The NASA Exoplanet Science Institute solicits applications for Sagan Postdoctoral Fellowships

2015 Sagan Postdoctoral Fellowships

Carl Sagan
The NASA Exoplanet Science Institute solicits applications for Sagan Postdoctoral Fellowships to begin in the fall of 2015. The application deadline is Thursday, November 6, 2014 at 4 pm PST.
The Sagan Fellowships support outstanding recent postdoctoral scientists to conduct independent research that is broadly related to the science goals of NASA's Exoplanet Exploration program. The primary goal of missions within this program is to discover and characterize planetary systems and Earth-like planets around nearby stars. Sagan Fellowships are joined by two other NASA astrophysics theme-based fellowship programs: the Einstein Fellowship Program which supports the Physics of the Cosmos research, and the Hubble Fellowship Program which supports Cosmic Origins research.

We anticipate awarding 5 fellowships in 2015.
The proposed research may be theoretical, observational, or instrumental. This program is open to applicants of any nationality who have earned (or will have earned) their doctoral degrees on or after January 1, 2012, in astronomy, physics, or related disciplines. The fellowships are tenable at U.S. host institutions of the fellows' choice, subject to a maximum of one new fellow per host institution per year (see note on host institutions below). The duration of the fellowship is up to three years: an initial one-year appointment and two annual renewals contingent on satisfactory performance and availability of NASA funds.
We accept the submission of up to two host institutions. The purpose of designating first and second-choice institutions in the application is to provide the program with flexibility should there be several highly ranked applications at any single institution. Barring this circumstance, it is expected that awardees will use their Fellowships at their first-choice institutions. Note that letters of endorsement are required from each of the proposed host institutions.

Applicants:

• Please see the Sagan Fellowship Guidelines for application instructions and detailed program policies. Applicants must follow all of the instructions given in these guidelines.
  
• Please see the Application Submission Page for proposal, reference letter, and institutional endorsement letter submission.
  
• FAQs for applicants are here.
  
• FAQs for awardees are here.
  

A complete application will include:

1. Completed application submission form 2. Curriculum vitae and list of major publications and all first-author papers 3. Summary of previous and current research (not to exceed 3 pages including figures, tables, and references) 4. Research proposal (not to exceed 3 pages including figures, tables, and references). Note: if you are submitting first and second choice host institutions, you may increase your research proposal to 4 pages total (including figures, tables, and references). 5. Three (3) letters of reference each not to exceed two pages. One of the reference letters may come from the applicants advisor, however this is not a requirement. These letters are submitted through a web interface. 6. Endorsement letter(s) from the first (and second) choice Host Institution(s) (if two institutions are submitted). These letters are submitted through a web interface.

The deadline for both applications and all letters of reference is Thursday, November 6, 2014 at 4 PM PST. Offers will be made before February 1, 2015, and new appointments are expected to begin on or about September 1, 2015.
Applicants FAQ page - for questions about the application process
Awardees FAQ page - for questions following an acceptance of a Sagan Fellowship

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For inquiries, email us at: saganfellowship@ipac.caltech.edu.

Meet current and past Sagan Fellows here.