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Internship Opportunities – SER-UW Native Plant Nursery

SER-UW Native Plant Nursery Internships

SER-UW is a student chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration, an international organization that works to “promote ecological restoration as a means of sustaining the diversity of life on Earth and re-establishing an ecologically healthy relationship between nature and culture.” SER-UW manages several restoration sites on campus, as well as a native plant nursery located at the Center for Urban Horticulture (CUH). The nursery is a fully student run operation that houses several thousand individual plants and over one hundred different species native to the Puget Sound. Our mission is to provide a local source of native plants for student projects and our on-campus restoration sites, to educate students on best nursery practices for sustainable native plant production, and to continue to improve those practices through research and collaboration with students and community partners.

Request for internship applicants:
The native plant nursery is seeking undergraduate student interns for autumn quarter. Interns are expected to devote an average of 9 hours a week to nursery projects. In conjunction with the manager, interns will develop learning objectives based on individual interests and strengths, receiving credit for ESRM 399 or their school’s equivalent. The interns’ time will be split between routine plant maintenance, plant propagation, nursery infrastructure projects, helping with weekly volunteer work parties, and individual projects. Each intern will have a different focus to help tackle the many and diverse needs of a native plant nursery. Intern position descriptions are as follows:

Communications Interns:
Will work on increasing volunteer involvement with outside groups, produce written content for newsletters, social media, and advertising, and assist with the coordination of our fall plant sale.

Plant Propagation and Production Interns:
Will assist in the development of a seed and plant provenance database and will help in the design and implementation of a crop planning schedule for the upcoming production season.

Both Interns are expected to:

● be willing to get dirty, get wet, and work in all weather conditions

● be on time and follow directions closely

● work well with fellow interns and co-managers, and be comfortable working independently

● problem solve and know when to ask for help

● work well with volunteers- be available for weekly volunteer work parties

● be able to lift 40 lbs and walk on uneven terrain

Interested?
To apply send a resume and a 300-500 word description of why you are interested. Please indicate which role(s) you would like to be considered for, what you want to learn, and how your previous work experience and/or coursework apply to this position. To apply or request more information, email the nursery manager, Derek Allen, at sernursery@gmail.com.

Applications are due by Friday, September 22nd.