- Date posted: September 1, 2026
- Deadline: October 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST
- Hours: Full-time
- Federal position?: No
- Stipend: See Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP) page for stipend details
- Anticipated start date: Fellowship must start between June 1, 2027 and May 30, 2028
- Duration: Varies, see SIFP page
- Location: Dependent on the location of your advisor, either Edgewater, MD or in the San Francisco Bay area
- Work model: Onsite
Overview
The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) is offering fellowship opportunities for independent research starting after June 1, 2027. Graduate, predoctoral, postdoctoral, and senior fellowships are available in a wide range of topics centered around some of the critical issues challenging our world today. Research topics include: biodiversity and conservation, biological invasions, ecosystems ecology, environmental pollution, global change, parasite and disease ecology, watersheds, and land use.
Of particular interest this year are post-doctoral proposals that focus on the study of fauna of countries other than the United States of America, whether that is native species in other countries or non-natives currently in the US. These animals do not need to be the sole focus, proposed research can also include interactions between animals and plants, animals and environmental factors, or other processes.
Applicants are suggested to contact research staff to help identify potential advisors and determine the feasibility of the proposed research. Visit fellowships.si.edu/SORSSERC for an overview of SERC, our facilities, and list of available fellowship advisors.
This is a centrally administered fellowship with placements across the Smithsonian, including at SERC. Please visit the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP) page for further details on qualifications, stipend amounts, and application instructions.
You can also learn more about the research conducted at SERC and visit our tips for applying to fellowships resource.
Contact
Heather Richardson
RichardsonHF@si.edu
About SERC and the Smithsonian Institution
SERC is a research center of the Smithsonian Institution, located in Edgewater, MD on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, approximately 10 miles south of Annapolis, 40 miles east of Washington DC, and 40 miles south of Baltimore. SERC’s 2,650-acre campus is a living laboratory for long-term ecosystem research on forests, farmland, wetlands, shorelines, and estuaries. The SERC campus contains a laboratory and office complex, as well as education and waterfront facilities, dormitories for interns, and guest housing for visitors.
The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact RichardsonHF@si.edu. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures.
The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that a workforce comprising a variety of educational, cultural, and experiential backgrounds support and enhance our daily work life and contribute to the richness of our exhibitions and programs. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. See Smithsonian EEO program information: si.edu/oeo.
