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Pioneer Postdoctoral Fellowship

Pioneer Fellowships

Pioneer Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Resnick Sustainability Institute's Pioneer Postdoctoral Fellowship recruits outstanding recent PhD graduates to pursue research and training in exciting areas relevant to sustainability at Caltech. This fellowship will afford researchers access to cutting edge facilities, training, and broad expertise in the science and engineering needed to tackle pressing challenges in sustainability. We anticipate making up to 3 awards. We welcome applicants with exceptional backgrounds in research and are committed to diversity and creating an inclusive, equitable culture.

The fellowships will be awarded for up to 2 years in support of individuals pursuing projects aligned with the overall mission of the RSI, to address challenges and opportunities associated with climate change and the stewardship of natural resources.

Eligibility

  • Proposed research must fall broadly within the research areas of the Resnick Sustainability Institute, as outlined here.
  • Candidates must have a PhD in the relevant field before beginning their appointment, and should have received their PhD within 5 years of starting the appointment.
  • Candidates must secure a commitment from one or more Caltech faculty members to serve as a mentor and to provide office/lab space for the fellowship. Mentors will be expected to provide a 50% cost-share for the fellowship.
  • The intent of this fellowship is to attract exceptional talent to Caltech. Accordingly, to be eligible, an applicant must currently reside at another institution, or not have started a position at Caltech beyond a period of 6 months prior to the application due date.
  • Candidates may have received their degrees at any university in the world. Foreign nationals are eligible; proficiency in English is expected.

Compensation

Fellows will receive up to $90,000 in salary support from RSI over two years, with the remainder (up to the market rate for their field) supplied by their supervisor at Caltech, or other fellowship support. RSI will also provide a small discretionary fund of $9,000 for use during the fellowship period (for conference travel, purchase of laptop or other research supplies as needed). Fellowships must be renewed each year, contingent on satisfactory review.

Application information

The required application materials include:

  1. A cover letter
  2. A nomination letter from a Caltech faculty host - please submit this letter of support directly to the RSI using the email above.
  3. Two confidential reference letters, sent directly from the letter writer.
  4. A CV
  5. A Research statement, no longer than 3 pages, single-spaced, 1-inch margins, Times 11-point font or larger (not including references).
  6. A 1-page statement of research impact that describes, as quantitatively as possible, the potential global impact of the research project, if successful. The applicant should identify the relevant metric(s) for global sustainability related to their project.

Timeline and Evaluation

Due to the disruptions caused by the Eaton fire, the 2025 application deadline has been extended by one week. The new deadline for applications is Monday, January 20, 2025 at 1:00 PM PST. Email all application materials to RSIPioneerFellow@caltech.edu

Applications will be evaluated by a campus-wide faculty committee, which will create a recommended finalist slate. Decisions will be based on the committee's assessment of the applicant's academic qualifications, the strength and potential sustainability impact of the applicant's research proposal, and the applicant's potential to further the program's goal to support scientists and engineers who will become global leaders in the sustainability research.

Please contact RSIPioneerFellow@caltech.edu with any questions.