Opportunities

The Kenneth Jay Boss Fellowship in Invertebrate Zoology provides support to graduate students interested in conducting resident, independent collections-based research in the Department of Invertebrate Zoology (IZ) at NMNH. The fellowships range from one week to up to six months and are awarded preferentially to students researching mollusks, although proposals focused on other invertebrate groups will be considered.

This fellowship was established through a generous donation from the estate of Edward B. and Phyllis E. Reed to enable research on North American freshwater copepods. All copepod biologists actively engaged in research that includes North America freshwater copepods, whether it be collections-based (e.g., systematics, phylogeny, biogeography, comparative morphology, functional morphology, diversity), ecology, conservation or other areas are eligible. Awardees are not required to be in residence in the Washington, D.C. area nor to spend a significant amount of time working in the Smithsonian NMNH Department of Invertebrate Zoology during their tenure. Fellowships are for 1-24 weeks. We especially encourage applicants proposing work on the newly digitally catalogued Frey North American Freshwater Plankton collection.

For more information on the Reed Fellowship please see here

This fellowship was established through a generous donation from the estate of Leonard P. Hirsch (Smithsonian Institution Office of International Relations and Office of the Undersecretary for Science) and Kristian Fauchald (Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Curator of Polychaetes). The Kristian Fauchald Polychaete Research Fellowships provide financial support to enable polychaete biologists from graduate students through senior researchers to conduct independent collections-based research in the Department of Invertebrate Zoology (IZ) at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH).  These funds enable Kristian’s legacy of encouraging and including polychaetologist from around the world in USNM Polychaete Collection research.

For more information on this Fellowship please see here

Fellowships for research and study in the Department are available through the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP), which provides funding for graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, and senior investigators to conduct research in association with Smithsonian scientists. Fellowship durations range from three months to three years depending on fellowship category. 

The Department hosts fellows through the Peter Buck Fellowship Program for full-time, resident, independent research focused on utilizing the NMNH collections and facilities. Multi-year postdoctoral fellowships are generally awarded, often paired with first year awards through the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP), to external postdoctoral scholars who have received a Ph.D. or equivalent within the last five years.

For a complete listing of fellowship opportunities available for placement at NMNH visit the Smithsonian Office of Fellowships & Internships.

Students selected for participation in the Natural History Research Experiences Internship Program may be placed in the Department. Through NHRE undergraduate students are paired with a scientific mentor of their choice to develop and investigate a research project.

A variety of other internship opportunities are available, including paid and unpaid appointments, resident and virtual projects, and short and long-term tenure.

For a complete listing of internship opportunities at NMNH visit the Smithsonian Office of Fellowships & Internships.

For a complete listing of internship opportunities at the Smithsonian, many available for placement at NMNH visit the Smithsonian Office of Fellowships & Internships.