2 Summer Internships at Frost Entomology Museum – Penn State

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The Frost Entomological Museum at Penn State seeks two undergraduate summer interns, to assist with research projects related to butterfly biodiversity and collections. Training and experiences will be provided in the following areas:
  • collecting / rearing (15%)
  • specimen preparation and collection conservation (20%)
  • collection digitization, including relevant data standards (55%)
  • collections advocacy, policies, and management (3%)
  • public engagement (7%)
Required Skills and Experience:
  • Careful handling and attention to detail. Interns will work with small and incredibly fragile objects, each with many kinds of data that must be recorded and tracked. Dexterity and situational awareness are required.
  • Ability to stay focused. Specimen digitization can be repetitive, but accurate data collection and transcription are required to contribute credible records to global data aggregators.
  • Curiosity about the natural world. We’re looking for interns who will fully engage with the work, asking questions along the way.
  • Commitment to science. These specimens are used extensively in research, across many domains. Interns should be facilitative, organized, and goal-oriented.
  • Comfort in nature. Field work may happen in muddy, wild habitats, where ticks are common.
  • Familiarity with insect taxonomy. Ability to sight identify specimens, even to a higher-level taxon (order or family), will help us be efficient in all tasks.
Compensation:
Wage is set at $17.50/hour, with an expectation of about 40 hours worked per week. Start date (around early June) and duration (6–10 weeks) are reasonably negotiable.
Application process:
Visit the application webpage and be prepared to upload the following documents as PDFs by February 28, 2026:
  1. Resume or CV
  2. Personal statement: In about one page, please explain why you are interested in interning at the Frost Entomological Museum. Describe your personal and/or professional interests, and describe how this experience may facilitate your career goals.
  3. Three references: Name, organization, phone, email, one sentence description of relationship.
Applications will be reviewed starting March 1, 2026.
Questions can be directed to Andy Deans: adeans@psu.edu