Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowships

The Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowships (EAR-PF), offered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), are designed to support early-career scientists in conducting innovative research in the Earth Sciences. Administered by the Directorate for Geosciences through its Division of Earth Sciences, this program recognizes recent Ph.D. recipients who show potential to become leaders in the geoscience community. The goal is to provide independent research opportunities, professional development, and mentorship to help fellows establish their scientific careers. The fellowship program supports efforts to diversify the geosciences field by encouraging applicants to expand their professional networks and research competencies beyond those developed during their doctoral studies. The fellowships are awarded annually, with applicants submitting proposals directly to NSF. Successful proposals must articulate a coherent research plan aligned with the EAR’s disciplinary scope. Interdisciplinary projects and those addressing key challenges identified in “A Vision for NSF Earth Sciences 2020–2030: Earth in Time” are strongly encouraged. The research should enhance understanding of Earth's structure, processes, and evolution, or the life it supports, and proposals solely focused on education are not considered. Importantly, proposals must include a plan for personal professional development, taking up 10% to 25% of the fellowship period. To be eligible, applicants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents, have earned or be on track to earn their Ph.D. by the fellowship start date, and have no more than 24 months of full-time postdoctoral experience by the proposal deadline. Each fellow must affiliate with a U.S.-based eligible host institution—such as an accredited higher education institution, nonprofit research organization, or for-profit research firm. Federally funded research centers and foreign organizations are not eligible. Applicants choosing a host institution affiliated with their doctoral or current organization must justify this choice and include a second mentor from a different organization. The award supports up to 24 months of research and includes a salary based on the U.S. Government OPM GS-11 Step 1 pay scale adjusted for locality, escalated by 3% in the second year. Each fellow also receives an annual allowance of $15,000 for research-related expenses, such as materials, travel, publication fees, and computing resources. Awards are made to the host institution following a pre-award transfer process. The institution administers the funds, including fringe benefits and indirect costs. Full proposals must be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov and adhere to the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide. The proposal package includes a research plan, broader impacts statement, career goals narrative, mentoring letters, data management plan, and institutional certifications. Fellows are subject to standard NSF reporting requirements and may not concurrently hold other fellowships or appointments without prior approval. Awards begin between August 1 and July 1 following submission and are not renewable. Application deadlines occur twice per year: January 14 and October 29, with the program continuing annually on the last Wednesday in October. The next anticipated cycle opens in October 2026. Contact for inquiries includes Nicole M. Gasparini (703-292-8550) and Aisha R. Morris (703-292-7081), or the program email earpf@nsf.gov. Additional information and instructions are available on the NSF website.

Justify host organization and mentor choice clearly; proposals at existing institutions require an additional mentor; ensure professional development plan covers 10–25% of time; follow page limits and submission formats strictly.