2026 Field Internship Positions Available

Work Hours: 40 Hours / Week
Rate of Pay: up to $18 / Hour - depending on qualifications
Duration: Summer Break (Approx. May 4 – August 21, 2026)
Location: Hoosier National Forest, Southern Indiana. The area is approximately 50 miles Northwest of
Louisville, Kentucky. The nearest cities are Jasper or Bedford, Indiana. The scenic Hoosier National Forest
makes the area an outdoor enthusiast’s playground for recreation outside of work hours.

Job Summary: The position involves monitoring understory forest vegetation in both mature and harvested forest stands. This work includes, but is not limited to counting and measuring woody stems, identifying overstory and understory plant species, and collecting plant samples. Primary job duties will include installing, monumenting, and maintaining permanent research plots, and forest inventory. A field vehicle will be provided for work, applicants must have a valid driver’s license and be willing to work outdoors in a variety of conditions and walk long distances over uneven terrain. Funding may be available for lodging expenses.

Research Topic: Central hardwood forest ecosystems. The Intern will work closely with collaborators from the US Forest Service Northern Research Station and the Hoosier National Forest on management strategies following severe storm disturbance. This project offers a unique field experiment of how many silvicultural decisions - including salvage logging, planting strategies, & timber stand improvement - drive forest recovery after major wind disturbance in a mature oak forest growth. This study will also provide critical information about how residual woody debris and variable planting strategies can improve the growth and survival of underplanted seedlings in the presence of browse pressure from white-tailed deer.

Contact:
Dr. Lance Vickers, Assistant Professor of Forest Dynamics and Management
Office: TPC 203; Email: lance.vickers@uky.edu 

To Apply: Email cover letter and resume by Friday, February 20, 2026 to lance.vickers@uky.edu