David H. Smith Postdoctoral Conservation Research Fellowship Program
The David H. Smith Postdoctoral Conservation Research Fellowship funds early-career scientists to conduct innovative, applied conservation research in the U.S., with mentorship and professional development from the Society for Conservation Biology.
Funder: Society for Conservation Biology
Due Dates: September 30, 2026 (Full application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Two-year postdoctoral fellowship: $74,263 (2027) and $76,490 (2028) annual salary plus $45,000 total research/travel funds and benefits.
Summary: Supports early-career scientists to conduct innovative, applied conservation research in the U.S. or its territories, with intensive mentorship and professional development.
Key Information: Applicants must have earned their doctorate after April 1, 2024 and before August 31, 2027; research must be U.S.-focused; international applicants welcome with U.S. host.
Description
The David H. Smith Postdoctoral Conservation Research Fellowship Program, administered by the Society for Conservation Biology, is a prestigious two-year fellowship supporting early-career scientists in conducting innovative, solutions-oriented research addressing urgent conservation challenges in the United States and its five permanently inhabited territories. The program emphasizes bridging research and practice, leadership development, and building a diverse, supportive cohort of conservation professionals.
Fellows design and lead original applied research projects in close collaboration with a team of at least two mentors—one academic and one practitioner—ensuring strong connections to real-world conservation management or policy. The fellowship includes intensive professional development through retreats, leadership training, and lifelong membership in the Society for Conservation Biology. Projects are expected to go beyond prior doctoral work and demonstrate transformative potential for conservation practice or policy.
