Open Positions | Undergraduate Students

Open Positions | Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate Internships

Organization	Position	Location	Job Description	Contact	Post date
Pittsburgh Water Collaboratory	Internship	Pittsburgh, PA	The Pittsburgh Water Collaboratory is hosting 2 paid internships in Spring 2026 focused on GIS and Landslide Susceptibility Modelling and Streamflow from Precipitation using Machine Learning with Dr. Luisa Lucchese. Both projects are responsive to local need and will help inform larger research efforts in hazard mitigation. Learn more and apply today at bit.ly/PWCOpportunities Questions? Reach out to Luisa Lucchese at luisa.lucchese@pitt.edu	Luisa Lucchese (luisa.lucchese@pitt.edu)	12/15/25
Harvard Forest Summer Research Program in Ecology	Summer Research Student	Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA	The Harvard Forest Summer Research Program in Ecology is an immersive research experience, connecting undergraduate students to mentors and researchers in the pursuit of scientific inquiry. Each year, 15-25 undergraduates from across the US live and work at the 4,000-acre Harvard Forest for 11 weeks. Students work with a research mentor in interdisciplinary team-based projects focused on how ecosystems change over time, especially in response to human and natural disturbance. Harvard Forest is Harvard University's world-class ecological research hub at the nexus of many national and international scientific networks, which Summer Program students leverage to conduct research and build their careers through:  Research: Work collaboratively to solve environmental problems using scientific methods.     Education: Bridge from student to scientist, build marketable skills, learn how to use and understand data    Community: Join scientists at a world-class virtual research hub to expand your network  Program Details for 2026:   The 11-week program dates are May 26 to August 7, 2026   Includes $7,700 stipend, plus full room & board, and travel to/from Harvard Forest Applications are currently open and are due Feb. 6, 2026:  https://etap.nsf.gov/award/7205/opportunity/11592  Questions?  See FAQ or contact hf-srpe@fas.harvard.edu	See the program website.	12/15/25
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center	2026 Summer Internship	Edgewater, MD	Are you passionate about science and eager to be involved with research that can shape the future of our planet? SERC is now accepting applications to join our cohort of 2026 summer interns! Interns at SERC conduct independent projects on a wide range of topics including some of the most profound issues challenging our world today such as habitat loss, climate change, and invasive species. The internship program enables students to work on independent research projects relevant to their own academic and professional goals under the mentorship of an internship supervisor. Projects span the range of research conducted at SERC, including environmental chemistry, marine and estuarine ecology, molecular ecology, and terrestrial ecology. Projects are also offered in public engagement, with opportunities in environmental education, participatory science, and science writing. Internships are typically in-person, though virtual or hybrid opportunities may be available. The SERC community strongly encourages candidates from all backgrounds to apply. Internships are designed as training and skill-building opportunities for students and recent grads still in the early stages of their careers. We recognize that each applicant will bring unique skills, knowledge, and experiences to these internships, including experience that may not be directly related to science or research. To apply, see the SERC website: How To Apply. Applications close February 15, 2026. Deadline: February 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET Hours: Full-time, Onsite Federal position? No Stipend: $700 per week Housing: Onsite dormitory housing is available. Anticipated start date: A mutually agreeable start date will be determined with selected applicants; most start dates are typically within the first couple weeks after Memorial Day. Duration: Typically 10-16 weeks	Heather Richardson RichardsonHF@si.edu	11/19/2025

Undergraduate Job Opportunities

Organization	Position	Location	Job Description	Post date
Torres-Dowdall Lab and the University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center (UNDERC)	Field Research in Fisheries Biology & Aquatic Ecology - Summer 2026	Notre Dame, IN	Positions are based at the University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center (UNDERC) where researchers will live and work for the duration of the position. Strong applicants will be 1) strong students highly motivated about fisheries biology and aquatic ecology, 2) have prior field & biological research experience, and 3) have substantial experience angling and working in boats/ on lakes. Applicants will be required to work in unpleasant weather conditions and occasional long/irregular hours. More information about UNDERC can be found at: https://underc.nd.edu/ Dates: May 10th - August 17th (some flexibility) Housing: Undergraduate dorm housing provided free at UNDERC Pay: $5,000 + $500 in research funds Apply: Email Matthew Woo  (mwoo2@nd.edu) with a CV and short paragraph explaining your interest in the position, past experiences, and fit for this work. Review of applications will be on a rolling basis until December 2nd, 2025	10/28/2025
Cleveland Water Alliance	Part-time Testbed and Sensor Technician	Cleveland, OH	This hands-on role will be responsible for the assembly, testing, deployment, and maintenance of devices from CWA’s inventory of 200+ in situ environmental monitoring devices, as well as ensuring that these devices are configured correctly for providing online data access. This role provides technical field work, partner coordination, and inventory management to support CWA’s regional data offerings, and provides critical assistance to CWA’s Testbed programming, which hosts technology trials and demonstrations from innovators all over the world. Apply at: https://www.clevelandwateralliance.org/jobs	07/14/2025

