INTERNSHIP DETAILS

Summer 2026 Internship - Community Relations

CompanySouth Dakota Science and Technology Authority
LocationLead
Work ModeOn Site
PostedJanuary 14, 2026
Internship Information
Core Responsibilities
The community relations intern will assist with efforts at the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitors Center, including outreach and managing the ethnobotanical garden. The role involves connecting with various communities that interact with SURF.
Internship Type
full time
Company Size
75
Visa Sponsorship
No
Language
English
Working Hours
40 hours
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About The Company
The Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) is operated by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority (SDSTA) with funding from the Department of Energy’s Office of Science. Our mission is to advance world class science and inspire learning across generations. Located in Lead, South Dakota, SURF advances our understanding of the universe by providing laboratory space deep underground, where sensitive physics experiments can be shielded from cosmic radiation. Researchers at SURF explore some of the most challenging questions facing 21st century physics, such as the origin of matter, the nature of dark matter and the properties of neutrinos. The facility also hosts experiments in other disciplines—including geology, biology and engineering. SURF is located at the former Homestake gold mine, which was a physics landmark long before being converted into a dedicated science facility. Nuclear chemist Ray Davis earned a share of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2002 for a Solar Neutrino Experiment he conducted 4,850 feet underground in the mine. Homestake closed in 2003, but the company donated the property to South Dakota in 2006 for use as an underground laboratory. That same year, philanthropist T. Denny Sanford donated $70 million to the project. The South Dakota Legislature also created the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority to operate the lab. The state Legislature has committed more than $40 million in state funds to the project, and South Dakota also obtained a $10 million Community Development Block Grant to help rehabilitate the facility.
About the Role

Description

Internships at SURF may be available in any of the following departments: Communications, Community Relations, Education, Engineering, Environmental, Safety & Health (ESH), Operations, Science and Underground Access (UAG). In all departments, candidates should be comfortable working in an underground environment and following safety rules and guidelines appropriate to a laboratory and construction setting.


*Open to South Dakota residents and students attending South Dakota universities.


 The community relations intern will work with the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitors Center on Community Relations efforts, including Changleska Wakhan (the ethnobotanical garden at SURF) and outreach that connects with the many communities that interact with SURF.  Students studying botany, history, museum studies, communications and other related fields are encouraged to apply.


Summer 2026 Internship Term: 05/26/2026 - 07/31/2026

Applications Open: Wednesday, Oct 22nd

First Review: Wednesday, November 19th

Requirements

Working Requirements

  • Proof of a valid driver’s license is required.
  • Must be 18 years old or older.
  • Comply with SURF’s safety program.
  • Act in accordance with SURF’s core values: Safety Focused, Care for Others, Professionalism and Being a Team Player.
  • Perform work in a typical office environment with prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
  • Perform work in the SURF underground environment at depths up to 4,850 feet.
  • Perform limited physical labor and light lifting including walking up and down flights of stairs.

The South Dakota Science & Technology Authority (SDSTA) is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to the development of a diverse workforce. Applicants are invited to self-identify as an individual with a disability or as a protected veteran. Forms are available on the website www.sanfordlab.org/careers or upon request from Human Resources.

Key Skills
Community RelationsBotanyHistoryMuseum StudiesCommunicationsSafety ComplianceTeamworkProfessionalism
Categories
EducationEnvironmental & SustainabilityScience & ResearchSocial ServicesCreative & Media