Insect Collections Assistant (Undergraduate Hourly)
Illinois Natural History Survey
Prairie Research Institute
The INHS Insect Collection is looking for an undergraduate student to assist in preparing, databasing, and identifying Californian Arthropods under the direction of the INHS Insect Collections Manager, curators, and other staff.
Qualifications
Coursework in entomology, biology, data science, or accounting preferred, but not required. Experience with spreadsheets, word processing, and computer applications is necessary. Should be able to handle fragile insect specimens regularly without breaking them. Candidate should be highly detail-oriented and be able to notice small mistakes even when doing repetitive tasks.
Candidate has the option to develop identification skills and prepare a project for presentation in the spring 2026 Undergraduate Research Symposium, with potential for a published paper sometime thereafter, as well as course credit in the spring. Candidates with research skills and enthusiasm for further insect biodiversity research will be preferred.
Salary: $15.00 per hour, up to a maximum of 20 hours per week.
Available: October 1, 2025, thru January 31, 2026. Renewal in the spring is possible depending on job performance and programmatic need.
To Apply: Email cover letter, resume/CV, and contact information for three professional references to Tommy McElrath @ tcm@illinois.edu (Reference “Insect Collections 2025” in subject line). Deadline for submission is September 22, 2025, by 12:00 PM.