Opportunities

May 2024

  • Summer Field Crew Intern- AgIdea USA, LLC- Nevada, IA

    Agidea seeks Field Crew Interns for the summer of 2024 to help run various row crop trials. Applicants must have a love for field work and an interest in agronomic research. The person in this role will work across a range of crop science and soil science. Field activities include assistance with trial installation, field maintenance, and field data collection.

  • Summer Camp Health Center Coordinator- Wesley Woods Camp & Retreat Center- Indianola, IA

    The Health Center Coordinator will carry out and supervise all medical services including administering medication and providing medical treatment at Wesley Woods Camp and Retreat Center.  Health Center Staff live on-site at Wesley Woods with room and board provided.

    Job Responsibilities:

    Provides experiences of growth and development at Wesley Woods Camp and Retreat Center.

    Oversees Health Center Operations.

    Oversees camper and staff care.

    Collects and dispenses camper medication.

    Collects Summer Staff medication weekly.

    Administers first aid.

    Performs initial camper screening at check-in and notes any medications or other special considerations.

  • Iowa Crop Improvement Association 2024 Summer Internship- Iowa Crop Improvement Association (ICIA)- Nevada, IA

    The intern’s primary role will be split between two projects, supporting the ICPT, as well as assisting ICIA staff with the certification process. This includes staking plots, plot maintenance, field data collection, inspecting fields, maintaining inspection records and computer data entry. Certification offers the opportunity to work with many field crops including corn, soybean, oats, native seed production and weed seed free mulch, whereas ICPT will offer exposure to many aspects of corn and soybean variety trials. Opportunity to operate UAVs throughout summer to support field imaging, if interested ICIA will assist with acquiring part 107 license.

  • Environmental Intern - Ankeny, IA- CRH- Ankeny, IA

    The Environmental Intern position will be responsible for assisting the environmental department in its efforts to ensure the company’s compliance with all Federal, State, and Local environmental regulations, rules, and guidelines.

    Key Responsibilities (Essential Duties and Functions)

    Assist in conducting compliance reviews, inspections and internal audits to ensure adherence with all applicable environmental permits, rules and regulations.

    Assist in obtaining all environmental permits required for company plants, sites and projects.

    Inform internal field employees, managers and outside contractors of company environmental policy, best practices and compliance requirements.

    Provide educational events and training to all company employees on environmental issues and responsibilities.

  • State Parks, Forests & Preserves Bureau Seasonal Interpreter- Iowa Department of Natural Resources- Multiple Locations

    Interpreters present programs that encourage connections between the park and the visitor. The position will be responsible for developing programs to include research, promotion and presentation. Presented programs will focus on programming for small family groups and informal roving to ensure health & safety for interpreters and participants.

    Entails working weekends, evenings and holidays.

    Interpreters must be aware of all rules regulations (or how to find this information) about our parks. They will be expected to answer telephones while in the office if full-time staff are not available and answer questions of the public while working in the park either when doing natural resources inventories, roving interpretation, or when out preparing for programs.

  • Field Research Assistant- Bayer- Huxley, IA

    Bayer is currently seeking a highly motivated Field Research Assistant with the ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary Plant Breeding Research Team. The Field Research Assistant will be responsible for supporting all phases of the corn and soybean trait field testing program.

    The successful Field Research Assistant will have the opportunity to work in all operations related to field trials, seed preparation, field plot management, data collection, harvesting and trial plots.

    This is a unique opportunity to work with leading edge technology and talented research scientists seeking to deliver the very best crop genetics.

     

    Responsibilities:

    • Utilization of research equipment such as hand-held computers for note taking.

  • Biological Science Aid (Research Aid)- USDA ARS NLAE- Ames, IA

    Assist USDA Research Scientists and Technicians with data management and field aspects of watershed monitoring projects at the USDA National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment (NLAE) located on the Iowa State University campus: https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/ames/nlae

    Work is performed in both laboratory and field settings year-round.

