Post-doctoral Research Fellowship (open-topic)

Great Hollow Nature Preserve & Ecological Research Center is pleased to announce a two-year fellowship to support a post-doctoral scientist in residence at our preserve in New Fairfield, Connecticut. The Fellow will: (1) conduct independent field research at Great Hollow and/or other appropriate study sites in the region, (2) support other research projects of Great Hollow’s, (3) 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 and stewardship. The ideal candidate will be an ecologist whose research is field-based, integrative, innovative, has a conservation application, and will complement Great Hollow’s current areas of study. Candidates may work in any discipline that is relevant to the biodiversity and ecological communities of the northeastern U.S.  The fellowship is primarily intended for early career scientists who have completed their PhD within the past 5 years, but post-doctoral researchers at any career stage are eligible to apply. PhD candidates who expect to defend during the spring of 2024, have a strong publication record, and have an appropriate level of research experience will also be considered.

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. Its 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 and freshwater fish research. The preserve is predominantly second-growth deciduous and mixed forest, with a trout stream, beaver impoundment, vernal pools, and small patches of old field and shrubland. More than 4 miles of hiking trails extend 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 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. Great Hollow also operates as a biological field station that is open to external researchers. Facilities include staff and visitor housing, offices, classroom space, and a basic wet lab. The lab is equipped with a -80°C freezer, refrigerator and -20°C freezer, fume hood, research-grade dissecting scope with digital camera, analytical balance, drying oven, autoclave, Soxhlet fat extraction apparatus, Berlese funnels, POC 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. Arrangements can often be made to use, or have samples analyzed in, the labs of other institutions with which Great Hollow collaborates or is affiliated.

Primary Responsibilities

The Fellow will be responsible for designing and conducting ecological research at Great Hollow Nature Preserve and/or other appropriate sites in the region in collaboration with Great Hollow’s executive director, Chad Seewagen. The Fellow will be expected to submit the work for publication within the 24-month fellowship period. Projects that have a conservation application are preferred, but not required. The Fellow will be expected to apply for extramural funding to help support their research (e.g., equipment/supplies, offsite lab analyses, field assistant wages), but the research should be designed to be accomplishable even if efforts to secure funding are unsuccessful. The Fellow will be provided with a modest internal budget of $3,000 per year for direct expenses if external funding is not acquired.

The other primary responsibility of the Fellow will be to help coordinate Great Hollow’s summer internship program. This includes managing the internship application and selection process, and directly mentoring up to two selected interns (who are usually undergraduates, but may sometimes include post-bac or graduate students) as they assist with Great Hollow’s research projects and/or conduct independent projects of their own. The Fellow will be encouraged to use the interns as field assistants in their research and may hire interns with particular skillsets and experience to be most helpful to them. For interns who are interested in conducting their own independent research, the Fellow will help them to design feasible projects, mentor them on data collection, data analysis, and scientific writing, and oversee their daily activities.

Timeline

The term of the fellowship is 24 months, with minimal potential for extension or transition into a permanent position. The start date is flexible and can be tailored to the timing of the Fellow’s anticipated field season, but is preferred to be sometime between the winter of 2023/2024 and early spring of 2024.

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 by the spring of 2024 will also be considered.

Independent research experience that has included study design, field work, field crew supervision, data analysis, and publication of results.

Strong quantitative skills and proficiency with biological statistics, including the use of R and GIS.

A minimum of two first-author publications in relevant peer-reviewed journals.

Demonstrated success securing grants or other extramural funding.

Experience teaching or mentoring students, preferably with independent research projects.

Familiarity with northeastern U.S. flora, fauna, ecosystems, and general principles of habitat management and conservation.

Familiarity with a range of standard field research techniques that will enable the Fellow to mentor interns on projects outside of his/her area of expertise.

English fluency and an ability to effectively communicate with other staff, interns, and members of the public.

Ability to work well with others as part of a small team.

Ability to live in shared, smoke-free and drug-free housing with respect for others.

U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S.

Valid U.S. driver’s license.

Compensation

On-site staff housing is provided to the Fellow at no charge and with free utilities. The Fellow will also receive a compensation package that includes reimbursement for personal enrollment in the ConnectiCare health insurance program, an annual salary of $40,000-45,000 DOE, and a year-end, performance-based bonus. The available housing includes a private bedroom with a queen bed in our staff house at Great Hollow. Up to three seasonal staff members may also live in the house between late May and early August each year. The house is a recently renovated, fully furnished farmhouse with a fully equipped kitchen and wireless internet. A washer and dryer are also available on-site. The housing is not suitable for families with children, and minors are not allowed to stay in the house under our insurance policy. Pets are allowed under most circumstances but need to be approved in advance by the executive director.