Internships

Kirtlandia Intern Program

The Kirtlandia Intern Program offers summer internships to college students and recent graduates interested in the natural sciences. Interns spend eight weeks working with Museum scientific staff on research and other important projects.

The Museum’s former Kirtlandia Society (now Friends of CMNH) has sponsored this program since 1980 by covering each intern's salary, expenses, and payroll taxes through a combination of fundraising and endowments. More than 350 interns have participated!

To support the Kirtlandia Intern Program, donate now. (Please select “Annual Fund” from the dropdown list, enter your information, then at the bottom of the page enter “Friends of CMNH Intern Program” in the “instructions for designated gifts” box.)

 

Program Goals 

The Kirtlandia Intern Program allows interns to gain hands-on experience in fields in which they may be considering careers. The program gives them a sense of what working at a professional level in these areas requires. Interns also receive the satisfaction of knowing they have made real contributions to science through their summer's work. They present the results of their research at the Friends of CMNH annual August luncheon meeting.

General Information 

  • Duration: Eight weeks; exact dates to be arranged with direct supervisor 
  • Compensation: $15 per hour minus payroll deductions, plus up to $200 for expenses for materials required by the project
  • Who May Apply: Students who are currently attending an accredited college or university as an undergraduate (college sophomores, juniors, and seniors), or who have graduated from college within the last six months of application date

Please Note 

  • Each intern must present the results of their project in a 10-minute talk and poster display at the August Friends of CMNH meeting.
  • Projects may not be offered in all Museum areas each year. 
  • Most projects, but not all, require fieldwork and lab work. 
  • Several projects require students to provide their own transportation.  
  • Students must provide for their own housing.
 

Available Positions 

Apply to this year's opportunities when the position is posted in February.

 

When to Apply 

Completed applications are due in March. Intern supervisors for summer projects will interview candidates in March and April. Successful candidates will be contacted in April.

 

How to Apply 

1. Complete the application for Kirtlandia Intern after it is posted to our careers page. 
 
2. Write a brief statement that: 

  • Explains your choice of preferred research areas,
  • Mentions your interests, previous work experience, and other pertinent information that might support your application, and
  • Indicates how you expect to benefit from your experience as a Museum intern.

3. Obtain two letters of recommendation from your professors or instructors.

 

Questions? 

Contact Human Resources at hr@cmnh.org with any questions.