An ideal position for undergraduates or graduates interested in gaining field experience.
The Echinacea Project is looking for enthusiastic research technicians for the 2024 summer field season. Our project investigates plants, plant-insect interactions, and bees in fragmented prairie habitat. Summer research technicians will collect data for several long-term research projects, maintain experimental plots, remove invasive species, harvest seed, deploy emergence traps to collect ground-nesting bees, sample pollen and nectar, assess floral resources in remnant prairies and restorations, and characterize nesting habitat for bees. This is a great opportunity for aspiring ecologists, conservation biologists, and evolutionary biologists to gain research experience and learn about the ecology and evolution of plants and pollinators in fragmented prairies! Read about what it’s like working and living in Minnesota.
Qualifications: We are looking for undergraduates or recent graduates who are willing to work outdoors in adverse conditions, exhibit patience, possess good hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, comfortable handling plants and insects, work well independently and as part of a team, and have an interest in scientific research. We will hire team-members with a diverse range of experience and skills. No experience is necessary, but you must be enthusiastic and hard-working.
Details: The field season runs from late May or June to October. The salary ranges from $16-22/h, commensurate with experience. Housing in Minnesota during the summer is included.
How to apply
- Please fill out the online application form.
- Send a cover letter, your resume, and a transcript (unofficial OK) in one email to echinaceaProject@gmail.com. Use the subject line: “Summer field research technician application” and format your cover letter, resume, and transcript as pdf files. Begin each file name with your surname.
- In your cover letter, please include:
- why you are interested in this position
- what are your future plans
- what you hope to gain from the experience
- when you can start and end
- your email and phone number
- In your cover letter, please include:
- Please ask one of your references to send a letter of recommendation to echinaceaProject@gmail.com.
El, Luke & Jan (Team Echinacea 2023) deploy an emergence trap at a prairie restoration
To ensure that your application is thoroughly considered, submit by the deadline, 28 February 2024 at 11:59 pm CST. However, we will review applications until positions are filled. Please include an email address and phone number where you can be reached during March.
You are welcome to apply to multiple positions with Team Echinacea with the same application. Please indicate which positions interest you on the form that you submit with your application.
Members of groups underrepresented in science are particularly encouraged to apply.
More information
First, read about our field season! If you have any questions, contact a team member via e-mail. Read about our lab and field activities on the flog and more about the project’s background.
