UCSB postdoctoral fellowship in environmental solutions
Mark Buntaine
UCSB has a new fellowship opportunity for postdoctoral scholars seeking to do research on environmental solutions, including in the social sciences. The deadline is December 2 and requires a UCSB faculty sponsor. Please pass this along to anyone who might be interested.
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The Schmidt Family Foundation is generously funding postdoctoral awards to support and develop the future leaders and innovators in environmental science, by supporting exceptional early stage postdoctoral fellows by granting them freedom, funding, and training to innovate, explore, and apply their science to finding solutions to environmental problems. Environmental solutions science is defined broadly and can include natural sciences, social sciences, physical sciences, engineering, law, medicine or any field that has promise to provide near-term solutions for a pressing environmental challenge. Strong emphasis for these awards is placed on advancing science that has direct applications to environmental problem solving, and fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in environmental sciences.
Applicants must be within 2 years of receiving their PhD at the time of application or expect to have their PhD by Sept 1, 2026. The program is open to both US and international students. Applicants from any PhD program, including UCSB, are welcome to apply but UCSB applicants may not be continuing their existing research programs and must be starting new research programs with new mentorship.
Applications are due no later than Tuesday, December 2, 2025 at 11:59 pm PT.
Please review below for important details regarding this award and attached for detailed instructions surrounding eligibility and how to apply:
Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards: The fellowship will include $100,000 per year for two years with the opportunity for a one year extension. This amount will support approximately $72,000 base salary plus health benefits per year with approximately $14,000 left available to support research, communication, or personal expenses as needed at the discretion of the applicant. Recent PhDs from around the world are eligible to apply so long as: 1) they are within two years of finishing their PhD at time of application, 2) they are pursuing applied, solutions-based research, and 3) they have identified an appropriate supportive faculty mentor at UC Santa Barbara.