Current Opportunities for National Academies

Jefferson Science Fellowship (JSF)

Opportunity Type: Fellowship
Application Deadline: October 31, 2023
Description: The JSF is open to tenured, or similarly ranked, faculty from U.S. institutions of higher learning who are U.S. citizens. The application period opens in early August and closes at the end of October. Selected Jefferson Science Fellows spend one year on assignment at the U.S. Department of State or USAID as science advisors on foreign policy/international development issues. Assignments are tailored to the needs of the hosting office, while taking into account the Fellows’ interests and areas of expertise. As part of their assignments, Fellows also have the opportunity to travel to U.S. embassies and missions overseas. Following the fellowship year, Fellows will return to their academic career but will remain available to the U.S. government as an experienced consultant for short-term projects.

For the 2017-2018 program year, it is expected that the U.S. Department of State and USAID will host up to 15 Jefferson Science Fellows; the fellowship begins in mid-August.

Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

Opportunity Type: Fellowship
Application Deadline: November 10, 2023
Description:

This year the program will award approximately 24 postdoctoral fellowships. The postdoctoral fellowships provide one year of support for individuals engaged in postdoctoral study after the attainment of the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree. 

Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship Program

Opportunity Type: Fellowship
Application Deadline: November 17, 2023
Description: This year the program will award approximately 60 predoctoral fellowships. These fellowships provide three years of support for individuals engaged in graduate study leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree.

Predoctoral fellowships will be awarded in a national competition administered by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on behalf of the Ford Foundation. The awards will be made to individuals who, in the judgment of the review panels, have demonstrated superior academic achievement, are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level, show promise of future achievement as scholars and teachers, and are well prepared to use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.

Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship

Opportunity Type: Fellowship
Application Deadline: November 10, 2023
Description: This year the program will award approximately 36 dissertation fellowships. The dissertation fellowships provide one year of support for individuals working to complete a dissertation leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree. The Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship is intended to support the final year of writing and defense of the dissertation.

Dissertation fellowships will be awarded in a national competition administered by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on behalf of the Ford Foundation. The awards will be made to individuals who, in the judgment of the review panels, have demonstrated superior academic achievement, are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level, show promise of future achievement as scholars and teachers, and are well prepared to use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.

The Optical Society, Foundation Fellowships

Opportunity Type: Fellowship
Application Deadline: September 02, 2023
Description: The OSA Foundation inspires future optics innovators, supports career development for optics students, recent graduates, and young professionals and recognizes distinguished achievement in the field through the presentation of awards and honors.

OSAF Fellowships are intended to provide career enhancing experiences to recent Ph.D.s (applicants must already hold a Ph.D. prior to the application deadline) through postdoctoral research at an OSAF sponsoring company.

The OSA Foundation, in conjunction with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is excited to announce the launch of The OSA Foundation Fellowship. This new program is designed to provide emerging professionals with a unique, fully-funded employment opportunity at sponsoring OSA Corporate Member research/development facilities across the United States.

The inaugural Fellowship program is looking to pair a qualified early career professional with Thorlabs, Inc for research in Advanced Imaging Systems and Novel Optoelectronic Devices. Founded in 1989, Thorlabs is a vertically integrated photonics products manufacturer. Originally created to serve the laser and electro-optics research market, Thorlabs has extended its product portfolio to play an ever increasing role serving the photonics industry in the areas of research and education, as well as in industry, life sciences, medicine, and defense. Thorlabs’ highly integrated and diverse manufacturing assets include end-to-end semiconductor fabrication including MBE/MOCVD epitaxial wafer growth reactors, fiber towers for drawing glass optical fibers (silica, fluoride, tellurite, and hollow core), extensive glass and metal fabrication, advanced thin film deposition, and optomechanical and optoelectronic design and manufacturing.

Contact Information

National Academies
500 Fifth St. N.W
Washington, DC 20001
www.nationalacademies.org/