen, follow direction, communicate clearly, and complete assigned work safely and efficiently
Willingness to work independently and as part of an organized, fast-paced team environment
Safety-minded when working around tools, chemicals, vehicles, and operating equipment
Available for early mornings and weekends
A valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

Able to perform physically demanding work throughout the workday, including extended periods of standing and walking on uneven terrain, as well as regular bending, crouching, kneeling, reaching, pushing, pulling, lifting, carrying, loading, and unloading
Able to safely operate tools and equipment and move tools, equipment, and materials of varying weights and sizes
Able to work outdoors in conditions that may include heat, cold, rain, wind, dust, noise, and proximity to operating equipment

Perks

Complimentary housing may be available to interns who live at least 50 miles from Sand Valley and need local accommodations. Housing is limited, with preference given to interns who can commit to the full season.

Meals during scheduled shifts

Golf privileges

Restaurant and retail discounts

Provided uniforms

Access to resort recreation

Team appreciation events throughout the season

Employee Assistance Program