USDA-ARS Biological Laboratory Internship

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education; Gainesville (FL); On-site; USD 18,000 - 19,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Stipend: $1,590–$1,697 monthly

Job summary

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) offers an educational opportunity with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to research best practices for protecting pollinators from insecticide exposure during florivore management.

You will participate in field and laboratory observations, collect and process samples, and analyze chemical residues using LC-MS. The appointment is part-time, starts Oct/Nov 2026, and lasts one year with possible renewal, and requires US citizenship with a

Qualifications

• The candidate should be pursuing or have received a bachelor's degree in one of the relevant fields.
• Degree must be received within the past two years, or anticipated by 2/28/2027.

Responsibilities

• Learn best practices for protecting pollinators from unintended insecticide exposure during florivore management.
• Gain experience conducting field and laboratory observations of flower-bee interactions and pollinator activity.
• Develop skills in collecting, handling, and processing flower and bee samples for research analyses.
• Learn how chemical residues are measured and interpreted to assess insecticide exposure risks to pollinators.
• Gain hands-on experience with LC-MS and other analytical chemistry methods.
• Build data-management and analysis skills by processing research data and documenting findings.
• Develop collaborative research skills with scientists to evaluate and refine pollinator-protection strategies.

Skills

Pollinator ecology

Entomology

Florivores

Pesticide research

Species identification

Insecticide effects

Data collection

Data quality

Spreadsheets

Attention to detail

Data visualization

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Materials Sciences

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry (General)

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Chemistry

Job description

Organization

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Reference Code

USDA-ARS-SEA-2026-0384

Application Deadline

12/4/2026 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone

Description

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

This educational opportunity will enable you to research best practices for protecting pollinators from the harmful effects of insecticides used to control florivores. Activities may include participating in field and laboratory observations, collecting and processing flower and bee samples, analyzing chemical residues, processing data, documenting findings, and collaborating with researchers to evaluate pollinator-protection strategies. You will gain experience in advanced analytical chemistry techniques like liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.

Learning Objectives

• Learn best practices for protecting pollinators from unintended insecticide exposure during florivore management.
• Gain experience conducting field and laboratory observations of flower-bee interactions and pollinator activity.
• Develop skills in collecting, handling, and processing flower and bee samples for research analyses.
• Learn how chemical residues are measured and interpreted to assess insecticide exposure risks to pollinators.
• Gain hands-on experience with advanced analytical chemistry methods, including liquid chromatography -mass spectrometry (LC-MS).
• Build data-management and analysis skills by processing research data and documenting experimental findings.
• Develop collaborative research skills with scientists to evaluate and refine pollinator-protection strategies.

Mentor(s)

The mentor for this opportunity is Caitlin Rering ([e-mail]). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date

October/November 2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length

The appointment will initially be for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of ARS and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation

The appointment is part time.

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.

Contact

Please visit our Program Website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process, please email [e-mail] and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a bachelor's degree in the one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past two years, or anticipated to be received by 2/28/2027.

Preferred Skills

• Interest in pollinator ecology, entomology, florivores, or pesticide research
• Familiarity with common pollinators and the ability to learn species-identification techniques
• Interest in researching insecticide effects and pollinator-protection strategies
• Ability to carefully observe, collect, record, and analyze field or laboratory data
• Basic understanding of scientific methods, experimental design, and data quality
• Comfort using spreadsheets or other tools for organizing and visualizing information
• Strong attention to detail when documenting observations and following research protocols
• Ability to communicate findings clearly in written, visual, and verbal formats
• Willingness to participate in field and laboratory activities, including outdoor sampling
• Ability to collaborate respectfully with researchers and other participants
• Commitment to safe, ethical, and environmentally responsible research practices
• Adaptability, curiosity, and enthusiasm for learning new techniques and concepts

Stipend

$1,590.00 - $1,697.00 Monthly

Point of Contact

Janeen

Eligibility Requirements

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Bachelor's Degree received within the last 24 months or anticipated to be received by 2/28/2027 12:00:00 AM.
• Discipline(s):
  • Chemistry and Materials Sciences
  • Chemistry (General)
  • Environmental Chemistry
• Life Health and Medical Sciences (11 )