Great Hollow Nature Preserve & Ecological Research Center is pleased to announce the opening of a two-year, open-topic fellowship to support a post-doctoral scientist at our preserve in New Fairfield, Connecticut. The Fellow will: (1) design and conduct independent research at Great Hollow and/or other appropriate study sites in the region, (2) assist with other research projects of Great Hollow’s, (3) help coordinate and mentor Great Hollow’s summer interns, and (4) contribute to the general day-to-day operation of Great Hollow as a member of our small staff, including but not limited to occasional assistance with outreach, community events, and land management. The ideal candidate will be an ecologist whose research is field-based, integrative, and innovative, has a conservation application, and will complement or add to Great Hollow’s active areas of study. Candidates may work on any taxa and in any subdiscipline that is relevant to the biodiversity and ecological communities of the northeastern U.S., although animal ecologists will likely be the most competitive.  The fellowship is intended for early career scientists who have completed their PhD within the past 5 years. PhD candidates who expect to defend during the spring of 2027 and who meet all other qualifications below are also eligible to apply.

About Great Hollow

Founded in 2016, Great Hollow is a non-profit environmental education and research center located in New Fairfield, Connecticut, a little more than an hour north of New York City. Great Hollow is dedicated to the advancement of biodiversity conservation, applied ecological research, and experiential environmental education in Connecticut and beyond.  Our 825-acre preserve is contiguous or nearly contiguous with thousands of acres of additional protected land in Connecticut and neighboring New York State. The preserve is also near Candlewood Lake, which is the largest lake in Connecticut and presents diverse opportunities for aquatic ecology. The preserve is predominantly second-growth deciduous and mixed forest, with streams, a large wetland, vernal pools, and small patches of shrubland. More than 4 miles of hiking trails weave through the western half of the preserve and are open to the public year-round. The eastern half of the preserve is closed to the public, but available to staff for research.

Great Hollow conducts conservation-driven studies of biodiversity in Connecticut and beyond to better understand human impacts to the environment and provide science that can help inform management decisions and public policy. Our research spans the fields of animal ecology, ecophysiology, and ecotoxicology as they relate to the effects of invasive species, land-use change, and pollution on wildlife and habitat quality.  We take a collaborative approach to research, working closely with partners across academia, government, and other NGOs to approach questions and conservation issues of common interest. Please browse our website and annual reports for more information on our research.

Great Hollow also operates as a biological field station that is open to external researchers. Facilities at the preserve include seasonal staff housing, offices, a classroom, and a basic wet lab. The lab is modestly equipped with a -80°C freezer, refrigerator, fume hood, research-grade dissecting scope with digital camera, analytical balance, drying oven, autoclave, Soxhlet fat extraction apparatus, Berlese funnels, hemoglobin and hematocrit meter, water bath, microcentrifuges, hematocrit centrifuge, vortexer, variable pipettes, and basic glassware. Applicants should specify whether the research they propose conducting as the Fellow would require any specialized laboratory equipment or analytical capabilities that are not available at Great Hollow (e.g., genetic analyses, isotope analyses). Arrangements can often be made to use, or have samples analyzed in, the labs of other institutions with which Great Hollow collaborates or staff members are affiliated. 

Timeline

The term of the fellowship is 24 months, with minor potential for extension. The start date is somewhat flexible but is preferred to be around March of 2027, assuming the field season for the Fellow’s research would begin around May or June.

Qualifications

PhD in biology, ecology, natural resources, conservation biology, or a related field, preferably earned within the past 5 years. PhD candidates who expect to defend in the spring of 2027 will also be considered if they meet all other criteria.
Independent research experience that includes study design, field work, field-crew supervision, statistical analyses, manuscript preparation and publication of results.
Strong quantitative skills and proficiency with biological statistics, including the use of R and GIS.
Strong scientific writing skills
A minimum of two first-author publications in relevant peer-reviewed journals. Manuscripts in review do not count.
Demonstrated success securing grants or other extramural funding.
Experience presenting at conferences.
Experience teaching or mentoring students.
Familiarity with northeastern U.S. flora, fauna, ecosystems, and general principles of habitat management and environmental conservation.
English fluency and an ability to effectively communicate with other staff, interns, and members of the public both verbally and in writing.
Ability to work well with others as part of a small team in a small working environment.
U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S.
Valid driver’s license.

Compensation

The Fellow will receive a compensation package that includes a salary of $60,000 USD per year, employee-only (single-coverage) health insurance, and a year-end, performance-based bonus.

Application Instructions

Please submit the following to apply

1)    A combined PDF containing:

-Cover letter
-Curriculum vitae
-Research statement (no more than 3 total pages, single-spaced) that includes a description of how your research experience fits the fellowship and Great Hollow’s mission, and brief descriptions of up to three projects that you might propose as the Fellow (~ half page each). Proposed projects are not written in stone and are simply meant to give reviewers a sense of the topics you are most interested in, and your ability to identify project ideas that would be of achievable scope, relevant to the type of research Great Hollow does, and geographically appropriate.
Contact information for, and relationships to, two to three professional references.

2)    PDFs of up to three selected publications.

The deadline to apply is December 31, 2026, but applications will be reviewed as they are received and a selection may be made before then. Applications should be addressed to Great Hollow’s executive director, Chad Seewagen, and emailed to cseewagen@greathollow.org. Please put “RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP [Last name_First name]” in the subject line.

Great Hollow is an equal opportunity employer. We are dedicated to providing an inclusive, non-discriminatory and harassment-free environment for all employees, volunteers, members, and program participants. Discrimination or harassment because of age, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, nationality, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other status is not tolerated and is strictly forbidden.