Are you an undergraduate student interested in experiencing scientific research and tree science?
Are you excited to learn new skills while getting paid?
Are you hesitating to apply because you don’t have any experience?
If you answered “yes” to these questions, this introductory internship is for you. Undergraduate students, with little or no experience, are invited to participate in ongoing research at The Morton Arboretum.
Be mentored by our scientists and see what it’s like to join a scientific research group. Experience careers that explore solutions for climate change, biodiversity, natural resources management, and urban life. Laboratory, computer, and outdoor field opportunities are available.
Apply
Applications for this program have closed.
Please contact ccarrier@mortonarb.org with any questions or to be notified when applications open for the next Research Technician Fellowship opportunity.
Learn More
The Center for Tree Science Integrated Mentorship Program is committed to supporting students and professionals at every stage in their careers. As we continue to grow a vibrant and innovative scientific community, flexible work assignments may be available.
Please contact ccarrier@mortonarb.org with any questions or to be notified when applications open for the next Research Technician Fellowship opportunity.
Project Descriptions
Summer 2025
Arboriculture Lab (full time, 10 weeks, summer)
Trees growing in urban environments experience harsh conditions throughout their lives. It is important for tree care managers and practitioners to understand the challenges that trees face and how to care for them to best address those challenges. The Arboriculture Science Lab at The Morton Arboretum conducts applied research investigating tree response to external stressors and how to care for trees to enable their resilience to those stressors. Our aim is to provide tree care managers with the scientific knowledge that can help them improve tree health, growth, and longevity.
Students participating in this fellowship will have the opportunity to work on projects that involve tree biomechanics, physiology, and pruning, among others. Projects will include a mix of field work and lab work, and will expose the student to a variety of techniques and tools used in arboriculture research and practice. Candidates need not have prior tree care experience, but an eagerness to learn about trees is essential.
Soil Ecology Lab (full time, 10 weeks, summer)
The Soil Ecology Lab at The Morton Arboretum studies plant-soil interactions in a changing world. We investigate how interactions among plants, microbes, and soil influence ecosystem responses to environmental changes. We seek to translate ecological understanding of plant-soil interactions into effective techniques for restoring and managing natural and urban ecosystems. The fellow will participate in a variety of projects where we ask how trees impact soil properties; how plants, fungi, and soils respond to management; and how to improve urban soils for trees and ecosystem services.
This fellowship will expose the fellow to a mix of field, greenhouse, and lab work. Fieldwork includes plant surveys, sample collections, and soil sampling; greenhouse work includes measuring plant growth and photosynthesis rates; and lab work includes processing soil samples, analyzing soil nutrient contents, and sorting litter collected monthly from plots throughout the Arboretum. We seek a fellow with a desire to learn more about soils and plants to join our supportive and passionate group.