We seek creative, hardworking interns interested in pursuing careers in ecology. Internships are a great way for undergraduates, recent graduates and Masters students to do hands-on research and explore what it's like to be a scientist.  We typically work with 2-3 paid interns every summer and occasionally 1-2 interns in Fall, Winter, or Spring.  As a science intern, you'll gain a wide variety of field and lab experience while also working on a specific independent project that relates to one of the projects our lab is currently involved in.  Expect to work hard but have fun while spending time in the field and lab, managing data, analyzing data, and presenting your independent work to SERC’s research community. 

Visit SERC's Internships page for more information and to apply for a SERC internship and our Fellow and Intern Projects page to examples of current and past projects. Special topics of interest for Fall/Winter/Spring 2025 internships are: 1) measuring the effects of tree species diversity on tree size and growth in BiodiversiTREE, North America's largest and longest-running tree diversity restoration experiment, 2) analyzing the effects of tree competition on tree growth in SERC's Chronosequence, a series of forest succession plots on the SERC campus. 

You can also apply to work with our lab through internship opportunities for which you receive academic credit or bring you own internship funding. Contact PI John Parker for more information about these opportunities.

Postdoctoral, Predoctoral, and Graduate Fellowships provide excellent opportunities for engaging in Smithsonian science, developing new skills, and growing your professional network. We have diverse research interests in the effects of biodiversity loss on ecosystem function, effects of climatic change on mangroves, effects of rhizobial diversity on soybean performance, and invasive plant interactions with herbivores. We typically conduct field surveys coupled with field or common garden experiments to tease out specific hypotheses and mechanisms, often employing trait-based approaches across multiple species to build generality. We strongly encourage prospective Fellows to contact us well before the application deadline in order to develop collaborative project proposals. Projects linked to our current research, that take advantage of SERC’s long-term data sets, or that engage other labs at SERC or other Smithsonian research and conservation programs are particularly encouraged.

Visit SERC’s Fellowships page for more information about opportunities. Contact Dr. John Parker to learn more about how to apply to work with the Terrestrial Ecology Lab.

Apply this fall to the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program:

SERC Fellowship Deadline: 2026 deadline TBD

Many of our projects have opportunities for volunteer participation, with a particular focus on engaging Participatory Scientists to assist with sample collection in the field, sample processing in the lab, and data analysis. Our volunteers range from high school students (including STEM interns) to retirees. We especially seek volunteers who can commit to a fairly regular weekly schedule and can work a ½ day or full day per visit.

Contact SERC’s Volunteer and Participatory Science Program to learn more about current opportunities.