Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowships | 25 500

Opportunity Information: Apply for 25 500

The Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowships opportunity is a National Science Foundation (NSF) program run through the Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) that supports early-career researchers who have recently earned, or are about to earn, a PhD. The fellowship is designed to fund an integrated plan that combines independent Earth science research with structured professional development, with the larger goal of helping promising new investigators build the experience, mentorship, and training needed to grow into leadership roles in the Earth Sciences community. The work proposed must fall within EAR's disciplinary scope, meaning the research questions should clearly align with the kinds of Earth science topics and approaches that EAR supports.

A central theme of the fellowship is growth beyond the applicant's doctoral training. Fellows are expected to use the postdoctoral period to move into new research directions, adopt different tools or methods, or otherwise broaden and diversify the expertise they developed during their PhD. The fellowship also emphasizes expanding a fellow's professional connections, so applicants are strongly encouraged to pursue the award at a host institution that is outside their doctoral institution and outside their organization at the time they submit the proposal. In practical terms, the program is looking for candidates who can show both scientific independence and a clear plan for professional and intellectual stretching, rather than simply continuing the same dissertation work in the same environment.

The award can support a fellowship period of up to two years, and the fellowship is portable in the sense that it can be taken to an eligible host institution. Beyond research, fellows participate in a professional development program that places special emphasis on building mentoring skills. The program also coordinates fellows' engagement in conferences and other activities aimed at increasing participation of underrepresented groups in STEM. The solicitation explicitly signals that NSF is seeking engagement from the full spectrum of diverse talent, and that the fellowship experience should include meaningful exposure to efforts that broaden participation and strengthen the community.

Eligibility and submission rules are split between who can serve as the proposal's submitting organization and who can serve as the principal investigator (PI), which in this case is the fellowship candidate. Proposals may be submitted by U.S.-based for-profit organizations (including small businesses) that have strong research or education capabilities, by non-profit non-academic organizations such as museums, observatories, research labs, and professional societies located in the U.S., and by accredited U.S. institutions of higher education (including two- and four-year colleges and community colleges) acting on behalf of their faculty. If a proposal would send funding to an international branch campus of a U.S. institution (including via subawards or consultants), the proposer must clearly explain why that overseas location benefits the project and why the work cannot be done at the U.S. campus. Several host types are specifically not allowed as primary host organizations, including federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs), NSF-funded FFRDCs, federal agencies, federally funded centers or facilities, and foreign organizations.

To be eligible as the PI (the fellowship applicant), the individual must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or U.S. permanent resident at the time the proposal is submitted. The candidate must have earned the PhD or expect to earn it before the required fellowship start date. They must also be within a strict early-career window: by the program deadline, they cannot have accumulated more than 24 months of full-time-equivalent work in positions that require a doctoral degree. In addition, the same project cannot be submitted concurrently to another NSF program. By signing and submitting, the applicant is formally certifying that they meet these requirements, and the solicitation highlights that intentionally providing false information is a criminal offense under U.S. law (Title 18, Section 1001).

From the opportunity record provided, this is a discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 25-500) under CFDA 47.050, offered by NSF in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category. The original closing date listed is January 14, 2025, and NSF anticipates making around 10 awards. The listing does not provide an award ceiling amount in the provided text, but it clearly describes the program's intent: to invest in high-potential new Earth scientists by pairing independent research support with mentoring-focused professional development and deliberate efforts to broaden networks and participation across the field.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowships" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.050.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-10-03.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-14. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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