Prairie Research Institute

blog posts

• Assistant Research Scientist, Vertebrate Curator - INHS/PRI - Application Deadline: April 19, 2024

  Mar 15, 2024 10:00 am

  The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) which investigates and documents the biological resources of Illinois and other areas and acquires and provides natural history information that can be used to promote the common understanding, conservation, and management of these resources is seeking a Vertebrate Curator to administer research activities of the Survey by developing, planning, and conducting an independent program of basic and applied research in collection-based Ichthyology or Herpetology. Oversee curation of the Survey’s vertebrate collections and incorporate current technologies and best practices for collection curation, identification, and scientific discovery. This is an in-person position based in Champaign, Illinois. 

• Botany Field Technician (Hourly) - Illinois Natural History Survey (Deadline: April 5, 2024)

  Mar 15, 2024 9:45 am

  The Illinois Natural History Survey at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is seeking 2 Field Technicians to work with Survey botanists to conduct statewide monitoring of chemical drift. This position is based in Champaign, Illinois and the application deadline is April 5, 2024. 

• Archaeological Field Technicians – Northern Illinois Field Station - Illinois State Archaeological Survey

  Mar 13, 2024 9:30 am

  The Illinois State Archaeological Survey is seeking to hire Archaeological Field Technicians (Academic Hourly Assistants) to serve as excavators and surveyors capable of performing basic archaeological identification, interpretation, and recordation tasks under the direct supervision of a Research Archaeologist. Duties include, but are not limited to, participation in Phase I field surveys, Phase II site testing, Phase III archaeological mitigation projects, and associated analysis activities based at the ISAS Northern Illinois Field Station in Elgin, Illinois. These are full-time (40 hours per week), non-benefits eligible, field/laboratory positions with an hourly rate of $16 to $18 depending on qualifications.

• Grants and Contracts Associate or Specialist - Prairie Research Institute

  Mar 6, 2024 8:00 am

  PRI is seeking either a Grants and Contracts Associate or a Grants and Contracts Specialist to join our finance team.  

  Grants and Contracts Associate: Entry level position, responsible for assisting in monitoring assigned grant and contract financial activity to ensure compliance with grant guidance and regulations.  This person will provide assistance to Principal Investigators in creating budgets and spending plans for assigned grant submissions.

  Grants and Contracts Specialist: Perform pre- and post-award administrative duties related to sponsored projects, with special emphasis on maintaining the data necessary for compliance with institutional policies and procedures, state and/or federal laws, and contractual obligations. This person will coordinate with PRI principal investigators (PIs).

• Stream and River Research Technicians (Hourly) - Illinois Natural History Survey/PRI

  Mar 5, 2024 9:30 am

  The Stream Ecology lab at the Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking up to 7 research technicians to conduct bioassessments of aquatic life in streams and rivers in Illinois.The position will be stationed in Champaign Illinois, but travel will occur throughout the state.

• Assistant Research Scientist, Large River Ecology - Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute

  Mar 1, 2024 8:30 am

  The Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking an Assistant Research Scientist with a broad background in large river ecology and experimental design to synthesize diverse existing data and identify important data gaps in space or topic area within the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) from Pool 14 to Pool 25 and develop potential approaches for addressing these data gaps.  The scientist would work as part of the Long Term Resource Monitoring (LTRM) element of the Upper Mississippi River Restoration program. The position is based in Havana, Illinois, at the Illinois River Biological Station (https://illinois-river-bio-station.inhs.illinois.edu/) where the applicant will join an interdisciplinary community of researchers and graduate students.  Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (CST) on March 26, 2024.

• Lab Technician (Hourly) - Illinois Natural History Survey

  Feb 27, 2024 1:30 pm

  The Illinois Natural History Surveys Wildlife Vet Lab is seeking Lab Technicians to assist with laboratory tasks associated with wildlife research. This position will be based in Champaign, IL. The position will remain open until filled. 

• Environmental Monitoring - Illinois State Water Survey, PRI

  Feb 27, 2024 9:15 am

  ISWS is seeking to hire a Visiting Scientific Specialist, Environmental Monitoring to support research activities of the Survey by providing research and technical support to the Water & Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program networks. 

  The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) is part of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which is centrally located between Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis. Our research and service programs provide citizens, industries, and government agencies at all levels with timely, science-based information and analyses necessary to manage our water resources wisely for economic development and a sustainable environment.   Learn more at go.illinois.edu/PRIjobs.

• Director & Principal Research Scientist - Illinois Natural History Survey

  Feb 27, 2024 8:15 am

   The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) which investigates and documents the biological resources of Illinois and other areas and acquires and provides natural history information that can be used to promote the common understanding, conservation, and management of these resources is seeking a Director who will provide strategic direction and overall administration for the Survey while also serving in a Principal Research Scientist role to administer research activities of the Survey by conceiving, recommending, implementing, directing, and participating in scientific research focused on the selected candidates area of study while contributing to the overall scientific mission of the Prairie Research Institute (PRI). This is an in-person position based in Champaign, Illinois. Applications must be received by 6:00pm (CST) on April 30, 2024. 

• Associate Research Scientist, Engineering - Illinois State Geological Survey

  Feb 26, 2024 1:00 pm

  The Illinois State Geological Survey is seeking to hire an Associate Research Scientist, Engineering to develop and review engineering designs and models of geothermal systems.  Position is based in Champaign, Illinois. 

