2025 Carnegie Postdoctoral Fellowships at the Earth and Planets Laboratory

[Diana Roman]

Carnegie Institution for Science’s Earth and Planets Laboratory (EPL) invites applications for postdoctoral fellowships at its campus in Washington, DC.  Multiple positions are available.  EPL is an interdisciplinary basic research laboratory;  research and collaboration with multiple research areas on campus is encouraged. EPL scientists engage in observational, experimental and theoretical research in fields including geophysics, geodynamics, geochemistry, geobiology, volcanology, experimental petrology and mineral physics, planetary science, cosmochemistry, astrobiology, astronomy, data science, and the chemistry and physics of materials.  Fellows conduct independent research in collaboration with Carnegie scientists, and their primary field of research should overlap with one or more of the areas listed above.  New fellows will join a supportive community of about 25 postdoctoral scientists and 30 staff and research scientists engaged in understanding the origin and evolution of Earth and planets and materials under extreme conditions. More information about our research and facilities can be viewed at https://carnegiescience.edu/epl and about our postdoctoral fellowships and experience at https://carnegiescience.edu/about/working/postdocs/epl.

If you are interested in having EPL host your external fellowship, please contact us. Externally funded fellows also have access to our facilities described below. 

Our postdoctoral fellows have access to: world-class laboratory facilities in analytical geochemistry and cosmochemistry, high-pressure research, materials structure and properties characterization, and astrobiology;  computational facilities to support theoretical and data-analytic investigations; and Carnegie’s Las Campanas Observatory. Funding is available for travel to scientific conferences, user facilities, and observation sites, as well as publications. At EPL, we value a culture of mentoring and offer professional development opportunities specifically for post-doctoral scientists. At EPL, we foster an exceptionally collegial research environment and promote mentoring, including professional development opportunities specifically for postdocs. 

Carnegie Postdoctoral Fellowships are awarded once a year. The Fellowship is initially for one year but is typically renewed for up to a total of two years. The positions allow start dates between July 1 and December 31, 2026. Applicants should have a Ph.D. in a relevant field at the time of the start of the Fellowship. The principal selection criteria will be research accomplishment, promise of future achievement, originality and achievability of the research proposal, independence, and relevance to the ongoing scientific pursuits at EPL. Only complete applications submitted online at https://apply.interfolio.com/172660 will be considered and must include: 1) a cover letter (1 page max), 2) curriculum vitae, 3) list of publications; 4) research plan / proposal (4 pages max, inclusive of figures and references), 5) a brief description of previous research (3 pages max, all inclusive); and 6) contact information for three references familiar with the applicant’s work who will be emailed by Interfolio to submit their letters of support.  Applicants may use the cover letter to describe why EPL is a great fit for their research including how they will contribute to a positive research atmosphere. Please read the details and pay attention to page limits given on the Interfolio page.  The deadline for all application materials is November 3, 2025. Address any questions to eplfel...@carnegiescience.edu.

Other postdoctoral opportunities will be posted as they arise at https://apply.interfolio.com/36568/positions. 

Carnegie Institution for Science has a long-standing commitment to equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment. All applicants will receive consideration of employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.  Candidates of any nationality are eligible to apply. Contact us if you would like more information on how we help with visas. Postdoctoral fellows are employees and receive benefits associated with employment; see https://carnegiescience.edu/about/working.