Seed and Herbarium Internship

Learn about native plant conservation and ecology by gaining hands-on experience in seed conservation,herbaria, and field work by joining the native plant team in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area!

This internship is designed to allow participants to explore a variety of aspects of conservation with Southern California native plants. It will also allow interns to gain valuable experience in field work and data analysis, and assist the Seed Program Manager in future seed collections. The Santa Monica Mountains includes plant communities such as Southern Oak Woodland, Coastal Sage Scrub,Valley Grassland, Riparian Woodland, Chaparral, and more. Interns will have the opportunity to participate in all of the following areas, depending on time of year:

● Seed Bank Program - species population scouting, seed collecting, seed cleaning and storage

● Seed Germination Testing - testing the viability of native seed to ensure quality for long term

storage

● Herbaria - learn about herbaria applications, voucher collections, mounting and labeling of

herbarium specimens, and plant systematics and identification

● Digitizing the herbaria - participate in the herbarium collection doing digital! Take images,

process, and transcribe herbarium specimens for digital cataloguing

● Geographic Information Systems (GIS) - use population data for analysis of spatial data; use GIS

to find plant populations of interest

● Data Entry - transcribe, verify, and organize spreadsheets to optimize our dataset

● Nursery - plant propagation (seed germination, cuttings), plant production of local species

Participants will check in at the native plant nursery located in Newbury Park at Rancho Sierra Vista /Satwiwa. Work location may vary on a weekly basis, and may include historic Paramount Ranch, Cheeseboro/Palo Comado Canyon, Rancho Sierra Vista, Solstice and Zuma Canyon, and many more areas within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area!

Requirements

● Interns must be a US citizen or permanent resident of the United States.

● Interest in native plants, seed conservation, herbaria, and GIS

● Ability to work independently and part of a team

● Attention to detail

● Must provide own transportation to the work site at Rancho Sierra Vista / Satwiwa

● Valid driver’s license and good driving record are required to drive a government vehicle

Work Site and Conditions

● Some work will take place outdoors (nursery, hiking, seed room, seed collection, etc.)

● Main worksite is located at Rancho Sierra Vista / Satwiwa in Newbury Park, CA. Work may also

be done at NPS Thousand Oaks Office in Thousand Oaks, CA.

● Bending, lifting, and moving heavy objects may be required.

● Weather can be hot, humid, cold, or rainy.

● Minimum commitment of 12 weeks, 3-5 days a week, for a total of 24-40 hours a week. Working

on Saturdays is an option.

● Interns are eligible for a $20/ day stipend

● Housing is not available

How to Apply

To apply, submit the following documents via email to ([e-mail]):

● Letter of intent (include how the position will benefit your career, the dates you are available,

your understanding that this internship is unpaid except for the stipend, and that you have a

method of transportation to and from work).

● Resume

● Transcript (unofficial is acceptable)

● Three references

For additional questions contact ([e-mail]).