Temporary (Not Benefit Eligible) • Archbold Station
VISITING SCHOLAR FELLOWSHIP at ARCHBOLD
Archbold will award fellowships of up to $3,000 to visiting scholars for the 2026 field season. The number of fellowships and award amounts will vary depending on the length of study, project needs, and number of proposals received. Awardees will be eligible for free shared housing or discounted private housing based on availability.
Overview
Archbold is a not-for-profit biological field station whose mission is to build and share the scientific knowledge needed to protect the life, lands, and waters of the heart of Florida, and beyond. We are devoted to ecological research, conservation, and education, and our 20,000 acres of natural areas encompass outstanding examples of Florida ecosystems with many endemic, imperiled species, as well as a working cattle ranch. Our staff of about 65 works across eight research programs oriented toward four priority areas: saving the rarest of the rare species and ecosystems; sustaining natural and working grasslands; connecting large landscapes and wildlife corridors; and addressing climate change. We engage with many visiting scientists, interns, and collaborators to address these research priorities, sustain our long-term studies, and maintain a dynamic scientific community.
The purpose of the visiting scholar program is to invite and encourage early career scientists (graduate students and post-docs) to conduct research at Archbold and contribute to Archbold’s vibrant research community. Previous recipients have worked on research questions across various ecosystems (e.g., scrub, grasslands, wetlands), organisms (e.g., plants, birds, herps, mammals, microbes), and subdisciplines (e.g., population ecology, behavioral ecology, agroecology). We welcome applications regardless of the applicant’s familiarity with or prior experience working at Archbold.
Applications will be judged on a combination of relevance to Archbold’s mission, intellectual merit, feasibility, and broader impacts for conservation and education.
Eligibility
Applicants should already be enrolled in a graduate program or appointed as a postdoctoral scientist and studying in any area of field biology. The proposed work must involve research conducted at Archbold (including the Station, Reserve or Buck Island Ranch) and/or the immediate area and include at least 4 weeks (cumulative over one year) based on-site at Archbold.
Previous awardees are not eligible for an award. However, Archbold might consider giving the same individual one award for graduate work and another for a further graduate degree or post-doc work, based on scientific merit and at the discretion of the scientific staff.
Additional details
Award funds may be used to offset costs of travel, supplies, food, or other field-related expenses, or a stipend. Archbold facility use fees are waived. Awardees are eligible for free shared housing or discounted private housing at Archbold based on availability. Awardees can elect to either receive the funds directly (which will generate a 1099 tax form) or establish an account at Archbold to cover non-stipend research expenses.
The awardee must secure the appropriate Federal or State permits for their work before starting but need not have them in hand to apply. If not already obtained, the status of any required permits should be explained in the application. Any studies involving vertebrates at Archbold require an animal use protocol approved by the IACUC of the researcher’s home institution, as well as submission of an Archbold Animal Use Application at least 6 weeks prior to the anticipated start date of the research.
Awardees will be required to submit a Final Report to Archbold, including a summary expense report, within 1 year of receiving an award. They will also be invited to give a seminar describing their work, typically at the Annual Research Symposium. Fellows should acknowledge Archbold Biological Station and the Visiting Scholar Fellowship in resulting publications, theses, and/or presentations.
Evaluation criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
· Intellectual merit and novelty of the project (commensurate with the applicant’s career stage)
· Broader impacts of the project towards education or conservation
· Extent to which project furthers Archbold’s mission and aligns with or complements our four priority areas
How to apply:
Detailed application instructions are provided below. Application materials should be submitted online at ABS Careers. Applicants must also request a letter of reference from their major professor or a faculty member familiar with their research to be emailed to adavid@archbold-station.org with the subject line “Visiting Scholar Reference for APPLICANT NAME”.
Before applying, applicants should reach out to the appropriate Program Director (see link for a list of Archbold programs), as each awardee will need a sponsor from the scientific staff. These contacts should occur well in advance of the application deadline so that potential sponsors can advise on project feasibility. General inquiries can be emailed to Dr. Aaron David (adavid@archbold-station.org)
Awardees will be chosen by Archbold’s senior scientific staff based on relevance to Archbold’s mission, scientific merit, feasibility, and broader impacts for conservation and education in our priority areas.
Applications are due by Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 5 p.m ET.
Fellowship Application Guidelines and Format
Instructions:
· Applications must be received by 5 pm on November 12, 2025. Fellowship recipients will be notified by December 2025.
· Application should include all 4 sections described below.
· Save as a single file in PDF format and upload it to the online portal.
I. Applicant / Project Information (1 page)
· Applicant’s name, affiliation, and contact info, including email address
· Current position (Master’s student, Ph.D. student, or Postdoc)
· Name and contact information of academic advisor
· Project title
· Proposed time at Archbold – number of weeks and time of year
· Sponsoring science program at Archbold (see link)
II. Project Description (3 pages maximum; can be single-spaced; use minimum 11-pt font size and 1” margins) containing the following information:
· Background or introduction
· Study objectives
· Methods
· Expected results & significance
· Broader impacts for education and/or conservation
· Alignment with Archbold’s mission and research priorities
III. Supporting Information (1 page)
· Literature cited – list of key citations; These should be referenced in appropriate places in the text using numbered superscripts or a standard citation format, e.g., Smith (2013) or Smith et al. (2013)
· Budget – list items the grant would be used for and their estimated cost, keeping in mind the max allowable request of $3,000.
· List any Archbold facilities, equipment and field sites that are essential for completing the research
Suggested budget format:
IV. Curriculum Vitae (no page limit)
Archbold is an equal opportunity employer. We take action to ensure equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected status. Archbold will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics and stands proud of its collaborative culture.
Archbold's mission is to build and share the scientific knowledge needed to protect the life, lands, and waters of Florida, and beyond. Archbold’s footprint encompasses the ancient scrub habitats of the Lake Wales Ridge; the Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape; the vast, open ranchlands of Central Florida; and the many waterways that flow south into Lake Okeechobee and then drain to the coasts, touching the lives of millions of Floridians. Archbold studies and protects these natural wonders as ecosystems: as complex networks shaped by measurable natural processes. Our dozens of research sites encompass the pristine sand dunes of the Lake Wales Ridge; the ranchlands and wetlands that make up much of Central Florida; and the rivers that flow south into Lake Okeechobee and beyond.
Today Archbold stewards a rich mosaic of natural habitats, native ecosystems, working lands, and historic buildings at Archbold Biological Station and Buck Island Ranch. The Station and the Ranch serve as the place-based crucible for our innovative science, conservation, and education programs. These draw from a long, deep history, dating back from our beginnings, founded by Richard Archbold in 1941.
