The Echinacea Project is looking for people to join our research team for the 2026 summer field season. Our project uses experiments and observational studies to learn about native plants in fragmented prairie habitat. As a research technician you will contribute to ongoing research on the conservation genetics, reproductive biology, and demography of the prairie plant Echinacea angustifolia. You will work with a team to collect data for two core datasets: demography of plants in 37 prairie remnants, and annual fitness of plants in five experimental plots. Core data has been collected annually since 1996. We seek team members interested in plants population biology, evolution and quantitative genetics, plant-insect interactions, and conservation biology.
This research experience is a great opportunity for aspiring ecologists, conservation biologists, and evolutionary biologists to gain field research experience. You will learn about the ecology and evolution of plants in fragmented prairies and contribute to experiments that have been going for over 30 years! Read more about our field season.
Program Details
The main field season runs June through September. Start and end dates are negotiable. Wages are commensurate with experience. We provide housing.
Qualifications: We seek team members who are willing to work outdoors in adverse conditions, pay attention to detail, possess good hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, exhibit patience, work well as part of a team, and have a strong interest in scientific research or conservation. We will hire team-members with a diverse range of experience and skills. Individuals from groups historically excluded from sciences and conservation are particularly encouraged to apply.
No experience is necessary.
How to apply
- Fill out our online application form
- Send us an email and attache asingle pdf that includes the following:
- a cover letter, including the following:
- why you are interested in a field research technician position
- what you hope to gain from the experience
- what you will contribute to the project
- when you are available to work
- your future plans
- your resume
- your transcript (unoffical OK)
- a cover letter, including the following:
- Ask a professor or employer to email us a letter of recommendation (do not send to us directly)
Send your application materials via email to echinaceaProject@gmail.com with the subject line “field research technician” by 4 March 2026 at 11:59 pm Central Time. Format your cover letter, resume, and transcript as a single pdf file. Use your surname to begin the file name. Submit by the deadline to ensure full consideration; however, we will review applications until positions are filled.
You are welcome to apply to multiple positions with Team Echinacea using one application. Please indicate which positions interest you as a comment on the form that you submit with your application.
More information
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. To learn more about fire and prairie plants, check out this video that we made.
