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 Champaign-Urbana, a diverse, affordable, micro-urban community. Learn more about Champaign-Urbana. 

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:

  • Undergraduate Hourly Technician - Illinois Natural History Survey/PRI

    The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) is seeking Undergraduate Students to work on research projects related to the ecology, behavior, and management of corn and soybean insect pests (principally western corn rootworm beetles/larvae).

  • Undergraduate/Graduate Hourly - INHS Insect Collections - Illinois Natural History Survey: Deadline to Apply: May 20, 2026

    The Illinois Natural History Survey (Prairie Research Institute) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is seeking undergraduate and/or graduate students interested in contributing to an ongoing research project focused on documenting biological associations between insects and pathogenic bacteria using museum biorepositories.

  • Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program: University of Illinois: Deadline to Apply: May 20, 2026

    The Illinois Natural History Survey is seeking an undergraduate student to participate in a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF). We are seeking an undergraduate student to join an ongoing research project focused on the detection and characterization of phytoplasmas, a group of bacteria associated with insects (vectors, primarily Hemiptera) and plants (hosts) and implicated in plant disease.

  • Director *NEW* Illinois 3D Climate Mesonet

    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign invites applications and nominations for the position of Director of the Illinois Three-Dimensional (3D) Mesonet. This position offers an exceptional opportunity to lead a first-of-its-kind, statewide, multi-sector environmental observing network designed to transform weather, climate, and environmental monitoring and decision-making across Illinois and the nation.

    About the Illinois 3D Mesonet

    The Illinois 3D Mesonet is a transformative partnership among the Department of Climate, Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences (CliMAS), the Prairie Research Institute (PRI), and several other campus and external partners, including the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI), the Illinois Innovation Network (IIN), and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA).

    The 3D Mesonet represents a new generation of environmental observing systems — combining surface, subsurface, and autonomous drone-based atmospheric observations up to 8,000 feet. It will integrate these data with a federated statewide environmental data portal and new decision-support tools that benefit stakeholders in public safety/emergency management, agriculture, transportation, power utilities, K-12 and higher education, public health, communications, urban planning, manufacturing, and research. When completed, it will be the Nation’s first fully three-dimensional, autonomous mesonet.

  • Postdoctoral Research Associate - Hydrogeology

    The Postdoctoral Research Associate to conduct research and analysis focused on evaluating feasibility of managed aquifer recharge in shallow aquifers through hydrogeologic modeling and related activities in support of ongoing projects.

  • Postdoctoral Research Associate - Water Resources Planning

    The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) at the Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is seeking a motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to contribute to a statewide water resources planning project.