USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Paid Internship

USDA-APHIS in Beltsville, Maryland is seeking outstanding candidates for a 6-month internship position from February to August 2019. This position is an integral part of the Plant Germplasm Quarantine Program (PGQP), which has the mission of protecting US agriculture and the natural environment from the introduction of foreign plant pathogens (virus, viroids, etc). This opportunity is designed to give broad-based exposure to the day-to-date activities of the Pome and Poaceae Quarantine Programs. The intern will participate in all aspects of the Quarantine program, including greenhouse work, PCR and sequencing-based diagnostics, bioinformatic analysis, and orchard management.

The intern will work 40 hours a week and be paid $13.00-15.50 per hour. The intern is expected to work a full-time schedule, 8 hours a day on weekdays.

Job Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• Just Graduated or current College Senior
• Education focus in Agronomy, Plant Physiology, Plant Pathology, Genetics, Biology or a related field 
• Minimum GPA requirement of 3.0

Required Competencies:

• Attention to detail and highly organized
• Ability to work on multiple projects concurrently
• Computer skills (Excel, Access)
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently or with a team

Preferred Competencies:

• Previous lab or field research
• Fruit tree grafting and pruning
• Greenhouse plant maintenance
• Basic knowledge of molecular biology techniques and/or sequence data analysis

Additional requirements:

• US citizenship or permit to work

Interested candidates should send a cover letter and a resume via email to Dr. Martha Malapi-Wight (martha.m.wight@usda.gov).