Grand Forks, ND: Home to 1,800 Jobs — and Endless Opportunities
Find out how Grand Forks sets residents up for success.
Now is an exciting time to launch, grow or even retool your career in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where talented residents have their pick of jobs — 1,800 openings, to be exact!
With an innovation-driven economy that spans a number of industries, including unmanned aerial systems (UAS), biomedical, agribusiness, manufacturing and technology, residents not only find a diverse pool of job opportunities, but they also have a chance to make their mark, advance in their careers, and be engaged citizens. (“North Dakota nice” is a thing!)
Ahead, find out how Grand Forks sets residents up for success:
In This Article
A Leader in Drone Technology
Grand Forks is a pioneer in drone technology, with the city staking its claim in lots of firsts. It’s home to the country’s first commercial UAS research and development park, which has been the site of continuous UAS advancements, and the University of North Dakota (UND) was the first to offer a UAS degree, building on five decades of experience in aviation education, training and research.
Once predominantly used by the military, drones have, well, taken off! Providing a breadth of jobs in the region, drones have spurred all kinds of high-flying businesses in Grand Forks, from aerial videography to pipeline inspections.
Winning in Esports
For the uninitiated, esports is competitive video gaming, and it has become a burgeoning industry as well as a pathway to college scholarships. For those who want a career in this fast-growing field, it’s game on in Grand Forks.
Over at UND, students can earn a bachelor’s degree in esports, which is projected to balloon into a $6.75 billion U.S. industry by 2030. In April 2023, the university even unveiled a new state-of-the-art esports facility that’s outfitted for competitions, with big screen televisions mounted near computer tables so team members can get big-picture views of the action.
Recognizing that esports brings students together and teaches STEM concepts, Fenworks is a Grand Forks-based company that provides programming for K-12 students in an inclusive environment, organizes competitions and offers video game coaching services.
A Great Place for Military Families
The Grand Forks community welcomes the more than 3,500 new military members and their families who come to Grand Forks Air Force Base each year. In fact, Grand Forks has twice won the Abilene Trophy, which is awarded annually to a community in the United States that’s most supportive of its local air force base.
As service members shift to civilian life, they’ll find all kinds of career and education opportunities here. In fact, UND is one of the top military-friendly colleges.
After serving 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, Cheryl Harding retired and decided to stay in the Grand Forks region, taking a job at Northrop Grumman and putting down roots with her family.
“They’ve always been a huge supporter of the military and transitioning airmen,” says Harding, who works at Northrop Grumman as the community engagement and corporate citizenship representative. “And the location is just perfect, right next to base, which has felt like home for me all these years.”
She and her husband have five kids, 10 chickens (all of them have names), two dogs and a bunny. There’s no better place to live than North Dakota, she says.
“We live in the country that overlooks acres of farm fields,” she says. “During harvest, the farmer pulls up next to the end of our driveway with his combine and offers our kids rides.”
Friendly neighbors add to the appeal, Harding says. They help each other plow driveways in the winter, and in the summer months, they bring one another veggies from their gardens and homemade pies.
Education, Careers & Opportunity
5 Cool Jobs You Could Land in Grand Forks, ND
The region is flourishing with diverse, successful, rewarding careers.
Local Entrepreneurs Have Built-In Support
Grand Forks is also a community for entrepreneurs, with numerous startup success stories playing out here, like the launch of Tailorie, an app that provides authentic brand and product recommendations to consumers.
The region has a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem to help residents start and grow businesses, like UND’s Center for Innovation, which can guide innovators as they move from an idea phase to commercialization.
Other resources include the Small Business Development Center, which assists with creating business plans and overcoming business hurdles, and SCORE, where retired executives offer free mentoring services. Plus, the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation provides companies expanding in the Grand Forks area with expertise to support their growth plans and connects them with local and state leaders and other resources.
As for UAS and autonomous tech startups, the City of Grand Forks recently opened The HIVE downtown, a collaborative accelerator/incubation space that provides educational programming, mentorship, training, business development, office space and networking.
Volunteer Activities Strengthen the Community
Grand Forks residents are a civic-minded bunch, and a spirit of volunteerism is in the city’s DNA.
Residents can volunteer with the Global Friends Coalition, helping new Americans who have moved to the area with English language learning as well as providing friendship. Other organizations that rely on local volunteers include food pantries, Red River Valley Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, the Grand Forks Senior Center and more.
At Altru, a nonprofit health care system that provides care to residents in Grand Forks and the surrounding region, employees are active volunteers in their community, says Marlene Miller, director of people resources at Altru Health System. For instance, departments may set up team activities like volunteering with Meals on Wheels. Through its behavioral health program, Altru runs TEARS (Together we Educate About the Realities of Suicide), and employees take part in educational events and walks.
“There’s definitely a lot of community collaboration, and we like to be as engaged as possible,” she says.
On the reverse side, more than 300 volunteers offer their time and talents to Altru Health System. The community makes it easy for new residents to get plugged in by maintaining a volunteer board, so they can put their talents to work at an organization that suits their values.
You Can Get Creative at a Downtown Coworking Space
Freelancers, small-business owners and independent contractors can find a community at The 701, a coworking space downtown where creativity and productivity are pretty much palpable. Members are from all types of industries, which allows for organic collaboration.
The coworking space is also unique because there are several membership options, from $15 daily passes to monthly or annual memberships. Members can stay caffeinated with complimentary coffee from Bully Brew and have catering options through Smiling Moose Rocky Mountain Deli when hosting conferences or meetings.
The Quality of Life is Top-Notch
Of course, life is about balance.
“Everyone needs to experience the feeling of sitting back on their porch, watching the sunset over a farmer’s field with the smell of fresh air,” Harding says.
Friendly neighbors, a vibrant downtown, housing options that range from urban lofts to rural farms with wide open spaces, and a love for the arts all make Grand Forks a great place to live, too.
Grand Forks also has a fun culinary scene and some unique eats, including Bernie’s, an eatery operated by Food Network Star Molly Yeh, which serves up a tater tot hotdish, Swedish meatballs with lingonberry sauce, and a cookie salad. Foodies will also love the award-winning meat-lovers T-Rex pizza at Rhombus Guys and the dill pickle spears wrapped in havarti cheese and then fried at The Toasted Frog.
Eager to learn more about Grand Forks? Start here.
This article was sponsored by the Grand Forks Region EDC.