Currently enrolled Harvard University undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to apply for our open research internships for the Fall 2025 semester.
1. Harvard Forest Field Science Internship (Barker Plotkin Lab)
This paid, fall semester internship will support one full day (8 hours) per week of field data collection at Harvard Forest with the Barker Plotkin Lab and up to 7 hours per week of flexible, remote work on data entry and analysis.
The Barker Plotkin Lab at Harvard Forest studies how forest development trajectories are shaped by the legacies of past disturbances and altered by novel and compounding disturbance. The Barker Plotkin Lab intern will have the opportunity to develop skills in forest ecology measurements, data management and data analysis in the context of the multi-decade Hemlock Removal Experiment. This 15 hours/week position is open to currently enrolled Harvard students, and pays $20/hour for undergraduates or $30/hour for graduate students.
Candidates for this internship must be able to commit to spending one full weekday off-campus at the Harvard Forest (likely a Friday with class schedules, but this is flexible; work time will not include holidays or extraordinary circumstances), with carpooling and train options for travel from the Cambridge campus to the Forest. Field data collection at the Harvard Forest requires comfort working full days outdoors in changeable autumn weather conditions (light rain, chilly temperatures that can be as low as 32°F/0°C) through the fall semester. Candidates should also be comfortable carrying a 15-lb backpack up to 1.5 miles over uneven terrain. Along with the field data collection, Dr. Barker Plotkin and the intern will co-develop a research question that will be investigated by the intern during their remote work.
TO APPLY
Interested candidates should submit a COMBINED PDF of a resume and cover letter via Crimson Careers, or directly to Ben Goulet-Scott at bgoulet@g.harvard.edu, by August 29, 2025.
2. Harvard Forest Spatial Data Internship (Thompson Lab)
The Thompson Lab at the Harvard Forest is seeking a motivated and skilled Harvard undergraduate or graduate student for a paid research internship focused on spatial data analysis. The project explores the role of forests as natural climate solutions.
Position Details:
- Compensation: This 15 hours/week position pays $20/hour for undergraduates or $30/hour for graduate students.
- Time Commitment: Up to 15 hours per week
- Duration: Fall 2025 semester
- Location: Hybrid – remote with periodic in-person meetings at Harvard Forest in Petersham, MA (approximately 70 miles from Cambridge)
Qualifications:
- Proficiency in R statistical software is required
- Experience with spatial data analysis and GIS is strongly preferred
- Strong communication skills and ability to work independently
Responsibilities:
- Support spatial data cleaning, visualization, and statistical analysis
- Contribute to research on forest carbon dynamics and land-based climate mitigation
- Participate in regular Zoom check-ins and collaborate with team members
Interns are required to spend at least one day per month in person at Harvard Forest. Carpooling and train options are available for travel from Cambridge.
TO APPLY
Interested candidates should submit a COMBINED PDF of a resume and cover letter via Crimson Careers, or directly to Ben Goulet-Scott at bgoulet@g.harvard.edu, by August 29, 2025.
