Description
About the Role
Reporting to the Associate Director of Botanical Collections, Conservation and Research, the Herbarium Research Associate will focus on activating an ethnobotanical collection focused on Chinese Medicinal Plants, through making vouchers, compiling information, digitizing specimens and label data, and assisting with making the entire herbarium collection more accessible to wider audiences. This position collaborates with other staff and volunteers within the Botanical Division.
This is a limited-term, part-time position, budgeted for six months.
Essential Duties
Prepare specimen vouchers from living plant material
Curate existing specimens and improve the quality of data captured in database for select taxonomic and geographic plant groups
Create synoptic collection of Chinese Medicinal Plants within larger herbarium with traditional plant uses documented in database
Work with botanical staff to develop a database that houses the ethnobotanical information associated with each plant specimen
Work with botanical staff and volunteers to develop digital resources that document the Chinese Medicinal Plant collection
Support and initiate further research that maximizes the potential of the herbarium
Participate in long term planning of the herbarium, positioning its usefulness within the institution
Other Related Work:
Assists with interpretation labelling in Chinese Medicinal Plant display
Assists with data entry or adding metadata to the images of herbarium specimens
Support the gathering and archiving of useful information on natural history, cultivated history, conservation status, and economic value of specimens in the herbarium
Other duties as assigned
The Application Process
Visit us at https://huntington.org/careers to apply directly.
Please submit a cover letter and CV/resume as a single PDF attachment.
You will have the opportunity to submit additional documents on the “My Experience” section of the application.
Requirements
Candidate Requirements and Experience
Knowledge, skills, and abilities:
Minimum of a Master’s degree in Horticulture, Botany, Plant Science, or related field
Demonstrated research experience in botany
Knowledge and experience in plant identification
Demonstrated knowledge of curatorial best practices in herbaria
Ability to work in a greenhouse, field, and office settings
Ability to communicate with different audiences, including writing and technical skills, to develop interpretive material, manuals, and working documents
Demonstrated willingness to collaborate and work as part of a team
Ability to analyze problems and make recommendations
Experience
Minimum of ten years of botanical research experience
Demonstrated ability to work effectively and cooperatively in a team environment
Excellent organizational and communication skills
Working Conditions
Will primarily work indoors
Must be able to stand for long periods, stoop, bend, lift up to 30 lbs
