Applications for this program will open on July 21, 2026 and will be due 11:59 p.m. MT, October 16, 2026. Applications will not be accepted past this date. We will be scheduling a Question and Answer session in the August | September timeframe to answer any application questions people may have. Information on this will be posted here. 

 

A program designed to train the next generation of climate research leaders

The UCAR Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS) help prepare the next generation of weather and climate leaders and workforce by managing fellowship, visitor and workshop programs that meet emerging needs of the atmospheric and related sciences communities.

This fellowship program is designed to provide an independent research opportunity to recently graduated PhDs who want to pursue 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.

Experienced scientists at U.S. universities and research institutions host the appointed fellows, providing mentoring and a collaborative environment to carry out their research projects.

Advance contact with a potential Host is required. For additional information, see How Hosting Institutions Apply in the menu to the right. Interested host scientists are required to submit a brief letter of intent to host the fellow, a curriculum vitae, a mentoring plan, and a list of current and pending research support. Hosts are expected to mentor the fellow and provide office, computing, laboratory, and field research needs for the fellow as appropriate. Co-hosts are allowed, see How Hosting Institutions Apply in the menu to the right for details on how to submit co-host material. 

Qualifications

Applicants must have a PhD degree in an area related to climate change research and have completed their defense of the degree before starting the fellowship. Preference is given to new graduates who are seeking their first postdoctoral position and who have held a PhD for no more than three years from the application deadline. Awardees must change institutions in the absence of compelling circumstances.

U.S. citizenship is not a requirement of the Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Fellows must be hosted by a mentoring scientist at a U.S. University or Research Institution (including Federal laboratories and FFRDCs).

Please review Selection Criteria and Program Policies before applying.

Application Notes

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): 
    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.  
  • 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:

  • 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. 
  • Conduct independent or collaborative research in accordance with a proposed plan aligned with the goals of the program.
  • Publish and present research results at seminars and conferences.
  • Pursue outside activities that advance professional growth, such as contributing to educational programs, serving on committees, and attending workshops.

  • Participate in monthly networking telecoms with other Fellows, focusing on professional development and science.

     

Who We’d Love To Join Our Team

Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria: 

Education & Experience

  • PhD degree related to climate or global change research. 
    • 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.
    • 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.
  • Awardees must change institutions. 
    • Only in compelling circumstances will this requirement be waived.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

  • Ability to work independently and conduct research with minimal supervision.
  • 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

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

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:

  • Why are you specifically interested in a C&GC Postdoctoral Fellowship?
  • How did you demonstrate leadership and service in your community, and how would you bring and grow this experience during a C&GC Fellowship? 
  • 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.

  • Research Proposals must describe an actual, novel research project.
  • Research Proposals must be original to the applicant and cannot be derived from a previously funded proposal from another funding agency.
  • 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 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 host material (Resumes, Mentoring Plans, and Current and Pending Research Support) from each co-host. 

  • 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

NOTE: You can work with a host institution not listed on the UCAR Database of Hosts. Please see How Hosting Institutions Apply for more information.

5. Letters of Recommendation

You will be asked in the Workday application to provide the names and contact information of TWO individuals who could provide references on your behalf. Your PhD advisor does not have to provide a reference for you. If you would like your PhD Advisor to serve as a reference, you need to provide their name in both the Advisor and Reference boxes. No letters of recommendation are required at the time of application. 

NOTE: Ensure that you inform your TWO references that they can expect a request from CPAESS|UCAR in the second half of October 2026 to complete a questionnaire that will serve as a Recommendation; these will be due by the end of October 2026.

For additional information, please visit the Climate & Global Change How to Apply website.

Application Submission Steps

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”.

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. 

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 Cindy Brueyère (bruyerec@ucar.edu).