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Join a close cohort of early career scientists

Access to Carnegie's world class research facilities

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Professional development workshops and mentorship

Early Career Excellence

Carnegie's postdoctoral fellows are at the heart of many of our discoveries. They are innovators, collaborators, and community leaders who bring new perspectives to existing research and inspire colleagues to reconceive what is possible.

Each new cohort of postdocs brings fresh expertise, ideas, and abundant energy to our divisions. In return, we provide postdoctoral fellows access to world-class facilities, professional development opportunities, and mentorship that expands their expertise and prepares them for future careers.

Innocent Ezenwa at Microscope

Fellowship Programs

Our three divisions welcome a new cohort of postdoctoral fellows every year. Learn more about what makes each program unique and how to apply. 


Biosphere Science & Engineering

From symbiosis to global ecology, join a community of researchers breaking down the traditional silos in life sciences research. If you are interested in postdoctoral opportunities, please reach out directly to the Staff Scientist whose work aligns with your interests. (Note: This division is in the process of consolidating three locations into a unified site in Pasadena, CA.

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Earth and Planets Laboratory

Join a multidisciplinary cohort of postdocs at our campus in Washington, D.C., where we research a wide range of Earth, planetary, astronomical, and materials sciences. 

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Observatories 

Join one of several postdoctoral fellowship programs in observational and theoretical astronomy and instrumentation at our campus in Pasadena, CA. 

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In their own words

The two words I think of are support and fraternity. I think I will come away with not just some long-term collaborators, but some lifelong friends, as well.

Erika Holmbeck, Observatories Former Hubble Fellow
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I’m surrounded by brilliant people who are supportive and always available if I need help, or want to discuss something, or have questions. It’s just an amazing place to grow as a scientist.

Julien Rojas-Arispe, Former Postdoctoral Fellow Earth and Planets Laboratory
Q&A with Julien open_in_new

Carnegie offers fantastic training, an environment that supports me and my ideas, and a lot of freedom to pursue the things that interest me. I also feel that others genuinely appreciate my work, which has given me a lot of confidence.

Huiqiao Pan, Postdoctoral Fellow Biosphere Sciences & Engineering
Q&A with Huiqiao arrow_forward

It’s an institution that offers everything you need to grow during your postdoc—from the budgets, to the freedom of work, to the network of staff scientists. And of course, in my case, the availability of the telescopes.

Henrique Marquez Reggiani, Former Postdoctoral Fellow Observatories
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Erika Holmbeck at the Magellan telescopes at Carnegie's Las Campanas Observatory
Julien Holds a Sample and Smiles at Camera
Postdoc Huiqiao Pan with newly-sprouted Aeschynomene afraspera plants
Henrique Marquez Reggiani at the Carnegie Observatories Open House

Exceptional Alumni

We recognize that well-trained, well-supported postdoctoral fellows are not only more satisfied and productive—they also leave Carnegie Science with greater professional skills and broader professional networks. Our postdoctoral fellows achieve remarkable success in academia, government, and industry. As alumni, they burnish our reputation as an organization that provides unparalleled opportunities for early career researchers to pursue their paths to discovery. 

Tasuku Honjo

Nobel Laureate

Tasuku Honjo, who was a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie's Department of Embryology in the early 1970s shared the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery a protein on immune cells called PD-1. Honjo revealed that this protein operates as a brake, preventing the immune system from perceiving its own body as a threat— which is called an autoimmune response. But it also holds the body back from fighting cancer as hard as it can. This breakthrough has revolutionized cancer therapy. 

Jane Rigby with JWST courtesy of NASA

JWST Leadership

Jane Rigby, the Operations Project Scientist for JWST, spent four years at the Observatories as both a Carnegie fellow and Spitzer fellow. She is also an astrophysicist in the Observational Cosmology Lab at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Her own research focuses on the evolution of star-forming galaxies and their central supermassive black holes