Internships

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR 2024 PROGRAM

Applications close July 31

Join NSW Department of Primary Industries plant health professionals in Summer 2023 for a 6-week hands-on course in plant health, biosecurity, and diagnostics. Our Biosecurity Summer Internship Program offers real life biosecurity and plant health science experience giving you the chance to work on real projects alongside lead scientists and researchers at NSW DPI.

Our Internship Program is designed to provide valuable hands-on experience within the plant health and biosecurity sector. By undertaking an internship with us, you will:

Work with biosecurity experts and renowned researchers on real world biosecurity activities and research projects.
Develop and improve your laboratory and research skills, communication, project and time management, and critical analysis.
Build your professional network with NSW Department of Primary Industries, including Plant Biosecurity Research and Development and Product Integrity.
Discover career path opportunities in government research and scientific services.

You will work with our staff and scientists across the biosecurity spectrum gaining experience and training in surveillance, diagnostics, research, and emergency response operations as well as an understanding of policy, market access and stakeholder engagement.

Units you will work with during your internship

Elizabeth MacArthur Agricultural Institute (Sydney) (EMAI)

Citrus pathology - Graft stock quarantine processing

Bacteriology - Genome sequencing, diagnostic development

Entomology research - Insecticide resistance, fruit fly management, post-harvest control, disease vector ecology

Plant Health Diagnostic Services - plant pathology practices, isolation, culturing, slide making, morphological identification and higher-level classification, DNA extraction, PCR, Sequence analysis.

Orange Agricultural Institute (OAI)

Collection management - specimen accessioning, data capture and management, imaging (macro, micro, SEM),

Fungal and bacterial culturing and preservation techniques including freeze drying and cryopreservation. Herbarium practices.

Entomology preservation practices - collection, dissection, slide making, microscopy, morphological identification and higher-level classification, DNA extraction, PCR.

Surveillance and emergency preparedness and response.

Location

This program will be held at two facilities

The Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute – Menangle, Sydney
The Orange Agricultural Institute – Orange, NSW

Scholarship

A $5,000 scholarship will be awarded to successful participants to assist with travel and accommodation.

Dates for 2024

January 8th - February 16th

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply, you need to be:

An enrolled undergraduate student enrolled in a NSW university
Must have completed at least 96 credit points (or equivalent) at the time of application
have achieved a weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 75 (or equivalent) in your degree.

Applications

Applications will be assessed on a range of factors including academic merit and your responses to the application questions.
Applications are assessed by a selection committee.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome within a month of application close.