Her academic career developed over 53 years as a professor and herbarium curator with Harvard University.

[1] Dr. Schubert began her professional life working at the Gray Herbarium at Harvard.

While there, she served as assistant to Merritt Fernald in compiling his Gray's Manual of Botany (1951) and Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America (1958).

Upon returning to America in 1952, Schubert worked for the United States Department of Agriculture, classifying Central American species of possible medical value.

She became associate curator at Arnold Arboretum in 1962, where she was editor of the journal, taught undergraduate and graduate classes, and advised students.