Plant Taxonomists at WWF South Africa

Job Description

• Gain valuable experience, network in professional communities of practice and participate in meaningful work for the environment. If you have graduated in the natural, legal, engineering, arts, business or social sciences, we invite you to apply for an internship with WWF South Africa’s 2025 Environmental Leaders Graduate Internship Programme.
• WWF (the World Wide Fund for Nature) is a leading global environmental organisation with a vision of a future in which people and nature thrive.
• To realise this vision, WWF South Africa invests in the development of future leaders for the environment through a year-long graduate internship placement, from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. Interns are placed within WWF South Africa’s Environmental Programme and partner organisations associated with our work.
• Working with a dedicated and trained mentor, you will have an opportunity to get involved with the work of the organisation with which you are placed and interact with professionals pursuing the same vision of a better world for all.

Key Responsibilities

• Study the anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and ecology of plants.
• The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) manages and conserves biological diversity giving effect to ratified international agreements and providing for co-operative governance in biodiversity management and conservation.
• The intern will assist with research on the taxonomy and ecology of the priority genus Thesium (Santalaceae), as well as the care of the National Herbarium collections of Thesium, Iridaceae and Orchidaceae. Work areas include knowledge generation and dissemination, as well as policy, planning and management.

To apply you would ideally have

• Completed a post graduate degree in the natural, legal, engineering, arts, business and/or social sciences.
• First degree graduates are considered only in the case of exceptional academic achievement.
• A commitment to career development in the environment sector.
• A demonstrated and clearly articulated commitment to a better and sustainable world for all.
• A record of exceptional academic and professional achievement.
• Exceptional leadership potential.
• Southern African citizenship.
• To support the growth of inclusivity and diversity in the environment sector, Black South African graduates are strongly encouraged to apply