Plant Collections Internship: GIS & Curation

Penn State University; University Park (TX); Hybrid; USD 23,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

The Arboretum at Penn State is offering a paid internship in plant collections management for undergraduates, graduate students, and recent grads. The role runs up to 9 months, beginning early spring 2027, with hybrid work options and most on-site work at the Arboretum.

Hours are up to 40 per week, with full-time equivalent hours not exceeding 16 weeks. Primary tasks include managing plant records in IrisBG, GIS data collection, mapping, labeling, and creating public plant displays.

Qualifications

• Interest in plant science, horticulture, biology, GIS, or related fields.
• Willingness to work outdoors in variable weather.
• Ability to learn new software and technology.

Responsibilities

• Manage plant records in IrisBG for internal/public use.
• Maintain Arboretum Explorer and public plant finder tools.
• Collect GPS data and assist with GIS mapping projects.
• Inventory living collections across botanic gardens and greenhouses.
• Create display labels and accession tags for plants.
• Assist with interpretive signage and educational projects.
• Support seasonal plant lists and web content preparation.

Skills

Plant ID/taxonomy

Microsoft Office

ArcGIS applications

GIS mapping

Data management

Education

Undergraduate student

Graduate student

Recent graduate

Tools

IrisBG

ArcGIS

Job description

The Arboretum at Penn State is offering a paid internship in plant collections management for undergraduates, graduate students, and recent grads. The role runs up to 9 months, beginning early spring 2027, with hybrid work options and most on-site work at the Arboretum.

Hours are up to 40 per week, with full-time equivalent hours not exceeding 16 weeks. Primary tasks include managing plant records in IrisBG, GIS data collection, mapping, labeling, and creating public plant displays.