Student Assistant - Honeybee Research & Apiary

Student Assistant – Honeybee Research & Apiary Support

Position at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) located in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

Join GGC and become part of a dynamic team that plays a pivotal role in shaping the lives and celebrating the achievements of our students. Together, let’s make a positive impact and empower the next generation of leaders.

The GGC Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Office is seeking a motivated student assistant to support campus honeybee management and applied research activities. This position provides hands‑on experience in honeybee care, apiary operations, and environmental research designed to advance sustainability and pollinator health on campus. The assistant will play a key role in maintaining two GGC apiary sites, one rooftop Langstroth hive and one ground‑level Langstroth hive located in a landscaped urban environment and will conduct a comparative study on honey production and colony performance across these two environments.

• Assist in routine hive inspections for both rooftop and ground‑level apiaries.
• Monitor colony health, queen activity, brood patterns, pest/disease indicators, and environmental conditions.
• Support hive maintenance tasks, including adding/removing supers, frames, and feeders; treating for pests (as authorized); and documenting hive status.
• Assist in safe and sanitary honey extraction, filtering, bottling, and labeling.
• Follow all GGC EHS safety procedures, including PPE requirements for apiary work.
• Collect, record, and analyze data related to honey production, hive weight, population activity, and environmental factors.
• Compare honey production and colony performance between the rooftop Langstroth hive and the ground‑level Langstroth hive located in a natural, urban‑landscaped area.
• Conduct literature reviews on urban beekeeping, rooftop apiaries, and pollinator ecology.
• Document findings in a scientific format using accepted research methods.
• Maintain detailed research logs and contribute to EHS documentation for apiary operations.
• Assist with environmental stewardship education and special events highlighting pollinator conservation and sustainability at GGC.
• Support EHS staff with general tasks as needed.

• A scientific research presentation summarizing comparative findings on honey production and colony performance in rooftop vs. ground‑level Langstroth hives.
• Presentation must include background research, methodology, data analysis, results, discussion, and recommendations for future GGC apiary efforts.
• Final presentation will be delivered to the Director of the Environmental Science and Sustainability Institute, Director of EHS, faculty sponsor, and shared during the annual STARS event and relevant campus partners.

• Interest in environmental health, biology, sustainability, environmental science, or related fields.
• Ability to work outdoors in varying temperatures and weather conditions.
• Willingness to work safely around honeybees (prior beekeeping experience not required; training provided).
• Strong attention to detail and record‑keeping skills.
• Basic data analysis skills (Excel, Sheets, or statistical software).

• Coursework in biology, environmental science, ecology, or public health.
• Experience with beekeeping, gardening, or field research.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.

Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States and proof of eligibility will be required upon acceptance of an employment offer. Offers of employment are conditional upon completion of a background investigation, including a criminal background check, and may require a pre‑employment drug test.

Georgia Gwinnett College is an equal employment, equal access, and equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of Georgia Gwinnett College to recruit, hire, train, and promote persons without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status as required by applicable state and federal laws (including Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, Sections 503, and 504, ADEA, ADA, E.O. 11246, and Rev.

Proc. 75-50).