Job Title: Intern, Controlled Environments (CE)
Reporting to: CE Sr. Scientist
Location: Durham, North Carolina
About Pairwise:
Pairwise is a mission-driven, food+tech company dedicated to building a healthier world through better fruits and vegetables. Pairwise was founded in 2017 by scientists at Harvard University, MIT, and Broad Institute who are eminent in the field of gene editing, as well as biotechnology industry pioneers. Our team is tuned in to consumer food trends, and we believe that consumers deserve more variety and innovation in their fresh food choices. We are primed to deliver that innovation through one of the best gene-editing platforms in food and agriculture. Pairwise has an exclusive 5-year research collaboration with Bayer to develop products in corn, soybean, wheat, canola, and cotton. Plus, Pairwise is developing new types of leafy greens, berries, and stone fruit, with the first product expected in 2023. Pairwise is based in the start-up friendly Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina.
About This Role:
We are seeking passionate, engaging, ready-to-learn interns to join us for Summer 2023. We are looking for a team player with majors in Horticulture, Plant Science, Agronomy, Biology, Botany, Plant Physiology, or a similar field. Pairwise offers the opportunity of getting to work with industry leading scientists and professionals in a cutting edge, industry changing, food+tech company. Our interns will be integrated with our teams here at Pairwise to allow for hands on learning in a fast-paced start-up environment. Interns will also have season long cap-stone projects that will add real value and help the team resolve real-world challenges they are currently facing. We like to have fun at Pairwise, so the summer won’t be all work and no play! Pairwise interns will not only have “Intern Only” meeting sessions to talk about their experience and share thoughts and feedback with each other but will also have events to help with career and educational planning, and team building trips to share in the fun of summer in North Carolina.
The Controlled Environments Team improves cultural practices in various row and consumer crop species by conducting research regarding plant growth activities. Improving plant quality and plant multiplication are also critical responsibilities of the Controlled Environment team. Such activities could include plant propagation, treatment of plant material with chemicals and non-chemical sources, and routine plant care/maintenance. Controlled Environment scientists and staff will guide the intern in all of these practices, and more. The intern will use the scientific method to plan and execute their own study while participating in critical discussions and decisions regarding experimental planning, execution, and results analysis.
Essential Functions:
• Collaborate and support research and pipeline activities within the Controlled Environments Team.
• Conduct an intern led research project and present conclusive data at the internship end.
• Assist with the day-to-day tasks required to run a controlled environment research facility.
Required Education & Experience:
• A student currently enrolled in a Bachelors, Masters or PhD program in one of the following disciplines:
o Horticulture, Plant Science, Agronomy, Biology, Botany, Plant Physiology, or similar field.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills as well as math and computer skills.
• Individual must have a high degree of self-motivation, take initiative, be able to shift priorities, and be organized.
• May be required to do physical lifting (35 pounds), work in varying ergonomic settings, and tolerate hot/humid environments.
Offerings:
• Paid internship experience in a field relevant to your studies!
• Real-world, industry work experience.
• Casual work environment.
• Mission-driven organization focused on creating healthier fruits and veggies.
• A cutting-edge, driven community looking to lead the industry in innovation and nutrition.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and use hands to finger, handle or feel, and techniques that require fine motor skills and repetitive motions. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. The employee is regularly required to talk or hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
EEO Statement:
We're an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Pairwise we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.