Science Illustration Intern (2)

Deadline: December 1, 2025

Hours: Full-time

Stipend: $700 per week, relocation funds for travel to and from SERC will be provided.

Housing: Onsite dormitory housing is available.

Anticipated start date: February 2026, mutually agreeable start dates will be determined with the selected applicants.

Duration: 11 weeks

Location: Edgewater, MD

Work model: Onsite

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) is seeking 2 science illustration interns for Spring 2026. The interns will collaborate with researchers to develop visual products that support scientific research and engagement. The interns will have the opportunity to work alongside researchers in the field and lab to gain scientific context for the artwork that they will produce. They will also have the opportunity for professional development visits within the Smithsonian to locations such as the Smithsonian Exhibits facility and the botanical art collection at the National Museum of Natural History to learn more about the intersection of art and science at Smithsonian.

Science Illustration Interns will not receive specific mentorship in illustration or art. Rather, the internship is intended to provide opportunities for early career science illustrators to build their portfolio and gain science communication skills by working closely with scientists to develop materials that can be used as part of research and education efforts.

Qualifications and Requirements

 We are seeking applicants with some (but not necessarily all) of the following:

• Experience with scientific illustration
• Experience in visual arts and/or graphic design
• Interest in communicating science to a variety of audiences
• Interest in the intersections between art and science
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to work as part of a team

Learning Objectives

• Gain hands-on experience engaging in environmental science fieldwork and lab work
• Develop skills in collaborating with scientists to develop visual products
• Improve understanding of scientific practices and the ways that scientists integrate art into their work
• In consultation with project staff, develop one or more scientific illustrations that can be used as part of SERC science and engagement efforts

About SERC: SERC is a research center of the Smithsonian Institution, located in Edgewater, MD on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, approximately 10 miles south of Annapolis, 40 miles east of Washington DC, and 40 miles south of Baltimore. SERC's 2,650-acre campus is a living laboratory for long-term ecosystem research on forests, farmland, wetlands, shorelines, and estuaries. The SERC campus contains a laboratory and office complex, as well as education and waterfront facilities, dormitories for interns, and guest housing for visitors.