Faculty Early Career Development Program

The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) most prestigious award mechanism aimed at supporting early-career faculty who have demonstrated exceptional potential to serve as academic role models in research and education. This program reflects NSF’s commitment to fostering the integration of research and education and building a firm foundation for leadership in both domains over the course of an academic career. The CAREER program is a Foundation-wide initiative, available across multiple NSF directorates and offices, including Biological Sciences, Engineering, Computer and Information Science, STEM Education, Geosciences, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, and more. CAREER awards are designed to provide early-career faculty with stable support over a five-year period, enabling them to advance both their research and educational missions. These grants are expected to total a minimum of $400,000, and in certain directorates—such as Biological Sciences, Engineering, and the Office of Polar Programs—the minimum is increased to $500,000. The funds can support a variety of activities, including PI and student salaries, education and outreach initiatives, international collaboration, industry partnerships, and other integrated research and education goals. The CAREER award also positions recipients to be considered for the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), a prestigious honorary recognition that does not provide additional funding but highlights community service and innovative research. Eligibility is strictly defined. Applicants must hold a doctoral degree in a field supported by NSF, be engaged in research in NSF-supported areas, and occupy at least a 50% tenure-track or tenure-track-equivalent assistant professor position in a U.S. institution of higher education or an eligible nonprofit, non-academic U.S.-based organization. They must be untenured and not have previously received a CAREER award. Additionally, eligibility is limited to three proposal submissions throughout a faculty member’s career, although withdrawn or returned proposals do not count toward this limit. No co-principal investigators are allowed, and a required Departmental Letter must accompany all proposals, affirming the PI’s eligibility and institutional support. The application must be submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov and must adhere to NSF’s Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). A detailed project description of no more than 15 pages is required, outlining both research and educational components, and how they are integrated. Proposals must also include supplementary documentation such as a Departmental Letter, a PECASE eligibility statement (if applicable), and letters of collaboration if third-party support is relevant. Co-PIs are not allowed, and proposals that violate this rule will be returned without review. The application deadline is the fourth Wednesday in July every year, with the next expected deadline being July 23, 2025. This makes the program an annually recurring opportunity. While there are no pre-application deadlines or required letters of intent, applicants are encouraged to begin the application process early, particularly for new NSF users or organizations requiring new registrations. Reviewers will evaluate proposals based on NSF’s two core merit criteria: Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts. Proposals are also subject to additional program-specific review criteria and compliance checks. For general inquiries, applicants can contact the Faculty Early Career Program via email at nsf-ccc@nsf.gov or by phone at (703) 292-5111. NSF also provides a list of directorate-specific CAREER contacts on its official CAREER program website. Applications must be submitted electronically and meet all formatting, documentation, and compliance requirements in order to be reviewed. Failure to comply with submission guidelines or eligibility rules will result in the proposal being returned without review.