     

    Duties include:

    -sample and data collection from field sites

    -conducting water flow measurements

    -maintaining water monitoring stations and other field and laboratory equipment

    -sample processing

    -data entry and database management

  • Technology Transfer Intern- PowerPollen, Ames, IA

    As a Technology Transfer Intern for PowerPollen®, the primary responsibility will be to assist in effectively managing field operations and relationships for key accounts. Support activities will include cultivating effective relationships with customers through efficient and timely operations in commercial fields. We are seeking highly innovative team members, that have a willingness to adapt to changing work conditions, have a strong aptitude for problem solving and are comfortable working independently or as a collaborator with high performance teams. Individuals should possess strong organizational skills and be self-motivated with a positive attitude.

     

    Responsibilities:

    Supports the maintenance of trusted relationships with customers to better understand their needs and manage expectations.

  • Operations Intern- PowerPollen, Ames, IA

    As an Operations Intern for PowerPollen®, you will have the opportunity and unique experience to join an industry revolutionizing team.  Conducting and supporting science and discovery and making practical applications that are novel and first of their kind. We offer multiple summer internship positions that are primarily focused on Operations. Your role as an Operations Intern, will include assisting in the execution of our biology and engineering technologies in large scale field operations for seed production.

     

    We are seeking people that are highly organized, willing to adapt to changing work conditions, self-motivated with a positive attitude, who have a strong aptitude for problem solving & innovation and are comfortable working independently or as a collaborator with high performance teams.

February 2024

  • Polk County Conservation AmeriCorps Seasonal Naturalist- Polk County Conservation- Granger, IA

    Description: As an AmeriCorps 4-H Naturalist, with Polk County Conservation, you are a part of a statewide service network that brings exciting and educational experience to Iowa Youth! You will deliver high-level positive youth development activities to youth in your community using research-based curriculums in STEM, Outdoor Recreation, and Environmental Education. No matter what your passion area or background, your service WILL make a difference in a young person's life.

    Illustrative Examples of Duties:

    1. Conducts environmental education and outdoor recreational programs for schools, youth groups, and the general public.

    2. Assists with maintenance and construction of indoor and outdoor exhibits, including live animal displays.

  • Student Leader Project Intern- Soil and Water Conservation Society- Ankeny, IA

    The Soil and Water Conservation Society, in partnership with the Association of Retired Conservation Service Employees, is looking for a summer Student Leader Project Intern. Intern tasks may include, but are not limited to, assisting with operations and logistics of the 79th SWCS International Annual Conference, planning a student and early career professional networking session during the conference, assisting with the creation of a social media calendar and designing posts, assisting with a retiree project, other resource creation and design, and more.

     

  • Loess Hills Land Stewardship Internship- Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation- Pisgah, IA

    Loess Hills land stewardship interns work hard to maintain and restore native landscapes in western Iowa. Interns will conduct needed land management and restoration on remnant and reconstructed prairies, woodlands, oak savannas and other natural areas owned or protected by INHF. Interns will use a variety of hand tools and chainsaws to help accomplish restoration goals.

    Students selected for INHF’s Loess Hills internship will learn from and work closely with private landowners, Iowa conservation organizations and other conservation professionals. Educational opportunities beyond day-to-day experiences will be provided, including participation in regional natural resources conferences. COVID-19 safety protocols may impact interns' ability to participate in some educational opportunities.

  • Eastern Iowa Land Stewardship Internship- Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation- Iowa City, IA

    Eastern Iowa land stewardship interns work hard to maintain and restore native landscapes in eastern Iowa. Interns will conduct needed land management and restoration on remnant and reconstructed prairies, wetlands, woodlands, oak savannas and other natural areas owned or protected by INHF. Interns will use a variety of hand tools and chainsaws to help accomplish restoration goals.

    Students selected for INHF’s Eastern Iowa internship will learn from and work closely with private landowners, Iowa conservation organizations and other conservation professionals. Educational opportunities beyond day-to-day experiences will be provided, including participation in regional natural resources conferences. 

  • Central Iowa Land Stewardship Internship- Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation- Elkhart, IA

    INHF central Iowa land stewardship interns work hard to maintain and restore native Iowa landscapes for 12 weeks each summer. Interns help manage more than 20 different sites throughout the state, camping occasionally in state/county parks and public natural areas. These interns conduct land management and restoration on prairies, wetlands, woodlands and savannas on natural areas owned or protected by INHF. Interns will also assist with equipment maintenance when necessary (training provided). 

