Pleasant View Gardens, home of Proven Winners®, is on the forefront of cutting edge innovations in floriculture products. Our Research & Development department connects with top industry breeders to identify and grow unique varieties of annuals, perennials, edible and fragrance plants. Our summer internship program will allow students to gain significant experience in variety trials and display garden operations. Interns will learn skills and techniques which will help them improve their understanding of research and development and build a foundation which will benefit them in their careers.* The time-frame for this internship is Mid-May to Mid-August *** Applicants do not need to be local. Employer will hire through Skype interviews *What Interns will ExperienceOur internship program has been designed to give students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the horticulture/agriculture industry; using hands-on, real-world applications and experience with new technologies that play a crucial role in our success.Essential Duties and Responsibilities:Variety Trials:Field Trial Preparation – equipment and safety training, machine assisted pot-filling, container and in-ground field prep, fertilizer and drip irrigation principlesField Trial Installation– plant genera identification, trial labeling, transplanting, establishment-phase growing, field organizationField Trial Maintenance– pest/pathogen/weed management, fertilizer and drip irrigation maintenance, overall crop management techniquesField Trial Evaluation– qualitative analysis of trial codes, photo documentation, greenhouse stock management, virus testing, propagationProven Winners® Signature Garden installation and maintenance:Display Garden Preparation – greenhouse growing and organization, crop maintenance, garden layout elementsDisplay Garden Installation – bed prep, planting timeline, transplanting, establishment growing, irrigation solutionsDisplay Garden Maintenance – pest/pathogen/weed management, drip irrigation maintenance, fertilization, pruning, primpingDisplay Garden Showcase – event hosting and customer interactionIndependent StudiesTrial Design– work together with R&D Manager(s) to design trial with specific goalsTrial Implementation – establish trial, communicate protocols with pertinent staff, determine critical data points and data collection techniques, collect dataSummarize and Present Results – Summarize findings, translate into relevant data, present to pertinent PVG staff in a structured manner that allows for decisions and/or action items based on resultsEducation, Certification and Experience RequirementsApplicants must be enrolled at an accredited University or State College in a Horticulture or Agriculture focused degree (undergraduate or graduate)Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:Broad knowledge and experience with horticulture/agricultureExcellent skills in organization and communicationDemonstrated ability to be punctual and prepared to workGeneral knowledge of greenhouse and field operations a plusAbility to be certified on heavy equipment including forklifts and tractors