Climate & Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship
Description
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Visa Sponsored Job
Yes
Relocation Assistance Eligible
Yes
Job Location
Boulder, Colorado
Position Type
Full time, Term - 6 months or more (Fixed Term)
Compensation Range
$82,650
*Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.*
Job Description Summary
We are pleased to announce the call for applications for the 36th cohort of Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral (C&GC) Fellowship program.
The Fellowship program has an outstanding reputation for attracting the best and brightest PhDs in the sciences and for training future leaders in Climate and Global Change Science. The C&GC Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is seeking applications from across the full breadth of disciplines contributing to Climate and Global Change Science.
Innovative research within and across disciplines spanning the spectrum of physical, social, and integrated sciences is needed to better understand, predict, plan for, and manage the Earth System and its interactions in a changing climate, as well as how communities experience and are affected by these changes, and how society will pursue low-carbon pathways for a secure and sustainable future. Each appointed Fellow is hosted by a mentoring scientist at a U.S. University, Research Institution, or Federal Agency to work in an innovative climate-related research area of mutual interest, advancing the fundamental science and our understanding of climate-related issues.
Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellows focus on advancing Climate and Global Change Science. This includes research that advances our understanding of the Earth system (e.g., climate, freshwater, ocean, carbon and other biogeochemical cycles), energy, and decarbonization processes. Examples include but are not limited to: observing, understanding, modeling, and predicting climate variability, change, and impacts on seasonal and longer time scales; documenting and analyzing past, current, or possible future climate variability and change; enhancing Earth system model development through improved process representation, novel observational constraints, innovative data assimilation and statistical methods, systematic calibration, evaluation and uncertainty characterization; advancing data assimilation of both atmospheric and terrestrial freshwater processes in order to inform and improve human use of freshwater consumption with high fidelity within global Earth system models and data products; studying the underlying Earth Systems processes, including physical-, chemical-, biological-, biogeochemical-, and coupled human-Earth systems processes, and/or their interactions. In this context, coupled human-Earth system dynamics encompass the mechanisms by which biogeophysical feedbacks and extreme events constrain decarbonization trajectories, institutional decision-making frameworks, and pathways toward climate-resilient, sustainable, and equitable societies. Applications may focus on one discipline or be interdisciplinary, integrating across disciplines.
C&GC Fellows are UCAR employees and receive a fixed annual salary, plus UCAR’s benefits and allowances for relocation, travel, and publications.
Job Description
Application Deadline: This position will be posted until 11:59 p.m. MT, October 16, 2026. Applications will not be accepted past this date.
Required application materials (compiled into a single (1) PDF) :
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Application Questionnaire (answered within the online application)
Ensure you have the names and contact information of your professional reference letter writers handy (Note: you must provide TWO references - one of which may be your PhD advisor), as you must provide it during the application process.
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Full Application Packet
Please refer to the Required Application Documents below for a complete list of required materials.
Background checks are conducted for candidates selected for hire. Learn more.
Work Location: This position is open to anyone seeking in-person research opportunities at any U.S. Universities, Research Institutions, or Federal Agencies, and is not available for remote work. Regardless of flexible work arrangements, UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.
Length of Position: 2-year term position. Successful applicants in this program work under the mentorship of host scientists in areas of mutual interest.
What You Will Do
Here is a brief outline of what one would expect to be responsible for in this role.
Key Responsibilities
Climate & Global Change Postdoctoral Fellows will
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Focus on advancing Climate and Global Change Science. This includes research that advances our understanding of the Earth system (e.g., climate, freshwater, ocean, carbon and other biogeochemical cycles), energy, and decarbonization processes.
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Conduct independent or collaborative research in accordance with a proposed plan aligned with the goals of the program.
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Publish and present research results at seminars and conferences.
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Pursue outside activities that advance professional growth, such as contributing to educational programs, serving on committees, and attending workshops.
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Participate in monthly networking telecoms with other Fellows, focusing on professional development and science.
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Who We'd Love To Join Our Team
Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:
Education & Experience
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PhD degree related to climate or global change research.
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Preference is given to those who are seeking their first fellowship and have held a PhD for no more than three (3) years from the application deadline.
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Applicants must have a PhD degree granted in an area related to climate research, or must be able to complete such a degree and finish all thesis revisions and defense by June 2027 .
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Awardees must change institutions.
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Only in compelling circumstances will this requirement be waived.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
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Ability to work independently and conduct research with minimal supervision.
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Skill in oral and written communication.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1. Prepare, collect, and organize the documents in the order listed below, then combine them into one (1) PDF. See How To Combine Files into One PDF and/or How To Combine PDFs into One File for help.
STEP 2. Submit your application through Workday, including attaching/uploading your Application Documents from Step 1.
APPLICATION DOCUMENTS
Please prepare your application into one (1) PDF document, including all of the following documents, in the order listed below:
1) Personal Statement (2-page limit, 12 pt. type size) addressing the questions below:
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Why are you specifically interested in a C&GC Postdoctoral Fellowship?
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How did you demonstrate leadership and service in your community, and how would you bring and grow this experience during a C&GC Fellowship?
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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. For all publications that are not yet published, please indicate the stage the paper is at, i.e., In Development, Submitted, Under Review, or Accepted.
3) Research Proposal (Must be titled, 5-page limit, 12 pt. type size) including figures and appendices.
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Research Proposals must describe an actual, novel research project.
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Research Proposals must be original to the applicant and cannot be derived from a previously funded proposal from another funding agency.
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Research Proposals must address the broader impact of your research on the community at large.
NOTE: Bibliography/Citations/Literature References are EXCLUDED from this 5-page limit.
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