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N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative

Professional Development Opportunities

Featured Opportunities
Events and Conferences
Internships and Fellowships
Other Opportunities
Additional Resources

Have an event or opportunity you would like to feature here and in our weekly student emails? Contact Alex Goodnight.

LAST CALL OPPORTUNITIES

SAPLINGS Undergraduate Research Experience

We are seeking motivated NC State undergraduate students for a paid internship during the Fall 2026 semester. Students will participate in one of many research projects that applies AI in agriculture while being mentored by experienced researchers.

Application Deadline: August 14 by 5pm

Learn more and apply 

ASU-Science Prize for Transformational Impact

This prize recognizes transformational research that uses innovative methods to identify problems and develop solutions directly influencing policy and decision-making.. The grand prize winner will receive $30,000 and publication in Science. Finalists will receive $10,000. Entrants must be early career scientists who hold an Ph.D. at the time of entry and have received their degree in the last 15 years.

Submission Deadline: August 15, 2026

Learn more and submit 

REFRAME Paid Research Position for Graduate Students

The REFRAME project is seeking a cohort of talented and motivated NC State graduate students from Computer Science, Agricultural Engineering, and related fields, to join their interdisciplinary research team. Each graduate student will be paired with a REFRAME mentor and contribute to real-world research problems spanning computational modeling, software development, agricultural data systems, and AI-enabled decision support tools. Selected students will start in the Fall 2026 semester and work 15 hours per week for 20 weeks.

Application Deadline: August 14

Learn more and apply
Two Researchers in a corn field looking at the computer they are holding.
Vy Hoang and Connery Tran set up camera systems for research being conducted by Andrea Monteza and N.C. PSI faculty affiliate Emmanuel Torres Quezada of the Department of Horticultural Sciences. Over the course of their two August 2025 days at an NC State field lab, Tran literally sweated out what-could-go-wrong concerns and Hoang came up with the idea for C3POil.

Featured Opportunities

2026-2027 Plantae Fellows Program

Are you a creative and articulate plant scientist looking to connect with other like-minded folks? ASPB’s Plantae, the global online community for plant science, is looking for individuals who want to become highly engaged by creating and curating content, facilitating and hosting discussions, and otherwise fostering a growing global community. The benefits of becoming a Plantae Fellow include increased visibility within the plant science community and the opportunity to develop your skills as a digital content creator and science communicator. Although these are volunteer positions, ASPB pays an honorarium upon the satisfactory completion of the term. The term of commitment is one year, and the specific weekly time commitment is variable.

Application Deadline: Monday, August 31 

Learn more and apply 

Call for Assistant Feature Editors

Plant Physiology is now accepting applications to join the Plant Physiology Assistant Features Editor (AFE) program. These are two-year appointments, starting either in January 2027 or 2028. AFEs support the journal by writing News and Views articles about recently published papers and by hosting Plant Physiology webinars on recent research. You will also be included in efforts to explore ways to make our papers more discoverable and accessible to the public.

Application Deadline: September 8, 2026

Learn more and apply 

Mashup at the N.C. PSI: The Mosaic Company and STEPS

Join us for our next “Mashup” at the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative! The theme for this Mashup is Plant Health and Nutrient Use Efficiency.
Our industry partner for this Mashup is Dr. Ross Bender from The Mosaic Company. Our NC State speaker is Dr. Ross Sozzani, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, as well as N.C. PSI Platform Director for Plant Improvement and Co-deputy Director of the STEPS Center. A networking mixer directly follows the seminars.

Date: Thursday, September 17 from 4-6pm
Location: Seminar Rooms, Plant Sciences Building

Learn more and register 

N.C. PSI Hackathon

The N.C. PSI Hackathon is an annual event that gives undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars the chance to demonstrate their skills in a 3-day competition to solve ag tech related challenges for prizes and, of course, bragging rights. With the goal to accelerate agricultural research using data analytics, machine learning, and hardware fabrication, our annual Hackathons have multiple tracks and are inclusive to participants with various levels of experience.

Event Dates: October 23-25, 2026

Learn more and register 

Workshop: “Using Predictive Models for Landscape-Scale Agricultural Decision-Making”

This workshop for graduate students will cover the complete workflow for using machine learning and satellite imagery to generate landscape-scale agricultural predictions, including data acquisition, preprocessing, model development, and deployment of production-ready predictions. Bring your own laptop.

