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The Prairie Research Institute (PRI) and its five constituent surveys—the Illinois Natural History Survey, Illinois State Archaeological Survey, Illinois State Geological Survey, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, and Illinois State Water Survey—serve the state of Illinois and beyond by providing rigorous, objective scientific research, data, and expertise to help understand, manage, and protect our essential natural resources. With around 600 full-time staff, PRI is one of the largest research institutes at the University of Illinois.

PRI is based in Urbana-Champaign, a diverse, affordable, micro-urban community. Learn more about Urbana-Champaign. 

U of I HR provides more information about applying to and working at the University of Illinois, including available benefits.

If you have questions about any PRI open positions or the application process, contact a member of our human resources team:

blog posts

  • Associate Research Scientist, Archaeology - Illinois State Archaeological Survey - Deadline to Apply 6:00 p.m. March 20, 2025

    Mar 4, 2025 3:30 pm

    The Illinois State Archaeological Survey is seeking to hire an Associate Research Scientist, Archaeology to contribute to and lead sponsored research on archaeological field investigations and analysis projects.

  • Undergraduate Hourly, Graduate Hourly, Academic Hourly

    Mar 4, 2025 8:00 am

    We are seeking up to three motivated individuals to participate in and support original research and technology development in one or more areas pertaining to carbon capture & utilization, critical materials recovery, and the beneficial utilization of waste materials. Responsibilities include participating in laboratory and bench-scale experiments and analytical characterization to evaluate new materials and processes, assisting in the assembly and troubleshooting of experimental setups, analyzing experimental data, supporting modeling efforts, performing literature searches, as well as preparing reports and documentation.

  • Data Lifecycle Management Technician (Hourly) - Illinois Natural History Survey: Deadline to Apply: March 17, 2025

    Mar 3, 2025 11:00 am

    The Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking an hourly technician to provide research support by developing a relational database to query and analyze biological and spatial relationships between a wide range of biological data and to assist in the automation of data management tasks throughout the data lifecycle for Survey. 

  • Grants and Contract Assistant, Specialist, or Coordinator

    Feb 28, 2025 11:00 am

    PRI is seeking to hire either a Grants and Contracts Assistant, Specialist, or Coordinator (dependent upon experience) to provide expertise and facilitates operations for the Prairie Research Institute's (PRI's) Grants and Contracts office.

  • Research Technician (Hourly) - Grassland Bird Study - Illinois Natural History Survey: Deadline to Apply: March 31, 2025

    Feb 25, 2025 3:00 pm

    The Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking a research technician to assist with data collection examining the impacts of woody encroachment on avian nest predation and habitat use in grasslands. Work will take place in Northern/Central Illinois and shared lodging will be provided. 

  • Research Technician (Hourly) - Caterpillar Study - Illinois Natural History Survey: Deadline to Apply: March 31, 2025

    Feb 25, 2025 2:15 pm

    The Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking up to two candidates to assist with a Graduate Research project focused on examining the effects of pesticides on larval Lepidoptera, an important food resource for many species of birds. Work will take place in Central and or Southern Illinois and a work vehicle and housing or a housing stipend will be provided. 

  • Director, Illinois Natural History Survey - PRI: Deadline to Apply: March 31, 2025

    Feb 25, 2025 11:00 am

    The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), a leader in investigating and preserving biological resources in Illinois and beyond, is seeking a visionary Director and Principal Research Scientist. This dual-role position offers a unique opportunity to direct strategic initiatives, lead groundbreaking research, and influence conservation efforts. While this position offers an opportunity to independently develop a research program, the main focus of this position will be as Director and will provide strategic leadership and administration for INHS. 

     

  • Hazard Mitigation Planning

    Feb 25, 2025 10:45 am

    The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) is seeking to hire an experienced Hazard Mitigation Planner (Official Title: Scientific Specialist, Hazard Mitigation Planning ) to lead CHAMP's Resilience and Mitigation (ResMit) team in developing and implementing comprehensive hazard mitigation strategies, managing FEMA grants, and advancing innovative resilience solutions. Direct technical and programmatic activities related to FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) and Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning (Risk MAP) programs. Provide strategic leadership in expanding CHAMP's mitigation and resilience initiatives.

    The ISWS CHAMP group has many funded projects that assess local flood hazards, identify high-risk areas, and engage community partners to inform, educate, and empower others to take action in preventing losses from natural hazards. CHAMP is a Cooperating Technical Partner with the Federal Emergency Management Agency creating maps and products as reflected on https://illinoisfloodmaps.org/.

    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.

  • Black-Billed Cuckoo Field Technician (Hourly) - Illinois Natural History Survey

    Feb 21, 2025 4:00 pm

    The Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking 2 field technicians to assist on an M.S. research project studying Black-billed Cuckoo (BBCU) migration. The position will begin in Mid May and run through Mid July. 

