USDA-ARS Project Baseline Seed Viability Internship

Organization

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

USDA-ARS-PA-

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), located in Fort Collins, Colorado.

ARS's National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation (NLGRP) is tasked with preserving viability of seeds and other germplasm in perpetuity. NLGRP participates in collaborative research projects with groups interested in storing seeds for conservation or evolutionary biology studies and needs an understanding of how long seeds survive in storage. One such study is Project Baseline that was initiated in 2010. Seeds have now been stored for about 15 years and it is time to assess if viability has changed over that time.

This opportunity will assess viability by the speed and completeness that seeds in the study germinate. This data will be compared to the same measurements made in .

Under the guidance of a mentor, you will learn the basics of curation of seed collections and gene banking, particularly as it relates to seed preservation and seed longevity. You will be exposed to about 100 species of seeds native to the US and will be able to identify species based on morphological characteristics. Through the viability evaluation, you will learn important skills in assessing how seeds germinate and understanding and providing germination requirements to dormant seeds.

There will be some opportunity to evaluate symptoms of seed aging such as RNA integrity and thermal properties of seed oils.

Christina Walters (Christina.Walters)

• Start date:
  
  June 2026 (flexible, dependent on factors)
• Length:
  Initially three months, may be renewed depending on availability of funds
• Level: Part time

Monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Anticipated stipend range is $1,000 – $1,200 monthly.

U.S. citizens only.

This program is 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). Participants are not employees of USDA, ARS, DOE or the program administrator, and no employment benefits are provided. Proof of health insurance is required; health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.

The candidate should be pursuing a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in any plant science discipline.

• Interest in seed morphology and physiology.
• Detail oriented with data collection.

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree:
  Currently pursuing a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral Degree.
• Disciplines:
  Life Health and Medical Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Botany, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Horticulture, Plant Sciences