Date: September 1 from 9am -12pm
Location: Seminar Rooms, Plant Sciences Building

Learn more and register
Student holds a laptop underneath a large metalilc robot designed to take photos of hundreds of potted plants outdoors
Letitia Santos, a graduate student in biological and agricultural engineering and at 2024 FFAR Fellow, uses remotely sensed data and machine learning techniques to measure, monitor and report weed and soil conditions. Photo by Becky Kirkland.

INTERFACE: Data + AI Research Summit

The NC State Data Science and AI Academy invites faculty, students, research support units and local industry partners to to share research, exchange ideas and create new opportunities for collaboration at the first INTERFACE: Data + AI Research Summit. Lead a research session or workshop, present a student research poster, showcase a campus research resource or participate as an industry partner. Participation submissions close Friday, September 11. General registration opens September 21.

Date: Monday, November 2, 2026 from 9 am to 4pm
Location: Talley Student Union

Explore ways to participate
Neural Network Brain
NE Ag expo field day in Shawboro, NC. An extension agent talks about soybean crops. Photo by Marc Hall

Events and Conferences

Regularly Occurring events

Science on Tap!

Science on Tap! takes place at Lynnwood Brewing Concern (1053 E Whitaker Mill Rd) on the second Tuesday of every month from 7:00 – 9:00 pm. Grab a beer, meet local scientists, and hear the stories behind their coolest discoveries—no jargon, just great talks and good company.

Learn more and register to attend 

AI Hot Topics at NC State

The AI Hot Topics monthly series, hosted by the Data Science and AI Academy, is a dynamic forum designed to foster dialogue and collaboration on the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence. Whether you’re a seasoned AI practitioner, a curious scholar or simply interested in the transformative potential of AI, this series offers a unique opportunity to connect with leading experts and contribute to meaningful discussions. The AI Hot Topics Series takes place monthly at Raleigh Founded on Centennial Campus (1017 Main Campus Dr.) from 8:45 – 9:45 am.

Learn more and register to attend 

Upcoming PSI Events

All PSI Events
Oct 05

Monday2:00 PM

Discover N.C. PSI
Oct 23

Friday

N.C. PSI Hackathon

Conferences

NC State Field Days

Explore commodity-specific events across the state

Learn more and register 

Water Environment Federation’s Technical Exhibition & Conference

September 26-30, 2026
New Orleans, LA

Learn more and register 

Auxin 2026

October 4-6, 2026
Albufeira, Portugal

Learn more and register 

35th Annual Plant Molecular Biology Retreat

October 9-11, 2026
Wrightsville Beach, NC

Learn more and register 


Global Bioeconomy Alliance (GBA)

October 26-30, 2026
Monterrey, Mexico

Learn more and register 

CANVAS 2026

November 1-4, 2026
Portland, OR

Learn more and register 

CEAg World Conference and Expo

November 10-11, 2026
Concord, NC

Learn more and register 

AGU Annual Meeting

December 7-11, 2026
San Francisco, CA

Learn more and register 

Save the Date: Waste to Worth Conference

April 12-16, 2027
Raleigh, NC

Learn more and register 

NC State Career Fairs

Explore upcoming career fairs and events offered by various colleges and disciplines across NC State!

Office of University Interdisciplinary Programs

Discover OUIP’s list of interdisciplinary events across NC State

Internships and Fellowships

Anthropic Fellows Program

The Anthropic Fellows Program is designed to foster AI research and engineering talent. Offering a weekly stipend, Fellows are expected to work full-time for 4 months under the mentorship of Anthropic researchers. There are multiple cohorts of Fellows each year and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Learn more and apply 

NC Conservation Network Campus Organizing Fellowship

Campus Organizing Fellows will receive first-hand experience working for a statewide environmental nonprofit. This fellowship is 6-10 hours per week of on-campus organizing in both the fall and spring semesters. This is a paid position that will include public outreach to students and the campus community regarding environmental issues such as forever chemical pollution (PFAS), climate action, and environmental justice efforts in North Carolina. Fellows will also engage in non-partisan get-out-the-vote efforts on campus during election season.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Positions are open until filled.

Learn more and apply 
Man in a research lab

SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program

Offers STEM students who are currently pursuing a bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.D. a full scholarship, internships, annual stipends, and guaranteed employment with the Department of Defense.

Applications Deadline: December 1 at 5:00 p.m. EST
The SMART Program accepts applications annually from August 1 to December 1.

Learn more and apply 
Oak Ridge National Labs

Student Opportunities at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Enhance your expertise and collaborate with many of the nation’s leading science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) experts as you complete your research. Opportunities are available for current undergraduate and graduate students to participate as members of research teams at ORNL. All internships come with a stipend.