  • Field Research Assistants- Bayer CropScience- Ames, IA

    Field Research Assistants will have the opportunity to work with the leading agricultural seeds company. Working in the production research group, provides insight into how new seed products are evaluated, prior to large scale seed production.

    Field Research Assistants, working as summer crew members, will gain valuable experience conducting production research trials. Will have the opportunity to use spray application equipment, both hand-held and driven. Will use hand-held devices to collect field data. Will work independently, and as part of a team, to collect data and maintain field plots in a safe manner, following regulatory compliance procedures.

March 2024

  • Summer Field Crew- Kemin Industries, Inc.- Kelley, IA

    Kemin’s Specialty Crops program develops unique botanical sources of novel functional molecules for business unit product development. The Summer Field Crew team will play an important role in supporting daily field and greenhouse operations as part of the research agronomy team within Kemin Industries’ Specialty Crop Improvement (SCI) Unit.

    Responsibilities:

    Conduct work in an outdoor environment between May to September annually.

    Work primarily in Story County Iowa at the Kemin Research Agronomy Center farming operations (A New Employee Orientation session is required and is held in Des Moines, Iowa, at the Kemin Industries Headquarters).

    Perform manual labor duties as required in establishing and maintaining plants in fields, research plots, and greenhouses.

  • Summer Youth Program Assistant- ISU Extension and Outreach - Boone County- Boone, IA

    Essential Duties and Responsibilities

    Assist Extension staff in the planning, coordination, and implementation of summer youth educational programming – including county fair related activities and short programs.

    Assist with the planning of 4-H Communications Day and 4-H Fashion Day including scheduling, correspondence with judges and participants, logistics and execution.

    Assist with 4-H events with direction from county staff and Project Superintendent(s) including scheduling, correspondence with judges and participants, logistics and implementation.

    Prepare letters, emails and other communication with clients and volunteers.

    Assist with daily office procedures as needed.

    Assist in maintaining a professional atmosphere through courteous and efficient service in the office and on the phone.

  • Seasonal Naturalist- Clayton County Conservation- Elkader, IA

    Job Description:

    Seasonal Naturalists work with the Clayton County Naturalists on a wide variety of supplemental

    environmental education skills. Duties include leading interpretive hikes, tours, programs; designing and

    constructing nature center displays; developing new environmental education/interpretive programs;

    writing articles for the conservation newsletter; assisting with summer camp programming; assisting

    with summer day camps for area youth; and assisting with DNR wildlife monitoring programs. Physically

    demanding position. Applicants will work a full day in extreme temperatures.

     

    Qualifications:

    Applicants should have some course work in biology, ecology or natural sciences. Courses in

April 2024

  • Spring Internship- Nichols Farms- Bridgewater, IA

    ABOUT US

    Nichols Farms is a beef genetics company located in Bridgewater, Iowa since 1956. The operation consists of about 1200 cows, we will sell approximately 500 yearling bulls every year, along with 250 heifers. There are 3 main breeds (Angus, Simmental, South Devon) along with composites that are ran in the herd.

    TIME LINE

    Internship is preferred March-May/June but will accommodate and housing will be provided.

    Jan- Yearling bull sale is the last Saturday in January

    March- Calving, Semen test, Backfat and Ribeye Ultrasound, Bulls come off Feed Efficiency Test and get weighed.

    April- Start to CIDR heifers, calving continued.

    May- CIDR heifer cont., Estrumate and breed heifers and cows. Start to move heifers to the bull barn for Feed Efficiency Test, end calving.

  • Research Internship - 3 Months- Rodale Institute-Midwest Organic Center- Cedar Rapids, IA

    Agricultural Research interns will work directly with the Rodale Institute Midwest Organic Center’s Research staff to address current and future agricultural needs. They will participate in rigorous research focused on regenerative organic methods for agricultural production. Interns will identify tools and practices to help grow organic agriculture by addressing pest and fertility issues, climate change mitigation techniques, and human health through crop nutrient density. Rodale Institute’s research focuses on biological mechanisms to reduce pest issues, soil erosion, fossil fuel use, and greenhouse gas emissions; heighten nutrient and water use efficiencies; improve pollinator activity; and increase food security. We utilize systems-based approaches to soil, crop, animal, human, and planetary health.