Viticulture or Grape Breeding Research Intern

Job Description

Here is the detailed enriched job description for the Viticulture or Grape Breeding Research Intern role at GALLO:

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Viticulture or Grape Breeding Research Intern

Job Req ID: 106372
Job Type: Full-time, Onsite Internship
Work Category: Onsite
Application Close Date: 03/31/2026
Sponsorship: Not Available
Compensation: $23.00 – $27.50 per hour
Duration: May – December 2026

Important Information: Applications will not be reviewed until the application close date (03/31/2026). Candidates must be available for the entire duration of the internship.

About GALLO

We are a family-owned company with a 90+ year legacy, consistently recognized as a Glassdoor “Best Places to Work.” Our extensive portfolio boasts 130+ brands across wine, malt, spirits, and ready-to-drink beverages, including the #1 wine and spirits brands in the U.S. – Barefoot Wine & High Noon. We are proud official sponsors of the NFL, NHL, UFC, and PGA of America.

A Taste of What You’ll Do

Join our dynamic team as a Viticulture or Grape Breeding Research Intern and immerse yourself in the innovative world of wine grape production. We are deeply committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives drive our success. As an intern, you will play an integral role in advancing precision growing practices and cutting-edge technologies aimed at enhancing yield, fruit composition, and wine quality. You will have the unique opportunity to collaborate with experts from various Winegrowing Research disciplines, engaging with our internal partners and esteemed collaborators from the industry.

We invite individuals passionate about viticulture and grape breeding, who are eager to learn and contribute to the future of wine production, to apply. Embrace the chance to grow professionally and make a meaningful impact in a field that values innovation and collaboration.

Key Responsibilities and Learning Tracks

Plant Breeding Interns will:

• Support the characterization of a wide variety of grapevine phenotypic traits, including bud fruitfulness, cluster architecture, cluster and berry size, berry color, and canopy structure.
• Perform field data collection and collect tissues for genetic analysis.
• Conduct fruit sampling for maturity and compositional analyses.
• Determine vine yield components at harvest.
• Become familiar with a large number of diverse grape species and their specific attributes utilized for the genetic improvement of wine grape cultivars.

Viticulture Interns will:

• Assist with a wide variety of vineyard experiments involving irrigation, canopy management, mechanization, spatial variability, and the application of data analytics for vineyard management.
• Perform field data collection and operate sensors and field instrumentation for measuring vine water status and leaf gas exchange.
• Conduct fruit sampling and determine vine yield components at harvest.
• Be exposed to a wide variety of commercial wine grape growing practices, grape varieties, and wine grape production regions in California.

What You’ll Need (Qualifications)

• Education: Currently enrolled at a college or university and working towards a Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree OR have obtained a Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree in the following areas: School of Life Sciences, School of Agricultural Sciences, School of Engineering, or Ag Business Degree. (Social sciences degrees, such as psychology, sociology, etc., are not eligible for this internship).
• Availability: Must be available for the entire duration of the internship program (May – December 2026).
• Driver’s License: Required to have a valid driver’s license, a safe driving record, and a reliable vehicle (if applicable) at the time of hire. This position will undergo a motor vehicle check (MVR) to confirm a history of safe and responsible driving. If needed, the candidate must obtain the appropriate state driver’s license based on the position’s location within 30 days of hire.
• Travel: Required to drive to and from varying ranch locations up to 30% of the time.
• Physical Requirements: Required to lift and move up to 40 lbs. when necessary.
• Work Hours: Requires availability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays when necessary.
• Age: Required to be 21 years of age.
• Skills: Strong applied technical skills and analytical problem-solving skills, with good oral and written communication skills.

Our Benefits & Perks

We are committed to providing competitive compensation, perks, and a culture that supports your well-being. Benefits depend on your work category and may include medical and dental coverage, 401k plans, profit sharing, pet insurance, company holidays, access to an employee wine shop, and more! Additional information will be provided before your first interview.

The Fine Print

• The Company does not sponsor for employment-based visas for this position now or in the future.
• Actual compensation paid within the range will be determined by factors such as the education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data. In addition to the salary, this position may be eligible for bonuses, incentive plans, or participate in tasting room tip pools, as applicable.
• This position will be based in the location(s) specified in the job posting and requires working on-site with no telecommuting option. You will be expected to live within a commutable distance.
• It is the Company’s policy for job postings to be open to internal candidates for a minimum of 5 days and to external candidates, if applicable, for a minimum of 3 days.

Gallo’s policy is to afford equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees and not to discriminate on the basis of race, traits associated with race, including but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles (such as braids, locks, and twists), color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition as defined by applicable state law (including cancer and predisposing genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, familial status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation (actual or perceived), transgender status, sex stereotyping, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, reproductive health decision making, age, military or veteran status, domestic violence or sexual assault victim status, or any other basis protected by applicable law. Nor will Gallo discriminate based on a perception that an individual has any of the foregoing characteristics or is associated with a person who has, or is perceived to have, any of those characteristics.

Gallo will comply with state and local laws prohibiting discrimination for lawful out-of-work behavior, such as off-duty use of cannabis away from the workplace (subject to federal and state law exceptions), the existence of non-psychoactive cannabis metabolites in hair, blood, urine, or other bodily fluids as determined by a drug screening test (subject to federal and state law exceptions).

We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Gallo is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodation due to a disability, please let us know at 209.341.7000.

Gallo is enrolled in the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify program and will use the program to verify the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees as required.

E-Verify Notice
Right to Work
Employee Polygraph Protection Act

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