Far Horizons Undergraduate Intern

Far Horizons Undergraduate Intern

Part-Time Temporary

About the Adler Planetarium

The Adler Planetarium connects people to the universe and each other. Whether it is introducing a guest to the Ring Nebula a neighborhood school to a community partner a research team to a network of citizen scientists or one staff member to another the Adlers focus on meaningful connections dates back nearly a century.

Today the museum hosts more than half a million visitors each year and reaches millions more through youth STEM programs neighborhood skywatching events online citizen science and other outreach projects. With Adlers support people of all ages backgrounds and abilities gain the confidence to explore their universe together and return to their communities ready to think critically and creatively about any challenge that comes their way.

The Position

The Adler Planetarium is seeking four Far Horizon Undergraduate Interns to join our research and engineering program located on Chicagos Museum Campus. The Far Horizons Undergraduate Interns will collaborate with a team of staff and skilled volunteers to analyze remotely sensed nighttime imagery from high-altitude balloon missions aiming to characterize light pollution on a regional scale and advance our understanding of its impacts. This unique system called NITELite provides data for light pollution research by mapping cities at night from altitudes of nearly 100000 feet. The Interns will assist our team and this mission in several ways. These include designing and testing an upgraded autonomous imaging system payload; processing and analyzing large datasets of nighttime Earth imagery and generating maps of light at night.

As part of the team the interns will be responsible for:

• Developing and refining data pipelines for the analysis of remotely sensed data for scientific research using Python and/or GIS software.

• Designing and testing the electrical mechanical and optical components of the NITELite systems

• Testing end-user applications of NITELite data for research and environmental policy

The internship will primarily take place at the Adler Planetarium on Saturdays October 4 2025 until May of 2026. A weekly commitment of at least 7 hours is expected with the option of some independent remote work throughout the internship period. At least one high-altitude balloon mission will take place from a remote location during the internship.

PT The Compensation & Benefits

Base Pay: $17.61/hr

Work-Life Balance

• 7 to 25-hour workweek

• Eligible to accrue up to 6 vacation days per year

• 3 sick days as of date of hire (can accrue up to 6.5 days per year)

• Eligible to earn time and a half for working on any of the 7 Adler observed holidays

• Flexible work arrangements

• Paid Family Bereavement Leave & Jury Duty

• Paid Parental Leave

Commuter flexible spending account

Retirement Savings Plan

• 403B plan with Adler match

• Adlers match is 100% vested immediately

• Eligible to enroll as of the date of hire

Network of Support through our EAP programs

• Resources to help address emotional legal and financial issues

• Face-to-face telephonic and web-based services

• Free subscription to the Calm Premium app

Employee Loan Program

Discounted Onsite Parking Program

Free Entrance to Chicago area museums and cultural institutions

The Person

The ideal Far Horizons Undergraduate Intern has an interest in research using data for environmental and policy research. This may include interest or experience in the fields of computer science data science GIS and/or engineering. They are eager to apply their skills and creativity to achieving science and/or engineering goals while being open to learning new skills along the way. The Intern should be detail-oriented self-driven and work well in a team setting.

Required Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent

• Active enrollment in an undergraduate program in Illinois or an Illinois resident enrolled in an undergraduate program

Preferred Qualifications: (Any but not all required of the following)

• Interest in data science and/or data analysis for research (Python AWS etc.)

• Knowledge of GIS or remote sensing methods and software

• Experience with electronics electrical design systems engineering and/or mechanical engineering (CAD 3D printing etc.)

• Ability to organize and document a science research project

Funding for these positions is provided through a federal grant from NASA and the Illinois Space Grant Consortium.A condition of employment under this federal grant is the ability to provide proof of U.S. citizenship at the time of hire.

The Adler Planetarium is dedicated to complying with its obligations as an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex gender identity sexual orientation race color religious creed national origin physical or mental disability protected Veteran status age or any other characteristic protected by federal state or local law.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process please contact the Human Resources Department by email atand let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis.