USDA-ARS Herbarium Curation and Biocollections Opportunity

*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), Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit (FNPRU), U.S. National Arboretum (USNA) in Washington, DC and at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) in Beltsville, MD. The USNA houses two extensive preserved plant collections: the U.S. National Arboretum herbarium (700,000 dried, pressed specimens) and the U.S. National Seed Herbarium (150,000 dried seeds and fruit samples), both used to document and enhance scientific research.

The USNA is a 451-acre public garden and research facility with a mission to enhance the economic, environmental, and aesthetic value of ornamental and landscape plants through long-term, multidisciplinary research, conservation of genetic resources, documentation and preservation of biodiversity, and interpretative gardens and exhibits.

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 preserved (herbarium) collections of the U.S. National Arboretum contain a combined total of approximately 850,000 plant specimens. The collections represent over 250 years of botanical exploration and are continually undergoing improvement through digitization and modern taxonomic reclassifications. Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant will assist in curation of the U.S. National Arboretum herbarium collections, including collecting and vouchering plants, collections management, specimen processing and preparation, taxonomic identification, and data entry and quality control.

Learning Objectives: As a result of this opportunity, the participant will learn or improve their skills in basic collections management, specimen handling, biological data collection and quality assurance, foundational plant taxonomy and classification, proper vouchering protocols, and specimen preservation and mounting techniques.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Harlan Svoboda (Harlan.Svoboda@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: June 3, 2024. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for 3 months, but may be renewed upon recommendation of ARS and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation: The appointment is full time.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. The stipend is $2,880 monthly.

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.Northeast@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in the one of the relevant fields.