  • Chemist - Illinois State Water Survey, PRI, Illinois

    Feb 21, 2025 1:00 pm

    The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) is seeking to hire an Analytical Chemist (Official Title: Senior Scientific Specialist, Analytical Chemistry) to conduct chemical analyses, ensure an adequate supply of required reagents and supplies, and maintain analytical instruments.). This position will focus on analysis of routine water samples for a variety of organic and inorganic parameters including metals, ions and nutrients. Sample analysis is performed using standard operating procedures for Ion Chromatography (IC), Inductively Couple Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), Flow Injection Analysis (FIA), and other techniques.

  • Fisheries/Aquatic Ecology Research Technician (Hourly): Kaskaskia Biological Station: Sullivan, Illinois - Application Deadline: April 4, 2025

    Feb 18, 2025 1:15 pm

    The Kaskaskia Biological Station with the Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking a Fisheries/Aquatic Ecology Research Technician to conduct field and laboratory work in support of research projects on sportfish management and invasion biology in lakes and rivers. 

    Thi position is located at the Kaskaksia Biological Station in Sullivan, Illinios. 

  • Visiting Scientific Specialist, Environmental Assessments - Illinois State Geological Survey - Deadline to Apply 6:00 p.m. April 1, 2025

    Feb 11, 2025 8:45 am

    The Illinois State Geological Survey is seeking to hire a Visiting Scientific Specialist, Environmental Assessment Researcher 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.  Please visit jobs.illinois.edu for further information regarding application procedures, or you may contact Jill Billerman at jrandell@illinois.edu. Application deadline is 6:00 p.m. (CST) on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

  • Survey Director- Illinois State Water Survey/PRI

    Feb 10, 2025 11:00 am

    The Illinois State Water Survey is seeking a Survey Director who will provide strategic direction and overall administration for the Survey and administer research activities by conceiving, recommending, implementing, directing, and participating in scientific research, focused on the selected candidate’s area of study, while contributing to the overall scientific mission of the Prairie Research Institute. This position will also hold a Principal Research Scientist job. This is an in-person position based in Champaign, Illinois.

    The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) has a 130-year history of providing 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. The 125 scientists, technicians, and students conduct state-of-the-art research and collect, analyze, archive, and disseminate high-quality, objective data and technical information. The ISWS has been at the forefront of many firsts and contributed to hydrologic and climate concepts still used nationally and internationally today. (https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.13139)  

  • Seasonal Aquatic Field Technician (Hourly) - Illinois Natural History Survey

    Feb 6, 2025 1:30 pm

    We are seeking up to four (4) field technicians to assist with aquatic research for summer 2025, with the possibility for extension depending on funding and programmatic needs. The position will be based in Champaign, Illinois. Housing is not provided. 

  • Seasonal Insect Survey Technician (Hourly) - Illinois Natural History Survey - Deadline to Apply: March 9, 2025

    Feb 5, 2025 12:15 pm

    The Illinois Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) Program is seeking several qualified and self-motivated individuals to work as part of its field crops monitoring team. Successful candidates will travel throughout Illinois, conducting surveys aimed at detecting new pests in corn and soybeans. Work will also be done in the lab sorting, identifying, and cataloging insect pests. This position will be located in Champaign, Illinois.

  • Senior Scientific Specialist, Archaeology- Illinois State Archaeological Survey - Deadline to Apply 6:00 p.m. Friday, March 21, 2025

    Feb 4, 2025 11:15 am

    The Illinois State Archaeological Survey is seeking to hire a Senior Scientific Specialist, Archaeology to conduct and lead field archaeological investigations, analysis, and reporting for Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Forest Preserve of Cook County (FPCC) archaeological projects.  Please visit http://humanresources.illinois.edu/job-seekers/ for further information regarding application procedures, or you may contact Jill Billerman at jrandell@illinois.edu for questions about the position. The application deadline is 6:00 p.m. (CST) on Friday, March 21, 2025.

  • Stream and River Research Technicians (Hourly) - Illinois Natural History Survey - Deadline to Apply: March 31, 2025

    Jan 30, 2025 12:15 pm

    The Stream Ecology lab at the Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking up to 6 research technicians to conduct bioassessments of aquatic life in streams and rivers in Illinois.

    The position will be based in Champaign Illinois, but travel will occur throughout the state. 

  • Botany Field Technician (Hourly) - Illinois Natural History Survey: Deadline: March 17, 2025

    Jan 29, 2025 10:00 am

    The Illinois Natural History Survey at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is seeking up to 2 Field Technicians to work with Survey botanists to conduct vegetation and seed dispersal surveys.

  • Part-Time Green Processes Research Assistant

    Jan 27, 2025 8:30 am

    The Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) is part of the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Illinois at 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. ISTC is part of the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which is centrally located between Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis. Learn more at https://prairie.illinois.edu/about/jobs/

  • Research Lab Part-Time Assistant

    Jan 27, 2025 8:30 am

    The Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, a division of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign is seeking upper-level undergraduate/graduate research hourly with a chemical engineering/nuclear and plasma engineering/chemistry/mechanical engineering background to work on a 12–24-month research projects related to Plasma based CO2 capture and conversion.