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How Postdoctorates Apply to the Jack Eddy Fellowship

Deadline: January 26, 2024 

There are 5 sections to this page:

Basic Job Function

Duties Include

Requirements

How to Apply

Questions

The current recruitment period ends on January 26, 2024.

UCAR postdoctoral positions are generally for two years with the second year based on continued program funding.  Successful applicants in this program work under the mentorship of host scientists in areas of mutual interest.

Partial relocation costs paid per UCAR’s relocation policy.

Basic Job Function

To conduct research in the emerging field of Heliophysics (the broad field of Sun-Earth connections).  The program is sponsored by the NASA Living With a Star (LWS) Program.

Duties Include 

  • Conducts independent or collaborative research under a proposed plan related to the goals of the program.
  • Documenting the results of the research in scientific publications, and presents these results at seminars and conferences.
  • Pursuing outside activities that advance professional growth, which may include contributing to educational programs, serving on committees, and attending workshops.

Requirements

Education and Experience:

  • Ph.D. in related science
  • Preference is given to those who are seeking their first fellowship and have held a PhD for no more than three years.
  • Awardees must change institutions, in the absence of compelling circumstances.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

  • Ability to work independently and conduct research with minimal supervision.
  • Skill in oral and written communication.

How to Apply

Application Instructions:

STEP 1. Prepare, collect, and organize documents in the order listed below and combine all documents into one (1) PDF. 

STEP 2. You must apply online at the UCAR Career Opportunities Page - this will require you to submit your application through Workday, including attaching/uploading your Application Documents from Step 1.

Please prepare your application into one (1) PDF document, including all of the following documents, in the order listed below:

You will also be completing a Questionnaire in Workday, in which you will be asked for contact information for your PhD Advisor, and three individuals - all of whom will act as your referees; later in the selection process our team may contact them to provide letters of recommendation.

Application Documents (Compiled into one (1) PDF)

1) Personal Statement (2-page limit, 12 pt. type size) addressing the questions below:

  • Why are you specifically interested in a NASA Jack Eddy Postdoctoral Fellowship?
  • How did you demonstrate leadership and service in your community, and how would you bring and grow this experience during a Jack Eddy Fellowship? 
  • Describe the relevance of your proposed research project to the NASA Living With a Star program.
  • Tell us about your past activities related to inclusion, diversity, and equity in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. What will you do to create an inclusive, diverse, and welcoming environment as a Jack Eddy Fellow?
  • Please also add a justification statement, if applicable, to explain any breaks in your career path.

2) Resume/Curriculum Vitae, including a list of publications.

3) Research Proposal (Must be titled, 5-page limit, 12 pt. type size) including figures and appendices.

  • Bibliography/Citations/Literature References are NOT included in this 5-page limit.
  • Proposals must describe an actual, novel research project.
  • Proposals must be original to the applicant and cannot be sourced from a previously funded proposal to a different funding agency.
  • Proposals must address the broader impact of your research on the community at large.

4) Host Institution Materials

The following documents are needed from the Host(s) with whom you intend to work. Applicants are responsible for collecting these materials from their Host(s) and must submit these documents as part of the application packet. If you intend to have co-hosts, the Letter of Intent should be co-written by both Hosts. We require separate documents for the remaining material (Resumes, Mentoring Plans, and Current and Pending Research Support) from the co-hosts. 

*Note that you can work with a host institution not listed on the UCAR Database of Hosts.* 

  • Letter of Intent – in the case of specific laboratory needs, a letter should accompany the application from the specific institution willing to provide the resources.
  • Host(s) Curriculum Vitae/Resume
  • Host(s) proposed Mentoring Plan
  • Host(s) list of current and pending research support

The following institutional departments currently host first-year C&GC Fellows and are ineligible to serve as hosts this year because they are currently hosting Jack Eddy Fellows:

  • Goddard Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
  • National Center for Atmospheric Research, High Altitude Observatory
  • New Jersey Institute of Technology, Physics Department
  • The Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory
  • University of California, Berkeley,  Space Sciences Laboratory

Incomplete applications may not be reviewed by the Steering Committee.

Letters of Reference

Letters of Reference will be requested after the application deadline.  In the Workday online application, you will complete a Questionnaire requesting information for four Referees: your PhD Advisor, and then three additional Referees. We will be contacting them.


Online Application Instructions

You must apply online at the UCAR Career Opportunities Page. Here is a Step-by-Step guide for applying to the Jack Eddy Postdoctoral Fellowship in Workday.

Step 1.

To begin the application process select the "Apply" button. When prompted, create a new account. If you have applied to a different position within UCAR, please sign in to your existing account. 

Step 2.

You will then be prompted to submit your current résumé.  At this point, you will upload your complete application document (i.e., all your application materials as outlined above, including your résumé) as a single PDF document.  Click “Select File” to find your file on your computer, and then select “Next”.

Screen shot of page

Step 3.

Add any missing information and/or edit and verify any pre-populated information on the "My Information" and "My Experience" pages. Continue the application process as prompted.

NOTE: Pertaining to Letters of Recommendation

In the Questionnaire within your Workday application, you provided contact information for your PhD Advisor, and three individuals - all of whom will act as your Referees. But, we will only be requesting letters of recommendation later in the selection process. If needed, our team will contact them to provide letters of recommendation. No letters of recommendation are required at the time of application submission.

Step-by-Step Guide

UCAR Career Opportunities Page

 

U.S. citizenship is not required to participate in this program, but the selected postdoctoral fellows must be hosted at a research institution within the U.S. Appointed scientists are employees of UCAR. The two-year fellowships include a fixed annual salary and benefits: health & dental insurance, paid time off, paid holidays, mandatory participation in TIAA retirement fund, and life insurance. A relocation allowance is provided as well as an allowance for travel to scientific conferences and other support costs.

The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer that strives to develop and maintain a diverse workforce. UCAR is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy.

Whatever your intersection of identities, you are welcome at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). We are committed to inclusivity and promoting an equitable environment that values and respects the uniqueness of all members of our organization.


Questions

Questions on the Workday application process may be addressed to HR Recruiting at hrrecruiting@ucar.edu.

General questions regarding this fellowship program may be addressed to Kate Rodd at krodd@ucar.edu or Cindy Bruyère at bruyerec@ucar.edu.

U.S. citizenship is not required to participate in this program, but the selected postdoctoral fellows must be hosted at a U.S. research institution. Jack Eddy fellows are UCAR employees and receive a fixed annual salary plus UCAR's benefits (health and dental insurance, paid time off, paid holidays, TIAA retirement fund, and life insurance). A relocation allowance and an allowance for travel during the appointment are provided. See Stipend & Benefits for details.

NASA Living With a Star, Heliophysics Division sponsors this program.
UCAR is an EE/AAE who values and encourages diversity in the workplace.