Postdoctoral Fellowships

Postdoctoral fellowships are job opportunities for those who have finished their PhD or will finish their PhD before starting the appointment. These fellowships are typically awarded for 2-3 years of work on a specific project, and in many cases, the applicant must write a proposal of the project they want to complete during the fellowship period. Many different organizations sponsor postdoctoral fellowships and awards, and they all have different application procedures, requirements, and due dates. These fellowships are often very competitive. A list of postdoctoral fellowships and awards related to atmospheric science are listed below.

U.S. Government Organizations

• National Science Foundation (NSF) Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowship: 2-year postdoc fellowships where applicants write their own research proposal to work with a mentor at a university of their choice. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate & Global Change (C&GC) Postdoctoral Program: 2-year postdoc fellowships where applicants write their own research proposal to work with an eligible university host. Applications are usually due in late January.
• National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Advanced Study Program Postdoctoral Fellowship Program: 2-year postdoc fellowships where applicants write their own research proposal to work with scientists at NCAR. Fellows develop research projects in collaboration with NCAR scientists and engineers, but all are expected to choose their own research directions and are responsible for the design and conduct of their projects. Applications are typically due in October.
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Postdoctoral Program: 1-3 year postdoc awards where applicants apply to open research opportunities at a NASA Center, NASA Headquarters, or a NASA-affiliated research institute. Deadlines are March 1, July 1, and November 1 every year. Applicants may only submit one application for one research opportunity per application cycle.
  • More NASA Postdoctoral programs
• Department of Energy (DOE) Postdoctoral Fellowships: Opportunities at DOE national labs or federal research facilities. Due dates vary.
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine National Research Council (NRC) Research Associateship Program: Opportunities across a variety of sponsoring agencies. Applicants must find a research opportunity they want to pursue and contact the proposed research advisor in the opportunity to discuss potential projects and funding availability. Applications are due February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1.
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Postdoctoral Research Program: Appointments of up to 4 years at different EPA centers throughout the U.S.
• Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Postdoc Program: 1-3 year awards at a number of Naval R&D centers and labs. Applicants should view the open opportunities on the website and then contact the research facility or host listed in the opportunity to develop a research proposal with them. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
• Unites States Geological Survey (USGS) Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program: Open research opportunities are listed on the website. Applicants should reach out to the listed contact person on the opportunity to develop a research proposal with them. Application deadlines vary.
• Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) Visiting Fellows Program: 2-year postdoc fellowships to work on a proposal written by the applicant. It is suggested to reach out to a sponsor at CIRES to prepare your application with. Applications are typically due in early January.
• Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships: 1 year postdoc award for a full-time research appointment at nonprofit institutes of higher education or research in the U.S., including universities, museums, libraries, government or national laboratories, privately sponsored nonprofit institutes, government chartered nonprofit research organizations, and centers for advanced study. Applications are typically due in December.
• Cooperative Institute for Modeling the Earth System Postdoctoral Program: This program is a collaboration between the AOS Program at Princeton University and NOAA-GFDL. Applicants propose their own research project in the atmospheric and oceanic sciences and are strongly encouraged to contact GFDL and Princeton University scientists prior to application. Applications are typically due in December.
• Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies Postdoc Program: 1-2 fellowships to work with scientists at CICOES, the University of Washington, the University of Alaka Fairbanks, and Oregon State University. Positions are not tied to an existing project but based on the applicant’s research proposal. Applications are typically due in January.

