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:

  • Hourly Research Assistant - Benchtop Soil Column Experimentation

    Participate in research focused on understanding and modeling the subsurface transport of dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) contamination, such as chlorobenzene. The position will support a series of one-dimensional benchtop soil column experiments designed to measure DNAPL dissolution rates, dissolved-phase transport parameters, and capillary pressure–saturation relationships. The selected candidate will assist with experimental design, column packing and operation, chemical analysis, data processing, and documentation to support an ongoing MODFLOW 6 contaminant transport modeling effort.

  • Hourly Research Assistant - Laboratory Experimentation

    Participate in research focused on the development of advanced critical mineral recovery platforms from traditional primary resources and secondary/waste-derived feedstocks. The position will support laboratory experiments related to leaching, separation, and purification processes for recovering critical rare earth elements and other critical minerals. The selected candidate will assist with experimental design, sample preparation, chemical analysis, data processing, and documentation to support project deliverables.

  • Senior Scientific Specialist, Hydrogeology - Illinois State Water Survey, PRI, Illinois

    Illinois State Water Survey is seeking a Hydrogeologist to work alongside and provide hydrogeologic consulting services to Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) personnel. Project specific focus will be the long-term maintenance and operation of dewatering efforts (i.e., removing excess groundwater to protect vital infrastructure). This project/position has been active since the 1980s and is projected to continue for the foreseeable future.

    Duties & Responsibilities

    • Field work Weekly field work from April – November annually. Summer field season includes well rehabilitations (i.e., acidification and sonar pulsing) to remove iron and bacterial buildup on well screens. Oversee rehabilitation teams and report progress to IDOT staff. Participate in sand tests for Ranney Collector Well to ensure that the system is functioning properly. Measure groundwater levels regularly. Maintain and ensure long-term functionality of telemetry stations that monitor and record groundwater levels hourly. Installations of automated monitoring telemetry stations, as needed. Field work may require interaction with property owners or the public but will likely be predominantly interacting with IDOT personnel.
    • Hydrogeologic Consulting  Respond to requests from IDOT staff about regional/local hydrogeologic information. Produce monthly reports of local groundwater levels for IDOT staff.
    • Other  Perform other duties as needed to further the mission and goals of the Illinois State Water Survey, the Prairie Research Institute, and the University of Illinois.


  • Visiting Scientific Specialist, Environmental Assessments Researcher - Illinois State Geological Survey - Deadline to Apply: June 18, 2026

    The Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS), part of the Prairie Research Institute (PRI), is a research and service institute of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. PRI’s mission is to provide objective, integrated scientific research and service, in cooperation with other academic and research units of the University of Illinois and elsewhere. Learn more at www.prairie.illinois.edu.

    The Illinois State Geological Survey is seeking to hire up to 3 Visiting Scientific Specialist, Environmental Assessment Researchers 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 costeffective 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 Wednesday, April 22, 2026

    The U of I is an EEO Employer/Vet/Disabled http://go.illinois.edu/EEO that participates in the federal e-Verify program and participates in a background check program focused on prior criminal or sexual misconduct history.