Learn more 
Women wearing goggles and gloves in a research lab

Micro-Internships for Graduate Students & Postdocs

Micro-internships are short-term, paid, professional assignments that allow you to explore career paths, build your network, and prepare for the transition to industry. These micro-internships allow you to be flexible with your graduate studies, while still being intentional in your career development. These unique projects are posted at all times of year by companies of all sizes,

Learn more and apply 

ePACK

ePACK is NC State’s online platform for openings (internship, leadership development, and full-time job opportunities), upcoming events, online tools, and more that are currently available for you.

Explore ePack
Cooper howling wolf sculpture near greenery and benches

Other Opportunities

The Edward Gorey House 2026 Envelop Art Contest

The artist Edward Gorey ornamented his correspondence with elaborate drawings. Each year, the Edward Gorey House on Cape Cod runs an all-ages envelope art contest to submit envelopes decorated in the annual theme. This year’s theme is “The Utter Zoo.” The winner and finalists of each category recieve a nifty prize bundle in the mail. Even if you’re not the best artist, send in an envelope if you feel inspired!

Submission Deadline: December 1, 2026 by 4:00 pm

A drawn image of a black imaginary creature holding a man wearing yellow in his mouth. Underneath is phrase "The Utter Zoo".

Professional Development Workshops

The Graduate School offers an array of career preparedness, communication skills, leadership, teaching, and wellness workshops. These workshops occur virtually, year-round and require registration.

Explore Virtual Workshops 

PDU@Lunch Webinar Series

The Proposal Development Unit invites the NC State community to their webinar series that will provides insights and techniques to think strategically about grant writing. The PDU will balance general guidance with specific examples to help researchers navigate differences among major federal funding agencies and foundations. This webinar series occurs throughout the academic year, and topics and dates are included within the registration form.

Learn more and register 

PDU Resources for Early Career Researchers

Many funding agencies provide unique opportunities to researchers beginning their independent research careers, such as post-docs.Thus, NC State’s Proposal Development Unit (PDU) offers a variety of resources for grant-writing and proposal development at any stage in your career. These resources are accessed via your unity ID in the PDU intranet.

Explore 

NC State Sustainability Career Development Program

Step into an exciting journey with the NC State Sustainability Career Development Program, where you can explore and build your career in sustainability on your own terms. This unique initiative is designed for NC State students, offering a flexible, “choose your own adventure” approach to career development. Program Enrollment is ongoing and you can join at anytime of year. Whether you’re passionate about protecting the planet, creating innovative solutions, or leading change, this program lets you tailor your experiences to match your interests and goals.

Learn more and enroll
Two people discuss research on hops grown on trellises
Student Gwen Casebeer (left) and researcher Jeanine Davis look over hops growing at Mountain Horticultural Research and Extension Center in Henderson County.
Small group talking in a conference room

The Graduate School’s Professional Development Workshops

The Graduate School offers an array of career preparedness, communication skills, leadership, teaching, and wellness programs year round. There are both in-person and virtual workshops offered.

Explore 
students at career fair

NC State LanchPad

NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship has developed an incubator program to support early-stage undergraduate and graduate student startups.

Learn more and register 
Three people talking in a work space

NSF I-Corps Program

The I-Corps Program at NC State offers a NSF training program aimed at helping scientists and engineers extend their ideas, research and inventions into the marketplace. This program consists of a four-session course focused on entrepreneurship and exploring the commercial viability of innovations.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Program Dates Vary.
*If accepted, your team will be placed in the next available cohort.

Learn more and apply 

Resources

Career resources

The Arabidopsis Information Resource (TAIR) Job Board

International and domestic postdoctoral, faculty, research, field technician positions and more are listed for those interested in plant science careers.

Visit 

Plantae’s Career Center

Search for jobs, internships and mentorships in the US and abroad across a variety of industries and types of institutions.

Visit 

Ag Career Job Board

Search by sector, specialty and career type for job opportunities in every stage of the food system.

Visit 

National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) Job Board

Job opportunities in ag engineering and all other engineering disciplines.

Visit 

NC State Career Development Center

Take advantage of university career resources available to all NC State students

Explore 

N.C. PSI Certificate Programs

N.C. PSI offers two certificate programs, one for Ag Data Science and the other for Regulatory Science in Agriculture.

Discover 

Have an event you would like advertised here and in our weekly email? Contact Alex Goodnight.