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MiddWorks for Vermont Summer 2026 - Field and GIS Mapping Intern

Lemon Fair Insect Control District
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Please note:  Your résumé MUST be approved by a CCI Peer Career Advisor in order to apply in Handshake. (If your résumé was approved last year and updated with new experiences, it remains valid.)

MiddWorks for Vermont Summer 2026-Field and GIS Mapping Intern

Mosquito Abatement Project - Phase IV Study

(Middlebury College and Lemon Fair Insect Control District)

Internship Title: MiddWorks for Vermont Summer 2026 - Field and GIS Mapping Intern

Internship Site: Field work will take place in the Lemon Fair Insect Control District (LFICD) which includes the towns of Bridport, Cornwall and Weybridge Vermont.  This summer’s project will build on the work done since 2021 developing GIS and remote sensing data sets and maps to assist with the planning and management of nuisance mosquito populations.  Given the nature and size of the data sets and the required software, the GIS analysis/remote sensing work is best done in the Geography Department GIS labs.  Because this is a field-based internship, residence in the Middlebury area for the summer is important.

Description: The Lemon Fair Insect Control District is a municipal district comprising the towns of Bridport, Cornwall and Weybridge.  It was established in 2006 for the purpose of mosquito abatement.  The district maintains a mosquito control program in collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture.  The LFICD takes an integrated pest management approach, which is an ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, and modification of cultural practices.

Phase I and II of this project were completed on the Lemon Fair River floodplain in the summers of 2021 and 2022, and Phase III was completed in 2024.  The goal of Phase IV of this project is to develop and refine the techniques used to identify and map priority mosquito abatement areas and to test and document the use of a payload drone for biocide application in these priority areas.  This study will employ a combination of field work using drone technology, GPS, Lidar, and other mapping techniques along with a GIS/remote sensing-based approach to collect baseline time-dependent conditions on drainage patterns, high water flood lines, and residual puddles. The drone work will include the use of the Middlebury College drone and collaboration with a contracted company for this year’s experimental drone-based biocide applications. 

Desired qualifications/skills/coursework:

  • Successful completion of coursework in GIS (including experience with ArcMap or QGIS).  Experience with raster analysis techniques is desirable. Experience with remote sensing is also desirable.
  • Prior coursework and interest in any of the following areas; natural resource management, earth sciences, and biology. Course work in soils, hydrology, botany, and/or ecology a plus. 
  • Position requires a highly organized individual with attention to detail. Flexibility is also important, with the ability to maintain focus while performing a diverse set of tasks. 
  • An ability to work under adverse field conditions (adverse terrain in hot, humid and/or rainy weather).  This is a boots-on-the-ground field research opportunity.

Supervision: The student will work closely with and be under the direct supervision of Charlie Bettigole, GIS Specialist, and the Lemon Fair Insect Control District; Field Coordinator/Biologist.

Duration: 8-10 week internship.  Start and end dates flexible but preferred starting date is June 8. 

Compensation: $5,000 stipend based on 35 hours/week

Other Requirements: Intern must provide their own vehicle and proof of drivers license and insurance.

How to apply: Submit a resume, cover letter through Handshake  

This internship is supported by the Robert Churchill Memorial Internship Fund.  The fund was created in memory of Professor Bob Churchill, the founder and director of the GIS program at Middlebury College, who trained more than 900 students in different aspects of GIS and cartography.  Many of these students are now leaders in the field.

MiddWorks for Vermont Cohort Internship Program

Middlebury College is deeply committed to the future of Vermont. Through the MiddWorks for Vermont Cohort Internship Program, CCI funds student internships at Vermont organizations that strengthen the state’s economy, workforce, environment, education system, health, equity, and arts and culture.

Each internship offers hands-on experience, strong mentorship, and insight into why Vermont is an exceptional place to live and work. Students participate in cohort programming and typically live together in Burlington or Middlebury.

Funding: Interns receive a $5,000 CCI award to support their summer experience.
Housing: Available for a fee at Middlebury College or Champlain College in Burlington.
Requirements: CCI-approved résumé; participation in cohort meetings; completion of pre-internship forms, a post-internship evaluation, and a donor thank-you letter
Eligibility: Open to returning Middlebury students. Seniors graduating in May 2026, students not enrolled in Spring or Fall 2026, and those planning to transfer are not eligible.

Be part of a program that celebrates Vermont—its people, places, and potential.