OBS Postdoctoral Fellowships
Carnegie Science's OBS Postdoctoral Fellowships support independent research in observational and theoretical astrophysics and instrumentation, providing access to world-class telescopes and computational resources.
Funder: Carnegie Science
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2026 (CTAC / Carnegie-Caltech / Carnegie-USC Theoretical Astrophysics Fellowships) | November 2026 (Carnegie Fellowship in Observational Astrophysics application & references)
Funding Amounts: Annual salary ~$84,500–$85,750, research budget ~$12,000/year, duration 2–3 years (renewable); see details by fellowship.
Summary: Supports early-career researchers in observational/theoretical astronomy and instrumentation with access to premier facilities and resources.
Description
The Carnegie Science Observatories’ postdoctoral fellowships provide early-career researchers with the opportunity to pursue independent research in observational astrophysics, theoretical astrophysics, or astronomical instrumentation. Fellows have access to world-class observing facilities in Chile (including the Magellan, du Pont, and Swope telescopes at Las Campanas Observatory), as well as advanced scientific computing resources (notably a share in the Resnick HPC Center at Caltech).
Fellows are encouraged to collaborate with leading astronomers, astrophysicists, and engineers, contributing to major advances in fields such as exoplanet detection, galaxy evolution, cosmology, and instrumentation development. The Carnegie Science environment fosters innovation, independence, and cross-disciplinary research.
Multiple fellowship tracks are available, including:
- Carnegie Fellowship in Observational Astrophysics
- Carnegie Theoretical Astrophysics Center (CTAC) Fellowship
- Carnegie-Caltech Theoretical Astrophysics Fellowship
- Carnegie-USC Theoretical Astrophysics Fellowship
- Brinson Prize Fellowship in Astronomical Instrumentation
Each program has its own focus and may involve collaboration with partner institutions (Caltech, USC).