Universities

• Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Dean's Postdoctoral Fellowship Program: This fellowship will support outstanding scholars in the fields of Earth, oceans, energy, and civil and & environmental engineering, as well as other emerging fields under the umbrella of sustainability. Candidates are encouraged to reach out to potential faculty mentors in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability whose research aligns with their interests.
• Stanford Science Fellows: Candidates are sought who intend to pursue experimental and/or theoretical research in any natural science discipline. All applications will be evaluated by a committee of Stanford faculty from departments across the natural sciences. Each applicant is encouraged to use their research statement to identify faculty members with whom they wish to collaborate. Appointments are for 3 years and applications are typically due in October.
• Institute at Brown for Environment and Society Voss Postdoctoral Research Associate Fellowship: Each year, IBES seeks candidates for distinguished postdoctoral positions in any field of study relevant to environmental research. Voss Postdoctoral Research Associates conduct independent research, and are mentored by one or more IBES faculty. These faculty have expertise in a wide variety of disciplines: Anthropology, Biogeochemistry, Climate Modeling, Ecology, Economics, Environmental History, Epidemiology, Hydrology, and Sociology.
• Dartmouth Neukom Institute for Computational Science Postdoctoral Fellows: Neukom Fellows are interdisciplinary 2-3 year positions for recent PhDs whose research interests or practice cuts across traditional disciplinary boundaries, and has some computational component. Neukom Fellows will be mentored by faculty in two departments at Dartmouth College, take up residence in one department, and will teach one seminar course each year on a subject of their interest. Applications due in December.
• Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP) at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Green Foundation Postdoctoral Appointments: 1-2 year awards, supported by funding from the Green Foundation for Earth Sciences. Before submitting an application, applicants should contact potential IGPP mentors to find out if they have a suitable project.
• Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University Postdoctoral Fellowships in Earth, Environmental, and Climate Sciences: Applicants submit research proposals for 2 year postdoc awards. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact potential mentors at Lamont as early as possible to discuss the possibility of working with them. Applications are typically due in November.
• Columbia Climate School Postdoc Research Program: Successful postdoctoral candidates are matched with Principal Investigators and mentors from across the Climate School, including the Climate School’s research centers and programs, the Lamont-Doherty’s Earth Observatory, Columbia University Medical Center, and other affiliated schools and departments. Proposals may suggest participating in, contributing to, or extending existing multidisciplinary Climate School projects. Candidates are also encouraged to develop new, innovative projects that connect Climate School expertise. In addition to submitting the application and proposal, candidates are encouraged to identify and contact their desired multidisciplinary mentoring team, i.e., two or more senior faculty members or research scientists/scholars at Columbia University with whom they would like to work during their appointment.
• Scripps Institutional Postdoctoral Program: Applicants should reach out to potential mentors at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography before applying.
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Postdoctoral Scholar Program: 18-month scholarships where awardees conduct independent research in association with one or more members of the Resident Scientific or Senior Technical Staff. Communication with potential WHOI advisors prior to submitting an application is highly recommended and sponsor support for research activities will be considered in the award selection. Applications typically due in October.
• Harvard Environmental Fellows Program: 2 year fellowship to work with Harvard faculty members in any school or department on a project that tackles environmental issues. Potential candidates should start early to identify and establish a relationship with a Harvard faculty member to host their research.
• Princeton University Future Faculty in the Physical Sciences: We aim to appoint a diverse cohort of early career scientists who will conduct research in physics, broadly defined to include the subdisciplines of astrophysics, biophysics, geophysics, and planetary physics. The Fellowship aims to increase excellence at Princeton by bringing scholars with unique backgrounds and insights, whose work will contribute to the promotion of groups that have been historically, and are presently, under-represented in physics and related fields

Private Sector Organizations

• L’Oreal for Women in Science postdoctoral fellowships: Awards 5 women postdoctoral scientists annually with grants of $60,000 each for their contributions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields and commitment to serving as role models for younger generations. Applications typically due in February.

Non-U.S. Organizations

• Humboldt Research Fellowship: Awards for extended stays (6-24 months) in Germany to complete research in cooperation with an academic host. Selection committee meets every March, July, and November.

Application Tips

• "Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Postdoctoral Fellowship"
• "Ten Simple Rules for Selecting a Postdoctoral Position"
• Applying for Postdocs Tips
• Contact mentors/hosts you are interested in applying to work for as soon as possible. Most fellowships have limitations on the number of applicants a mentor/host can endorse.

Contents of this page were largely curated by Ernie Lewis, who approved of the distribution of this information.