• Research Site Pond Technician (Hourly)

  Feb 22, 2024 8:30 am

  The Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking a motivated individual to provide lab and fieldwork support for the Aquatic Ecology Research Facility. This position will be based in Champaign, Illinois. The application deadline is March 15, 2024. 

• Fisheries Management Technician (Hourly) - Illinois Natural History Survey

  Feb 21, 2024 3:00 pm

  The Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking multiple (up to 2) technicians to conduct field and laboratory work in support of sportfish management projects in streams and reservoirs in Illinois. Fieldwork responsibilities include measuring limnological parameters and sampling fish using boat electrofishing in reservoirs and stream electrofishing gears in wadable streams. This position will be based out of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office in Gibson City, Illinois. The Application deadline is March 15, 2024. 

• Visiting Scientific Specialist, Environmental Assessments Researcher - Illinois State Geological Survey

  Feb 13, 2024 4:30 pm

  The Illinois State Geological Survey is seeking to hire a Visiting Scientific Specialist, Environmental Assessments Researcher (up to 3 depending on applicant pool and programmatic need) to perform sponsored research on environmental assessments.  The assessments will involve evaluating potential environmental and geologic hazards and risks for Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) infrastructure improvement projects. IDOT's infrastructure projects range in size and can involve anything from a single property to hundreds of properties across many miles of existing or future highways.  IDOT uses the assessments completed by ISGS to protect workers and public safety, to reduce IDOT's liability, and to minimize delays by operating in an efficient and cost-effective manner.  May 2024 graduates are welcome to apply.  Position is based in Savoy, Illinois. 

• Stream Ecology Summer Internship - Illinois Natural History Survey

  Feb 6, 2024 2:00 pm

  The Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking a summer intern for The Larimore Stream Ecology Internship. This internship will provide the selected intern with knowledge and real-world experience to prepare them for a graduate program in stream or aquatic ecology. This internship opportunity will run from June 6, 2024 - August 5, 2024. The application deadline is March 25, 2024. 

• Scientific Specialist, Historic Architecture - Illinois State Archaeological Survey

  Feb 6, 2024 11:45 am

  The Illinois State Archaeological Survey is seeking to hire a Scientific Specialist, Historic Architecture (up to 2 depending on applicant pool and programmatic need) to conduct historical research on architectural and archaeological resources (standing buildings and architectural structural remains encountered during archaeological investigations) encountered during investigations for Illinois State Archaeological Survey (ISAS) and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to identify and evaluate those eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places in accordance with the rules and regulations of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470) and its implementing regulations (36 CFR 61, Appendix A) and the Illinois State Agency Historic Resources Preservation Act (20 ILCS 3420).   Position will be based in either Champaign or Jacksonville, Illinois. 

• Medical Entomology Field Technician (Hourly): Illinois Natural History Survey

  Feb 2, 2024 1:15 pm

  The Illinois Natural History Survey’s Medial Entomology Lab is seeking undergraduate students or hourly technicians for seasonal field and lab work on mosquito and tick surveillance and research. The position is based at the Illinois Natural History Survey Medical Entomology Lab, within the University Research Park. 

• Sustainability Technician – Academic Hourly

  Jan 26, 2024 5:15 pm

  This position will be part of the Technical Assistance Program (TAP) at ISTC. This position will primarily support others who work with companies and organizations to evaluate and identify opportunities to improve their sustainability, and to support and document their actual implementation of sustainability activities associated with materials, processes, water and wastewater, energy utilization, waste minimization and recycling.

• Sustainability Scientist, Technical

  Jan 26, 2024 11:00 am

  The Prairie Research Institute (PRI) is seeking to hire a Technical Sustainability Professional (Official Title: Visiting Scientific Specialist, Technical (entry level) 1021853 or Senior Scientific Specialist, Technical (higher level) 1018252) to collaborate with businesses, manufacturing, and industrial entities as well as municipal agencies, colleges, and universities throughout Illinois to improve sustainability, provide technical assistance in identifying opportunities and implementing sustainable solutions associated with materials, processes, water and wastewater, energy utilization, waste minimization and recycling. 

  The Technical Assistance Program (TAP) of the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) is part of the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, which is centrally located between Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis. ISTC integrates applied research, technical assistance, and information services to advance efforts in the areas of pollution prevention; water and energy conservation; and materials recycling and beneficial reuse.

• Seasonal Fisheries Technician (Hourly): Kaskaskia Biological Station - Sullivan, Illinois

  Jan 25, 2024 9:45 am

  The Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking seasonal technicians to conduct in-person angler interviews at fishing lakes within the central Illinois region as part of a research project to investigate the effects of harvest regulations on angler catch rates and satisfaction. Positions will run from May - October, with flexibility for a later start date and earlier end dates to accommodate school schedules. 

• Postdoctoral Research Associate - Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, Prairie Research Institute

  Jan 24, 2024 10:45 am

  The Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC: https://www.istc.illinois.edu/) invites applications for postdoctoral research associate positions. We are seeking qualified and motivated researchers to join a project team aimed at advancing the characterization of coal combustion residual (CCR) effluents. The postdocs will collaborate with a strong cohort of staff, postdocs, and students at the Prairie Research Institute (PRI: https://prairie.illinois.edu/) and University of Illinois Urban-Champaign