Post-BS/BA Opportunities

Organization	Position	Location	Job Description
Westmoreland Conservation District	Water Resource Specialist	Greensburg, PA	Are you looking for a challenge? Want to make a difference? Check out this career opportunity to help improve water quality while working in a fast –paced environment. Position offers indoor and outdoor work and includes excellent benefits. The Westmoreland Conservation District is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Water Resource Specialist. The Water Resource Specialist will be responsible for acquiring, administering and coordinating grant (federal, state, local and private) funding, with a focus to reclaim abandoned mine lands and treat abandoned mine drainage discharges to improve water quality throughout Westmoreland County’s watersheds. This position will conduct educational meetings that promote watershed conservation, publish newsletter and newspaper articles promoting watershed education activities, and will work to put resource conservation and protection projects on the ground. Develop demonstration sites for the promotion of watershed-wide best management practices. A Bachelor’s Degree in Earth Sciences and/or Hydrology or related natural sciences is required. An equivalent combination of education, training and experience may qualify at the discretion of the WCD. Position: Water Resource Specialist   Location: Westmoreland Conservation District, . Roy Houston Conservation Center, 218 Donohoe Road, Greensburg, PA 15601   Start Date: March 2026   Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday – Friday – w/ occasional evening meetings   Salary: $45,000.00 - $65,000.00 pending experience and qualifications   Benefits include health insurance, vacation, 401(a) contribution, sick leave, and life insurance Contact the Westmoreland Conservation District at 724-837-5271 or visit our website at https://westmorelandconservation.org/ for a full job description. WCD is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and employment is at-will. Deadline for cover letter and resume submission is January 16, 2026. Send cover letter and resume to: Watershed Program Manager Westmoreland Conservation District 218 Donohoe Road Greensburg, PA 15601   Or via email: wcd@wcdpa.com
University of Texas at Dallas	Various Ph.D Positions in the Department of Sustainable Earth System Sciences.	Dallas, Texas	The University of Texas at Dallas is seeking Ph.D. students to work on the following projects to begin in the Fall of 2026 in the Department of Sustainable Earth Systems Sciences.  Please contact the faculty listed below for more information.   Passive source seismology: Joseph Byrnes (joseph.byrnes@utdallas.edu) is seeking a PhD student to work on seismic imaging of volcanos, the crust, and the upper mantle, as well as novel machine learning tools for seismology and new approaches to large-scale monte-carlo inversions. Candidates with a background in geology, math, or physics are all encouraged to apply and should email Prof. Byrnes with a CV and brief statement of interests.   Remote sensing: Prof. Yujie Zheng (yujie.zheng@utdallas.edu) is seeking a PhD student to work on InSAR closure phase, InSAR application on soil moisture, natural hazards, and integration of machine learning techniques with InSAR observables. Prospective candidates should email Prof. Zheng with their CV and a brief statement of research interests and relevant experience. Induced seismicity: Prof. Nadine (Igonin) Ushakov (nadine.igonin@utdallas.edu) is seeking a PhD student to work on observational seismology, earthquake stress drop and applications of machine learning to passive seismic data processing. Please email her with your CV and a brief statement of research experience.
Australian National University	4 fully funded PhD positions in Deep Earth Seismology Extended to Other Planets & Moons	Canberra, Australia	Four PhD positions are available under the ARC Laureate Fellowship to join my research group at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia.  Laureate Profile ANU Geophysics RSES PhD degree Expressions of interest are invited from highly qualified and motivated students seeking to pursue a PhD in deep Earth and planetary seismology. Ideal applicants should have strong analytical and computational skills, as well as a background in physics/geophysics, planetary science, mathematics, or engineering. You will join a research group interested in various aspects of global seismology (observational and theoretical) and mathematical geophysics. You will work on exciting problems ranging from the dynamics of Earth’s deep interior (inner and outer cores and lowermost mantle) to seismic exploration of the Moon, Mars, and icy moons — using everything from cutting-edge seismic waveform modelling, coda-correlation wavefield, innovative inverse methods, large passive seismic datasets, to data from upcoming planetary missions. There are also opportunities to study earthquake processes and solid-Earth/ocean/cryosphere interactions around Australia and