Agricultural Research Internship

The work experience for Agricultural Research students will include learning research techniques and processes in a variety of areas which might include dairy cattle nutrition, calf/heifer nutrition, dairy cattle behavior, and reproductive physiology of dairy cattle. Students will gain work experience in the dairy research facility: feeding cows for individual feed intakes, measuring in situ digestibility in ruminally-cannulated cows, milk sampling, urine/fecal sampling, blood sampling, and assessing dairy cattle behavior. Research techniques for evaluating crop performance and ensiling practices may also be learned.
All students will be asked to work long hours on occasion, but no more so than would normally be expected in an agricultural research facility as a graduate student or technician. Students work approximately every other weekend.
Agricultural research interns will take part in classroom lectures focused on learning the research process and building skills using data management programs. Together with the other summer internship programs, the agricultural research interns will take part in annual ag education events, such as Farm Days for 5th Graders and Miner Institute’s Open House. Students will also participate in a weekly seminar series.

RESEARCH PROJECT

Each student will become involved in an independent study project in one of the areas which is the focus of Miner Institute’s research program: dairy nutrition, dairy behavior, dairy reproduction, crops, and calf nutrition and management. Each student will work with a faculty member to plan, conduct, and summarize the project. At the end of the summer, oral and written reports will be presented.​

ENROLLMENTS, CREDITS, & COMPENSATION

This program is available to agriculture and life science students in their junior or senior years of study. Students are encouraged to register for college credit at their home institution. Students are responsible for making arrangements for credits. This program is designed as a 4-credit course, although other arrangements may be made through the student’s home institution.

Each student will receive a $3,500 stipend; this includes housing in a fully furnished apartment in the Middleton Miller Student Housing Complex and continental breakfast and lunch each weekday in our on-site cafeteria. A refundable $100 security deposit for the room is deducted from the first paycheck.

The 2026 semester runs from May 18-August 14, 2026.

To apply*, complete the Summer Experience Application and provide all required documents by February 15th to:

Katie Ballard | Director of Research | Email

Miner Institute

1034 Miner Farm Rd. | P.O. Box 90
Chazy, New York 12921

(518) 846-7121, Ext. 112

(518) 846-8445 (Fax)

Required Documents:

A completed Summer Experience Application

A copy of college transcript

Two letters of recommendation, one from college advisor and one from a previous employer

Letter outlining career goals and reasons for application, include any research experience and skills in field crop or livestock production

* Non-US residents should contact Miner Institute for additional details prior to completing application process.