Seasonal Island Staff
Temporary, seasonal staff jobs support SML programs and operations on Appledore Island from May - September. Duration of employment varies with each position.
Thank you for your interest in a Seasonal Island Staff position at Shoals Marine Laboratory (SML)!
SML facilities on Appledore Island, Isles of Shoals, Maine operate between early May and the end of September each year. SML is a residential field station operated jointly by Cornell University and the University of New Hampshire. Seasonal staff hires are made through the University of New Hampshire.
Seasonal positions are unique, rewarding, and challenging! Students, faculty, and staff all live and work on Appledore Island in a close-knit, teamwork-oriented community. Room & board on Appledore Island and transportation between SML and the mainland are provided for all SML staff. Staff members are housed separately from students in Bartels Hall. Meals are served in Kiggins Commons, where staff dines with the entire island community. Positions are full-time during the season. The work week is generally 5 days residentially on the island, and two days off which may be spent ashore or on Appledore. Start and end dates for seasonal staff vary with each position.
Living and working on a remote island is a unique experience which requires that everyone pitch in to help, even when it is not part of their job description, or during their scheduled hours. This includes, but is not limited to helping clean up after meals, helping transport goods from the vessels to other locations on the island, operating as crew aboard vessels, and generally being supportive and helpful with other members of our community.
All staff serve the island community as a team with each department working together to support SML’s programs. It is everyone’s responsibility to foster a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all.
Staff will be called upon to act as crew members aboard SML's research vessels, therefore a pre-employment background check and participation in SML’s random substance abuse testing program are required.
To apply
Follow the linked job application instructions at the links below for the position(s) you are interested in on the USNH website. Please provide dates of availability in your cover letter.
There are no seasonal positions open at this time. Please check back next spring for summer 2026 season hires.
Year-Round Staff
Year-round jobs include academic and operational positions. These are based at the SML Main Office in Durham, NH from October - April, with time spent on Appledore Island from May - September.
To apply
Follow the linked job application instructions at the links below for the position(s) you are interested in on the USNH website.
There are no year-round positions open at this time.
Questions about employment opportunities at Shoals in 2025? Email shoals.lab@unh.edu!
Fun staff photos from recent years!
