The Cedar Creek LTER (Long Term Ecological Research Network) has several opportunities for students to work as plant community ecology interns. Most positions run from June through August, but some interns are needed as early as March, and some are needed through October. Your educational institution may be able to approve this internship for any field biology requirement of your major. As a research intern, you will contribute to ongoing field experiments, attend scientific seminars, and interact with professors, post-docs, and graduate students. If you are an undergraduate or a newly graduated student with a background or interest in biology, ecology, environmental science, botany, environmental education, or related field we encourage you to apply.

Pay is $15.50 per hour. Typical workdays are eight hours Monday through Friday; however, some projects require weekend, early morning, and evening work. Most of the work you do will be out in the field, though a few jobs have indoor laboratory or computer components. On-site dormitory housing is available to rent.

Learn More About Cedar Creek's Internship Program

We have three large scale projects and several smaller scale LTER experiments that require most of our intern resources. BioCON is one of the large-scale experiments where we explore the ways in which plant communities respond to environmental changes such as increased nitrogen deposition, increased atmospheric CO2, decreased biodiversity, altered precipitation patterns, and increased temperatures. Another large-scale project is the Big Biodiversity experiment that studies how plant diversity affects the rates, dynamics, and stability of ecological processes at the population, community, and ecosystem levels. The new WEM experiment will be set up during the field season and will be looking at changes in precipitation, species establishment, and removal of certain consumer groups. Throughout the summer we will maintain and sample these experiments. 

Cedar Creek LTER also has multiple REU opportunities for the summer. These opportunities are open to undergraduate students that have not yet graduated (enrolled for fall 2026 classes). The pay rate is in stipend form and is comparable to the internship pay rate. These REU positions will focus on sampling across the LTER experimental platforms at Cedar Creek.

CCESR is an eight square mile tract of land 35 miles north of the Twin Cities. Cedar Creek is endowed with a diverse mosaic of prairie, savanna, sedge meadows, bogs, open water, forests, and even abandoned agricultural fields. Its large size, great natural diversity, and uniform soil substrate make it ideal for ecosystem studies.  

• Ability to work outdoors.
• Effective analytical and communication skills.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• End date must be later than August 14^th.
• Driver’s license is preferred but not required.

The deadline for application submission is February 17th.

1. Visit https://hr.umn.edu/Jobs/Find-Job
   1. If you are a UMN student:
      1. Click on the tab in the center of the page “Students”.
      2. Search Job ID# 371064 then click on that description.
      3. Use the green “Apply for Job” button and follow the directions to apply for the job.
      4. We only require a resume, cover letter, and unofficial transcript for this step of the application process to be complete.
      5. In the cover letter, please indicate if you are interested in an REU position and if you have spoken to anyone regarding the position.
   2. If you are a student at another university or you have graduated:
      1. Click on the tab on the left of the page “external candidates”.
      2. Search Job ID# 371063 then click on that description.
      3. Use the green “Apply for Job” button and follow the directions to apply for the job.
      4. We only require a resume, cover letter, and unofficial transcript for this step of the application process to be complete.
      5. In the cover letter, please indicate if you are interested in an REU position and if you have spoken to anyone regarding the position.
2. ALSO, email a completed application form to [email protected].  Download Application Form
3. ALSO,  have one reference email in a reference form to [email protected]. Please have them write your last name in the subject title for the email. Download Reference Form
4. Please make sure all files are sent to [email protected] in word or pdf format. Your entire application package may not be considered complete unless files are sent in one of these formats. 

If you have any questions regarding the application process or the internship, please email [email protected] or call 612-301-2616.

The final application deadline for plant ecology positions is February 17^th, 2026. We will begin looking at early applicants February 9^th. We will accept applications after the deadline, but priority will be given to applications turned in before the deadline.

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.