What are the responsibilities and job description for the USDA-ARS Biological Laboratory Internship position at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)?
*Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis.
ARS Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), located in Gainesville, Florida.
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency with a mission to find solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. ARS will deliver cutting-edge, scientific tools and innovative solutions for American farmers, producers, industry, and communities to support the nourishment and well-being of all people; sustain our nation’s agroecosystems and natural resources; and ensure the economic competitiveness and excellence of our agriculture. The vision of the agency is to provide global leadership in agricultural discoveries through scientific excellence.
Research Project: This educational opportunity will enable you to research best practices for protecting pollinators from the harmful effects of insecticides used to control florivores. Activities may include participating in field and laboratory observations, collecting and processing flower and bee samples, analyzing chemical residues, processing data, documenting findings, and collaborating with researchers to evaluate pollinator-protection strategies. You will gain experience in advanced analytical chemistry techniques like liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.
Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, you will:
- Learn best practices for protecting pollinators from unintended insecticide exposure during florivore management.
- Gain experience conducting field and laboratory observations of flower–bee interactions and pollinator activity.
- Develop skills in collecting, handling, and processing flower and bee samples for research analyses.
- Learn how chemical residues are measured and interpreted to assess insecticide exposure risks to pollinators.
- Gain hands-on experience with advanced analytical chemistry methods, including liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS).
- Build data-management and analysis skills by processing research data and documenting experimental findings.
- Develop collaborative research skills with scientists to evaluate and refine pollinator-protection strategies.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Caitlin Rering (caitlin.rering@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: October/November 2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.
Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of ARS and is contingent on the availability of funds.
Level of Participation: The appointment is part time.
Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens only.
ORISE Information: This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and ARS. Participants do not become employees of USDA, ARS, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.
Questions: Please visit our Program Website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process, please email ORISE.ARS.Southeast@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
Salary : $1,590 - $1,697