2026 SUMMER RESEARCH AND STEWARDSHIP INTERNS
posted 01.20.2026
Great Hollow offers paid summer internships to undergraduate or graduate students who are majoring in the natural sciences and have a strong academic record and an interest in field biology. Interns work under Great Hollow’s scientists to assist with summer research projects, during which they gain experience in study design and a variety of field methods. Interns also help with miscellaneous office duties, community events, animal care, and facility and trail maintenance, and otherwise contribute to the general day-to-day operation of Great Hollow. Internships are typically 8 weeks long, beginning around June 1. They include a stipend of $450/week as well as shared, on-site housing for those who do not live locally.
Great Hollow is currently accepting applications for two internship positions for the summer of 2026. To be able to assist with this summer’s projects, applicants must have a strong ability to identify northeastern forest birds by sight and sound (ability to identify forest vegetation and experience collecting invertebrates are a plus, but not necessary). The interns will mainly assist with the second year of a study investigating the responses of birds, bats, arthropods, and vegetation to forest thinning intended to enhance habitat for the New England cottontail. The interns will be primarily responsible for conducting fixed-radius point-counts of birds in treatment and reference plots at Housatonic State Forest, about an hour’s drive from Great Hollow (vehicle provided). As such, applicants must be skilled at independently identifying birds by sight and sound (experience solely from a college ornithology course is insufficient). As part of this project, the interns will also be responsible for processing sound files from acoustic bat recorders (training provided) and surveying vegetation and arthropods. Interns will also process sound files from bat recorders deployed at Great Hollow for a study of the impacts of light pollution on bats.
Outside of the field research activities, the interns will help with invasive plant removal, trail maintenance, pollinator garden maintenance (weeding, mostly) miscellaneous office duties, facility maintenance and cleaning, care of our non-releasable birds of prey, and occasional outreach events, to contribute to the general day-to-day operation of Great Hollow.
Internships begin around June 1 and last approximately 8 weeks (start and end dates slightly flexible). Interns receive a weekly stipend of $450 and free on-site, shared housing.
Minimum Qualifications
-Completion of at least 2 full years of a 4-year university program, majoring in natural resources, conservation biology, ecology, wildlife management, or a similar field.
-Strong ability to identify northeastern U.S. forest birds by sight and sound. Experience gained solely from the lab section of a college course is insufficient. Applicants must demonstrate other sources of experience (e.g., prior field positions, atlasing efforts, volunteer work, extensive birding as a hobby, etc.). Specific experience with point-count survey methods is a big plus. Experience with vegetation surveys and/or arthropod sampling (beat-sheeting) is also a big plus but not required.
-Ability to enjoy working outdoors for several hours, sometimes under uncomfortable (e.g., hot, buggy) conditions.
-Ability to wake up very early in the morning (4:30 am) to do point-counts
-Ability to hike on rugged terrain for long periods.
-English fluency and ability to verbally communicate effectively.
-Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
-Ability to live in shared, drug-free and smoke-free housing with respect for others.
-Proof of existing health insurance coverage (not provided with internship).
-U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S.
The deadline to apply is March 1, 2026. To apply, please assemble a single PDF containing (1) a cover letter that includes a clear description of your relevant experience with Northeastern forest bird ID; (2) a resume or CV; and (3) contact info and your relationship to at least two professional references, and email the PDF to Great Hollow’s executive director Chad Seewagen (). Please label the PDF as “Last name_first name” and put “Last name_2026 Internship Application” in the subject line of your email. Applications that fail to follow these basic instructions may be disqualified.
POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP IN ANIMAL ECOLOGY (OPEN-TOPIC)
posted 12.04.2025
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 headquarters 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) 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. Applicants may work on any taxa and in any discipline that is relevant to the biodiversity and ecological communities of the northeastern U.S., but animal ecologists will be 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 2026 and who meet all other qualifications below are also eligible to apply.
The selectee will be the third person to hold this fellowship since it was created in 2021 to increase Great Hollow’s research capacity and output. Following their time at Great Hollow, the previous two fellows moved on to post-doctoral research at the University of Rhode Island and a permanent position as the Director of Bird Conservation for the Audubon Society of Rhode Island.
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. The preserve is predominantly second-growth deciduous and mixed forest, with streams, a beaver impoundment, 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.
Great Hollow also operates as a biological field station that is open to external researchers. Facilities at the preserve include 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 is affiliated.
Primary Responsibilities
The Fellow will be responsible for designing and leading ecological research at Great Hollow Nature Preserve and/or other appropriate sites in collaboration with and under the mentorship of Great Hollow’s executive director, Dr. Chad Seewagen. The Fellow will be expected to submit the work for publication within the 24-month fellowship period. Projects that have a clear application to conservation and management are preferred but not required. The Fellow will be expected to apply for extramural funding to help support their research, but their project should be designed to still be feasible if efforts to secure external funding are unsuccessful. A modest internal budget of $2,500 per year for direct research expenses will be provided if external funding is not acquired, and Great Hollow’s summer interns will be available to the Fellow for field assistance.
Apart from their core project, the Fellow will also be responsible for supporting other research projects of Great Hollow’s, including field work, data analysis, and manuscript preparation. The Fellow will be a co-author on any publications that result from projects to which they sufficiently contributed.
The third major 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 the Fellow’s project and Great Hollow’s other research projects. 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.
Secondary Responsibilities
Great Hollow has a small staff, and everyone wears many hats. The Fellow will be expected to contribute to the general day-to-day operation of Great Hollow as a member of that small staff. Examples include occasional assistance with education and outreach programs, community events, raptor care, land management, trail maintenance, facilities maintenance, and content creation for Great Hollow’s website, social media, email newsletter, and annual report.
Timeline
The term of the fellowship is 24 months, with minor potential for extension. The start date is somewhat flexible and can be tailored to the timing of the Fellow’s anticipated field season but is preferred to be sometime during the late winter or early spring of 2026.
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 2026 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.
- 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.
- Ability to live in 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 and Housing
On-site housing is provided to the Fellow for free and with free utilities. The Fellow will also receive a compensation package that includes a salary of 45,000 per year, full reimbursement for personal enrollment in the ConnectiCare health insurance program, and a year-end, performance-based bonus. The housing includes a private bedroom with a queen bed in our staff house at Great Hollow. Up to three seasonal staff members/interns may also temporarily stay in the house from late May through July each year; the remainder of the year, the Fellow will have the house to themselves. The house is a fully furnished farmhouse with two bedrooms and a loft, fully equipped kitchen, living room, dining room, den, and 1.5 bathrooms. A free washer and dryer are 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. Great Hollow is somewhat isolated, with no public transportation service and no amenities within walking distance, so applicants are strongly encouraged to have their own vehicle.
Application Instructions
Please submit the following to apply
- A single PDF containing:
- Cover letter
- CV
- 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 project ideas that you might propose as the Fellow. The projects should be feasible to conduct with minimal resources and within the timeline of the fellowship. They are not meant to be written in stone, but rather for us to get a general sense of applicants’ interests and ability to identify feasible projects, and to be a starting point for future discussion. Note that projects do not have to be conducted at Great Hollow Nature Preserve, but should be achievable using study sites within about an hour’s drive. Great Hollow sometimes does research farther away, but for this fellowship, we would prefer the project to be in the CT/NY area.
- Contact information for, and relationships to, two to three professional references
2. PDFs of up to three selected publications
The deadline to apply is February 1, 2026. Applications should be addressed to Great Hollow’s executive director, Chad Seewagen, and emailed to . 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.