OBS Postdoctoral Fellowships
The OBS Postdoctoral Fellowships from Carnegie Science fund independent research in observational, theoretical, and instrumentation astrophysics, offering access to top telescopes and computational resources.
Funder: Carnegie Science
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2026: CTAC and other Theoretical Astrophysics Fellowships full application deadline (projected) | November 2026: Carnegie Fellowship (Observational/Instrumentation) full application deadline (projected) | November 2026: Reference letters deadline for Carnegie Fellowship applications (projected)
Funding Amounts: Annual stipend ~$84,500; research budget ~$12,000/year; 2-year term with possible 3rd year renewal
Summary: Supports independent postdoctoral research in observational/theoretical astronomy and instrumentation, with access to premier telescopes and computational resources.
Key Information: These are highly competitive, independent fellowships for early-career researchers; U.S. and international applicants are eligible.
Description
Carnegie Science Observatories offer several prestigious postdoctoral fellowships for early-career researchers in observational astronomy, theoretical astrophysics, and astronomical instrumentation. Fellows pursue independent research, often collaborating with leading scientists at Carnegie and partner institutions. The programs provide access to world-class observing facilities at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile (including the Magellan, du Pont, and Swope telescopes), high-performance computing resources, and institutional memberships in major astronomical surveys. Theoretical fellowships include the Carnegie Theoretical Astrophysics Center (CTAC), Carnegie-Caltech, and Carnegie-USC fellowships; observational and instrumentation opportunities are available through the Carnegie Fellowship and the Brinson Prize Fellowship. Fellows are expected to engage in innovative research that advances the frontiers of astrophysics and may also contribute to broader impacts in the astronomical community.
