The NOMIS Foundation and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) seek outstanding biologists to join cohorts of three-year postdoctoral fellows based in the Republic of Panama. Research will focus on sociality and the origin, functioning and maintenance of animal societies.

Successful candidates will explore fundamental questions addressing the drivers of social diversity, the origin and maintenance of group living, and the mechanisms of coordination and cooperation in animal societies. Research should be rooted in natural history with a strong field component. Fellows will be resident in Panama, should conduct the bulk of their research in Panama, and will have the opportunity to conduct comparative research throughout the tropics.

NOMIS–STRI Fellows will join the NOMIS Foundation’s vibrant scientific community of interdisciplinary, collaborative scholars. In Panama, NOMIS–STRI Fellows will join a cohort of animal behavior postdoctoral fellows, embedded in STRI’s international community of resident staff scientists, research associates, and more than 1400 annual scientific visitors. STRI maintains research facilities to support terrestrial and marine research throughout the Republic of Panama. In addition, STRI supports long-term monitoring programs of critical environmental variables, an extensive laboratory infrastructure, and a large, bilingual support staff. The Republic of Panama and the adjacent regions of tropical America are phenomenally rich in biodiversity and in terrestrial and marine habitats. For a general overview of the STRI platform, see https://stri.si.edu/about-us.

Deadline: The next deadline for NOMIS-STRI fellowship submissions will be April 15, 2025.

Award: A three-year position with a stipend of $62,000 USD per year and an annual research and travel budget of up to $13,000. Fellows may supplement their yearly research budget by competing for additional intramural and external research funds.

Qualifications: A PhD is required in a relevant field. Candidates must:

• Propose an independent research project of their own design, with an emphasis on field research on animal social behavior and its proximate and ultimate causes, including sensory biology and neuroethology, cognitive ecology, socioecology, neurogenetics, and the genetic or physiological bases of social behavior.
• Identify at least three advisors. At least one of these advisors must be a STRI staff scientist; the other advisors may be other STRI staff scientists or collaborating PI partners. Candidates are strongly encouraged to contact potential advisors well in advance to discuss their proposed project and methodologies, and to request feedback during the application process regarding approach and feasibility, knowledge of the local habitats, species, seasonal variation, and other logistical matters. 
• Top candidates will be asked to present a short (15 min) presentation on their previous and proposed research to the STRI community via zoom. Presentations will take place Thur June 5 and Friday June 6 from 8:30am to 11:30am Panama time. Awards will be announced Monday June 9, 2025.
• We encourage high-risk projects, and ask candidates to highlight such research in their proposal, as well as aspects of their work that are interdisciplinary and might promote synergy among research activities of STRI and partner institutions.

About the NOMIS Foundation
In 2024, the NOMIS Foundation partnered with STRI to establish the NOMIS–STRI Fellowship Program for Animal Behavior Research in the Tropics. The NOMIS Foundation supports and enables insight-driven science across all disciplines, focusing on researchers who put forth bold new ideas, exhibit a pioneering spirit, and seek to inspire the world around them. NOMIS’ vision is to “create a spark” in the world of science by enabling and supporting pioneering research in the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities that benefits humankind and our planet.

To Apply:

Please see here for full application guidelines. All application materials should be submitted via the Smithsonian Online Academic Appointment System (SOLAA). The next call for NOMIS-STRI proposals is April 15, 2025. Awards are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, or disability. STRI is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity in its workforce.

Please address inquiries to STRIFellows@si.edu.