USDA-ARS High School Research Internship
To submit your application, scroll to the bottom of this opportunity and click APPLY.
A complete application consists of:
- An application
- Transcript(s) – For this opportunity, an unofficial transcript or copy of the student academic records printed by the applicant or by academic advisors from internal institution systems may be submitted. Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts.
- A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
- Two educational or professional recommendations
All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.
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*Applications may be reviewed on a rolling-basis.
ARS Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is available with the Commodity Protection and Quality Research Unit within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) located in Parlier, California, St. Joseph, Michigan, and Lockport, New York. Travel to conduct research is possible, but not required.
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: The candidate will be an intern focused on learning about optimizing postharvest treatments from the perspective of targeted toxicological efficacy. Duties include conducting insecticidal evaluations to quantify mortalities that result from treatments. As part of the research, the candidate will aid in insect rearing, fruit harvesting, and statistics of response analyses. The candidate will not be exposed to toxic chemicals.
Learning Objectives: Upon completion of the project, the selected candidate will have gained a deeper understanding of contemporary insect control, a key concern of US horticultural producers.
Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Spencer Walse (spencer.walse@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: July 2024. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.
Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for two months, but may be renewed upon recommendation of ARS and is contingent on the availability of funds.
Level of Participation: The appointment is part-time.
Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience.
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.PacificWest@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing a high school degree and is also pursuing a STEM degree in the one of the relevant fields.
Preferred skills:
- Coursework in either biology, chemistry, or mathematics is encouraged.
- An interest in applied science is highly desired.
- Previous experience or coursework with applied biology, chemistry, or mathematics is preferred.
- Previous experience completing science coursework or conducting scientific research is encouraged.
- Basic understanding of Microsoft excel, for data entry.
- Independently review literature, as well as organize, document, and interpret data for the assigned project.
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
- Degree: Currently pursuing a High School Diploma/GED.
- Discipline(s):
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