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Employer:

Wild Blueberry Research Program, Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University

Employer Overview

The Wild Blueberry Program is a research program dedicated to improving berry yields, production sustainability, and the quality and safety of wild blueberries. Supported by the Bragg Lumber Company and the wild blueberry producer associations of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, the research program strives to produce technology based products, processes and services that will allow the wild blueberry industry to remain competitive in an increasingly global economy.

Supervisor:

Dr. David Percival, Department of Plant. Food, and Environmental Sciences, Dalhousie University

Duties:

The research intern will assist with a combination of knowledge intensive field and laboratory activities involving assessing the biotic and abiotic factors influencing wild blueberry growth, development, berry yield and berry composition and the use of remote sensing technologies to assess the presence and effects of these stressors. Duties will include: (i) assessing plant and berry samples for the incidence, severity and type of disease pressures; (ii) fruit quality and composition analyses including assessment of fruit firmness and phenolic contents; (iii) compiling environmental data for the determination of disease infection periods and frost events; (iv) assisting with data entry, statistical analyses, and results summarization; and (v) assisting with the preparation of research reports. Research and development activities will be based out of the Wild Blueberry Research Program Lab (Room 318, Cox Institute) at the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus in Truro, NS. Transportation to field sites is provided.  The research intern will work in a dynamic, team environment with other research interns, research assistants and graduate students.

Required Competencies:

The successful candidate must be enrolled as a full-time student for 2022-2023 in a post-secondary undergraduate program. Preference will be given to those enrolled in biology and/or environmental science program.

Work Term Outcomes

The successful candidate is expected to have developed an improved knowledge of plant biology, berry composition, and plant-pest relationships. This will be complimented with the research intern also gaining insight into the use of remote sensing technologies including unmanned aerial aircraft and attached sensors; interactions with producers, industry representatives, other research scientists and students. In addition, it is anticipated the successful candidate will have acquired hands on training with respect to the setting up of field and laboratory experiments, and collection of various plant and environmental data. 

Hours:

35 hours per week, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Duration:

Approximately 9 weeks of work cased on 35 hours per week with an anticipated start date of July 11 (or as soon as possible), and completion date of September 2, 2022.

Wage:

Based on the Faculty of Agriculture’s student pay scale with a minimum of $14.18 per hour based on qualifications and experience.

Contact:

Dr. David Percival, Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University

Telephone: (902) 893-7852, E-mail: David.Percival@DAL.ca