Antarctica, and (when possible) to participate in field deployments of seismic instruments on land and at sea. Projects are flexible and often cross disciplinary boundaries with geodynamics, computational geophysics, rock physics, geology, and statistics. You will be part of a supportive, collaborative team with access to world-class computational resources and nationwide and international networks. Generous support. Once enrolled, you will receive comprehensive financial backing, including a tax-free stipend of A$39,069 per annum (2026 rate), full tuition coverage, a one-time computer allowance, and ample travel funds for national and international conferences. Top candidates will be automatically considered for the Alan and Julia Beck Supplementary Scholarship. Why ANU? ANU Geophysics has been ranked as the top university geophysics program in Australia and among the top 10 worldwide. The Australian National University is situated in the centre of the nation’s capital, Canberra, between Lake Griffin and Black Mountain. Canberra is about a two-hour drive from the beaches of the South Coast of New South Wales, about a two-hour drive to the Snowy Mountains and Mt Kosciusko ski fields, about a three-hour drive from Sydney, and a seven-hour drive from Melbourne. Canberra is also the cultural heart of Australia, with the National Gallery of Australia and the National Museum of Australia all a short distance from the ANU campus. How to Apply? Expressions of interest are due to Professor Hrvoje Tkalčić by the 5th of January 2026. Competitive candidates will be shortlisted and guided through the formal ANU process. Submit all of the following (PDF format only) to Hrvoje.Tkalcic@anu.edu.au: Research proposal/statement of interest (up to 2 pages + up to 1-page references) Cover letter  Academic transcripts (both B.Sc. and M.Sc.) CV including previous research experience TOEFL/IELTS scores (if applicable) (https://study.anu.edu.au/apply/english-language-requirements)
University of Ottawa	Two Graduate Positions in Earthquake Seismology	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada	Position Description The Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences at the University of Ottawa invites applications to fill two fully funded graduate positions (Ph.D. or M.Sc.) in the uOttawa Geophysics group (https://www.uogeophysics.com). The students will work on projects related to the study of lithosphere structure and dynamics at the Hikurangi (New Zealand) subduction zone. Projects will involve processing and modelling seismic data collected at sea from the Earthquakes and Locking inVEstigation of Subduction (ELVES) project. The successful candidates will be expected to design and implement data-processing tools, combined with modern statistical learning methods, to investigate the seismic velocity structure of the crust and lithosphere in relation to seismogenesis at Hikurangi. There is financial support for overseas conference attendance and a potential research placement with colleagues in New Zealand. Eligibility Ph.D. position: Completed M.Sc. (or equivalent) in Geophysics, Geosciences, Physics, Civil or Mining Engineering or related fields Open to international or domestic students M.Sc. position: Completed B.Sc. (or equivalent) in Geophysics, Geosciences, Physics, Civil or Mining Engineering or related fields, with the possibility to fast-track to the Ph.D. program Open to Canadian students or permanent residents of Canada Necessary Qualifications or Skills Good written and spoken English and/or French Python programming experience is highly desirable Tasks Developing and testing methods to build seismic velocity models using broadband seismic data Evaluating, understanding, interpreting and comparing seismicity and seismic velocity models Interacting with scientists from different disciplines (collaborators within the project(s)), communicating and disseminating results at conferences and through publications Program Start Date September 2026 (preferred) or January 2027 How to Apply One-page cover letter outlining your suitability and motivation for the position and any factors that influenced your ability to perform academically (family responsibilities, medical leaves, etc.) Official transcripts Full CV outlining education, research experience and contributions, and contact of two referees Interviews will take place the week of December 15, 2025. The selected applicants will be asked to submit a formal application for either the MSc or PhD program in Earth Sciences at the University of Ottawa before February 1, 2026.
Cornell University	Funded PhD Positions - Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences	Ithaca, New York	Cornell University is seeking Ph.D. students to work on a variety of projects to begin in the Fall of 2026 in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University. To view the full list of projects and faculty, please see the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences' Ph.D Programs page, under the "Possible Ph.D Projects - Fall 2026" section.