The US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service seeks up to 4 volunteers for summer internships under Dr. Heathcliffe Riday for forage legume breeding research. The location is in Madison, Wisconsin and nearby field sites (primarily in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin and Arlington, Wisconsin). Hours per week and precise start and end dates are flexible within the 2025 summer growing season (roughly May to September).

This is an unpaid position. We encourage applicants to seek their own funding through their university career office or other sources (for example, the Success Works program from UW-Madison: https://successworks.wisc.edu/ls-finding-an-internship/money-for-your-internship/ or the CALS internship program https://wisc.academicworks.com/opportunities/82840) 

Students will receive mentorship from USDA scientists and technicians as well as gain skills and experience as they assist with field and/or greenhouse tasks for the cover crop breeding program. Participants will have the chance to develop their own mini research project applying classroom knowledge in accordance with their interests and background.

Learning objectives and responsibilities:

Participants will gain foundational, transferable skills for a plant science/research career. These skills include data collection, care of plants and seedlings in a breeding program, and the evaluation of a variety of selection criteria used to evaluate different genetic lines. Specifically, they will:

• Learn to evaluate seed hardness by conducting germination testing. This will facilitate selection for cover crop varieties better-suited to agricultural production.
• Learn to conduct a variety of greenhouse tasks (e.g. starting seed, potting, maintaining, and watering plants) to care for plants in a research setting.
• Learn to transplant clover and alfalfa plants from greenhouse to field following standardized experimental protocols.
• Receive training in the safe operation of riding mowers and tractors for crop field maintenance.
• Learn to use a variety of hand tools to care for plants in the field and greenhouse.
• Receive training in rating traits of plants in the field (field data collection for scientific studies) and data management practices.
• There will also be opportunity to develop additional skills unique to each student’s individual research project as appropriate.

Qualifications:

• Pursuing a degree in agricultural science, plant science, biological science, sustainable agriculture, or related field.
• Ability to work outdoors in variable weather conditions during the summer in Wisconsin.
• All duties require attention to detail, ability to perform monotonous work, and precise record keeping.

Physical demands:

• Physical labor under a range of weather conditions (rain, heat, humidity, exposure to ticks and mosquitos, etc.).
• May need to lift objects up to 40 lbs.