05/22/2026
New job posting at The Nature Institute!
Founded in 1998, The Nature Institute is an independent nonprofit institute in upstate New York with a track record for incisive and thoughtful research studies, adult education programs, and publications. The institute serves as a local, national, and international forum for the development and exchange of ideas about an evolution of science and technology in an effort to realign humanity with the natural world.
The work of the institute focuses on the contemporary
development and practice of the scientific approach first described by the German polymath Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and further developed in the work of Rudolf Steiner. Practiced as a delicate empiricism that can lead to intuitive understanding, this phenomenological approach is rooted in a deep respect for the natural world. It recognizes the significance of direct experience in inquiry, a process that includes giving keen attention to forming concepts that grow in dialogue with the phenomena themselves.
The Nature Institute is one of only a handful of institutes world-wide dedicated to a rigorous application and further development of the Goethean method in ongoing scientific research and training. Over the years, the work has resulted in a highly nuanced, constantly evolving understanding of the intimate connection between human consciousness and the phenomenal world. Developing a scientific understanding that reflects this intimacy provides a basis for a sustainable, healthy future.
We are seeking to expand our team. New colleagues joining the institute will work side-by-side with our current staff and with each other on projects and administrative tasks forming a team able to take the work of the institute into the future. We want to ensure that the core intention of developing and practicing Goethean phenomenology remains at the foundation of the Institute’s work, while recognizing that the new team will bring this intention to expression in its own way.
Currently we are offering a full-time, in-person position for a researcher/educator with a background in the life sciences. Early career individuals are encouraged to apply.
The ideal candidate will have:
• A graduate degree in the life sciences (e.g. botany, zoology, environmental science, ecology)
• Interest in conducting non-reductionist, phenomena-based scientific research and the desire to facilitate a
paradigm shift in the life sciences
• Enough familiarity with the work of The Nature Institute to feel an inner alignment with its goals and
aspirations
• Experience in both teaching and research, especially in developing and implementing observation-based,
field research projects
• The ability to work within a team
• Requisite writing and computer skills
Compensation commensurate with experience. Start date flexible.
Application: To apply, please email the following to [email protected]: (1) cover letter, (2) resume/CV,
(3) a short (not more than 1000 words) description of experiences in your education/research that have been
instrumental in your decision to apply for this position, and (4) contact information for three professional and/or
academic references.
