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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

  • 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)  

  • Visiting Senior Scientific Specialist, Botany - Deadline to Apply: February 28, 2025 by 6:00 PM (CST)

    Feb 10, 2025 10:15 am

    The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), a leader in investigating and preserving biological resources in Illinois and beyond, is seeking a Visiting Botanist who will lead and support botanical research, conduct fieldwork, and provide data analysis efforts within the Chicago Region and the Tollway Network. 

    This in-person position is located in Champaign, Illinois on the University of Illinois Campus. 

  • Visiting Senior Scientific Specialist, Terrestrial Ecology - Deadline to Apply: February 28, 2025 by 6:00 PM (CST)

    Feb 10, 2025 10:00 am

    The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), a leader in investigating and preserving biological resources in Illinois and beyond, is seeking a Visiting Terrestrial Ecologist who will lead and support bat ecology research, conduct fieldwork, and participate in data analysis efforts within the Chicago Region and the Tollway Network. 

    This in-person position is located in Champaign, Illinois on the University of Illinois Campus. 

  • 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, Archaeological Collections- Illinois State Archaeological Survey - Deadline to Apply 6:00 p.m. Friday, February 28, 2025

    Feb 5, 2025 9:30 am

    The Illinois State Archaeological Survey is seeking to hire a Senior Scientific Specialist, Archaeological Collections who will be responsible for the management, inventory, documentation, and care of grant-funded archeological collections curated with the Illinois State Archaeological Survey.  

  • Director for IDOT Projects - Prairie Research Institute

    Feb 4, 2025 1:00 pm

    The Prairie Research Institute (PRI), a research and service institute of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is seeking a dynamic Director for IDOT Projects to coordinate, organize, and manage the various IDOT programs and projects at the Institute. This position will implement strategic planning and maintain relationships with project stakeholders, including colleagues within PRI and IDOT, and act as the primary liaison for critical external relationships. This individual will be responsible for establishing goals and ensuring that staff and resources are directed efficiently toward achieving IDOT project goals and research objectives. This is an in-person position based in Champaign, Illinois. 

  • Director, Roadside Ecology Center, Prairie Research Institute

    Feb 4, 2025 1:00 pm

    The Prairie Research Institute (PRI), a research and service institute of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is seeking a dynamic Director for our Roadside Ecology Center. As a member of the PRI Leadership Team, the Director will participate in strategic project leadership, and overall administration for the development, coordination, and implementation of scientific research.   

    This is an in-person position based in Champaign, Illinois, with competitive compensation and the chance to collaborate with top experts across diverse disciplines. 

  • 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.

  • Scientific Specialist, Archaeology - Illinois State Archaeological Survey - Deadline to Apply 6:00 p.m. February 18, 2025

    Feb 3, 2025 3:15 pm

    The Illinois State Archaeological Survey (ISAS) is seeking to hire a Scientific Specialist, Archaeology to assist with all levels of compliance projects including background research, map production, fieldwork, artifact analysis, and report writing for Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Forest Preserve of Cook County (FPCC) archaeological projects.

  • 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. 

  • Visiting Scientific Specialist, Aquatic Biology - Illinois Natural History Survey - Deadline to Apply: February 24, 2025 by 6:00 PM (CST)

    Jan 29, 2025 12:30 pm

    The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), a leader in investigating and preserving biological resources in Illinois and beyond, is seeking a Visiting Aquatic Biologist who will conduct basic and applied research regarding freshwater mussel distribution and ecology in Illinois. 

    This in-person position is located in Champaign, Illinois on the University of Illinois Campus. 

  • 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.

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

    Jan 24, 2025 10:45 am

    The Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking Seasonal Fisheries 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 are seasonal, May-October, with flexibility for later start dates and earlier end dates to accommodate school schedules.  

  • Aquatic/Fisheries Field Technician (Hourly) - Illinois Natural History Survey - Havana, Illinois

    Jan 23, 2025 2:30 pm

    The Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking multiple (up to 10) field technicians to conduct applied research in aquatic ecology and large river systems throughout the state of Illinois. Technicians will assist large river ecologists in the collection of standardized long-term river monitoring data with additional targeted data collection. This position will be 40 hours per week and will be located in Havana, Illinois. 

  • Seasonal Herpetological Technician (Hourly) - Illinois Natural History Survey

    Jan 23, 2025 2:15 pm

    The Population and Community Ecology Lab (PaCE Lab) in the Illinois Natural History Survey (a division of the Prairie Research Institute of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) seeks motivated and passionate individuals to aid in the conservation of Illinois amphibians and reptiles

  • Aquatic Field Technician (Hourly) - Illinois Natural History Survey - Starved Rock State Park, Oglesby, Illinois

    Jan 23, 2025 1:00 pm

    The Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking up to 4 field technicians to conduct applied research in aquatic ecology and large river systems throughout the state of Illinois. The technician will assist large river ecologists in the collection of standardized long-term river monitoring data with additional targeted data collection. This position will be 40 hours per week and will be located in Oglesby, Illinois at Starved Rock State Park. 

  • Senior Scientific Specialist or Assistant Research Scientist, Botany - Illinois Natural History Survey

    Jan 17, 2025 10:15 am

    The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS)  is seeking a Botanist at either the Senior Scientific Specialist or Assistant Research Scientist level. The selected candidate will be responsible for coordinating activities for a three-year NOAA-funded project. The project is a collaboration between the Illinois Natural History Survey, the Illinois State Geological Survey, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, to assess plant communities, hydrology, and water quality in relation to restoration efforts at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, IL. This position will coordinate surveys of vegetative communities using field-based sampling techniques as well as drone-based aerial imagery analysis. The individual will communicate with the Principal Investigators, supervise hourly staff, and assist in all aspects of data collection, entry, analysis, and dissemination. The individual will also assist in Outreach and Education events and the development of a CoastSnap station to engage citizen scientists.

    This position is located in Champaign, Illinois on the University of Illinois campus. However, remote work options may be available.