TITLE: Plant Conservation Intern
Department: Biodiversity Research and Conservation
Status: Full-time (10 weeks)
Reports to: Director of Conservation Programs

Position Overview:

The internship program in Applied Plant Conservation at California Botanic Garden (CalBG) provides an opportunity for students and recent graduates to gain exposure in five areas of our plant conservation program: field studies, herbarium, seed conservation, restoration, and nursery programs. Interns will rotate through these five programs and will gain an understanding in plant conservation, through hands-on experiential learning. An emphasis will be placed on seed conservation. This is a seasonal position (400 hours total).
Educational Workshops Included
California Plant Diversity and Climate Change
Field Techniques and Plant Identification
Seed Conservation
Conservation Genetics
Plant Pathogens and Nursery Best Practices
Career Panel

Duties and Responsibilities:
Participates in conservation projects between CalBG and other government agencies or private contractors, including seed collecting, seed processing, general botanical surveys, rare plant surveys and monitoring, invasive species surveys, plant propagation and maintenance of living plants in CalBG’s nursery.
Assists the herbarium curatorial staff with various aspects of herbarium management, including preparation of plant specimens for inclusion in the herbarium and digitization.
Assist with botanical surveys.
Assists with plant propagation and restoration maintenance.
Assists with record keeping and data management.
Identifies field collections and enters specimen data.
Assists conservation staff on various plant conservation projects as directed.
Works with other interns and volunteers.
Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:
Coursework towards a degree in the biological sciences required.
Ability to follow instructions, work successfully with others, and work independently with minimal supervision.
Strong writing and verbal skills, and computer skills (word processing, databases)
Familiarity with databases.
Familiarity with basic taxonomic principles and characteristics of major plant families and California flora.
Willingness to work with or be around pesticides or herbicides with training and supervision.

Physical demands:
Ability to conduct fieldwork under a variety of environmental conditions is required.
Must have physical strength and endurance sufficient to carry field equipment and supplies and hike over steep, rugged terrain.
Ability to life 40 lbs is required.
Ability to hike, walk, and stand for an extended period of time.

Salary
$15 per hour

Qualified candidates please send cover letter and resume to:
California Botanic Garden
ATTN: Naomi Fraga
conservation@calbg.org
1500 N College Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711