Sugarcane Agronomy Intern

Position Overview  

These internships are research related. United States Sugar Corporation (USSC) is seeking two full time interns for summer 2025. These positions will assume the duties of a sugarcane variety agronomist working alongside other industry researchers in planting sugarcane seedlings, collecting data, and inputting data. New sugarcane varieties are the backbone of the Florida sugarcane industry and is of top priority. These positions will offer competitive compensation and free housing. Must be a highly motivated and energetic current or future Agriculture student who enjoys a challenge and is seeking experience in agriculture research. 

Job Responsibilities 

• This job is approximately 80 percent fieldwork and 20 percent office work
• Assisting the senior industry agronomist and his team in all variety development activities that occur during the summer  
• More specific activities will include planting sugarcane seedlings, counting sugarcane seedlings, counting mortality rates of sugarcane seedlings, staking research plots, and counting sugarcane stalks in research plots as a key metric in formulating a calculated yield 
• Other activities will include rating sugarcane varieties in research plots, learning how to identify insects, and learning how to identify sugarcane diseases
• Opportunity to attend UF-IFAS workshops at Everglades Research and Education Center in Belle Glade, FL 
• Opportunity to attend the USDA-ARS variety committee meeting and learn how sugarcane varieties are released commercially
• Opportunity to learn Field Book app software for electronic data capture needed for easier data collection
• Maintains high standard professionalism in communication with fellow employees 
• Works effectively in a team environment with changing priorities and time pressures 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills 
• Reliable, dependable and can be relied upon to bring projects through to completion 
• Maintains a clean and professional office and work area environment 
• Ability to follow proper safety and housekeeping procedures pertaining to the area 
• Ability to work anywhere within the company and in variable/extreme weather conditions as well as outdoor/indoor environments 
• Ability to work the posted schedule and overtime as necessary 
• This position may be required to work weekends, holidays, and overtime 
• Ability to work with others and or alone with minimum supervision 
• Ability to follow instructions and communicate information pertaining to the job 
• Physically able to successfully perform the essential functions of the job 
• New hires must pass a drug test and other pre-employment background screening and successfully complete any required training 
• Ability to read, speak and write English 
• Must have a valid driver’s license 

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

The work environment characteristics and physical requirements described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Working Conditions:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee works in outside weather conditions on a regular basis. 
• Field-based work with regular travel between research stations and trial locations.
• Working conditions may be rainy, hot, humid, dusty, etc. depending on the weather
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud 
• Duties of this job are also performed in an office environment 
• Employee may be required to drive a vehicle for extended time periods
• Extended hours may be required during peak planting and harvest seasons.

Physical Requirements:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit
• The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, use hands to handle and/or move various objects, tools and/or controls, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, talk, hear, and see
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus 
• Ability to freely access all areas of the including farm offices, tractor sheds, various farm/harvesting equipment, etc.
• Ability to operate and use all equipment necessary to run the farm including chemical applications equipment and common office equipment
• Ability to move or handle various items throughout the farm generally weighing between 0-65 pounds.  Ability to lift and carry up to 65 pounds.

The above declarations are not intended to be an “all-inclusive” list of the duties and responsibilities of the job described, nor are they intended to be such a listing of the skills and abilities required to do the job.  Rather, they are intended only to describe the general nature of the job, and a reasonable representation of its activities.