Climate & Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship

About the Role

The Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral (C&GC) 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 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. C&GC Fellows are UCAR employees and receive a fixed annual salary, plus UCAR’s benefits and allowances for relocation, travel, and publications.

Research Focus Areas

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.

Responsibilities

• Focus on advancing Climate and Global Change Science, including 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

Qualifications

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 Requirements

Application Deadline: 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 (see below for complete list of required materials)

Application Documents (compile into one (1) PDF in the order listed):

• Personal Statement (2-page limit, 12 pt. type size) addressing:
  • 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?
  • Justification statement, if applicable, to explain any breaks in your career path
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae, including a list of publications. For all publications that are not yet published, please indicate the stage the paper is at (In Development, Submitted, Under Review, or Accepted)
• Research Proposal (Must be titled, 5-page limit, 12 pt. type size) including figures and appendices:
  • Must describe an actual, novel research project
  • Must be original to the applicant and cannot be derived from a previously funded proposal from another funding agency
  • 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
• Host Institution Materials (applicants are responsible for collecting these from their Host(s)):
  • 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 (if co-Hosts, the Letter of Intent should be co-written by both Hosts)
  • Host(s) Curriculum Vitae/Resume (separate documents required from each co-host)
  • Host(s) proposed Mentoring Plan (separate documents required from each co-host)
  • Host(s) list of current and pending research support (separate documents required from each co-host)
• 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: You can work with a host institution not listed on the UCAR Database of Hosts. 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.

Benefits

• Tuition Assistance, time off allowance to attend classes, and other professional development opportunities
• UCAR contributes 10% of your eligible pay into your retirement account; 100% fully vested on day one
• Starting minimum accrual of 20 days of personal time off each year (prorated for less than full-time positions)
• 10 paid holidays
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• Short-term medical leave paid at 100% of your regular salary
• EcoPass for local Colorado residents to use the Denver and Boulder-area transit system at no cost

Pay & Schedule

Compensation Range: $82,650

Position Type: Full time, Term - 6 months or more (Fixed Term)

Length of Position: 2-year term position

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.

Job Location: Boulder, Colorado

Visa Sponsored: Yes

Relocation Assistance: Yes