Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025 | November 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: $99,200 stipend plus $3,000 travel allowance; relocation assistance and health insurance available; typical award duration 2-3 years.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship supporting molecular dynamics and transition state theory simulations of chemical reactivity in materials to develop reaction rate models, with applications in energetic materials, photocatalysis, and synthetic chemistry.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents holding a Ph.D. within the last 5 years; requires contacting a Research Adviser prior to applying.
Description
This fellowship opportunity at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) supports postdoctoral research focused on molecular dynamics simulations and transition state theory to study chemical reactivity in solids and at interfaces. The research aims to develop reaction rate models that connect elementary chemical reactions to observable material reactivity. Current research applications include:
- Decomposition and combustion of energetic materials under gigapascal (GPa) pressures
- Photocatalytic reactions at metal-semiconductor interfaces
- Optimization of wet-chemistry synthetic routes
The program encourages collaboration with theoretical mesoscale modeling groups and experimental material characterization teams to enhance research outcomes.
Key methodologies employed include first-principles calculations, reactive forcefield methods, density functional theory, coupled cluster theory, QM/MM approaches, and mesoscale modeling.
Due Dates
- February 1, 2025 (5 PM ET)
- May 1, 2025 (5 PM ET)
- August 1, 2025 (5 PM ET)
- November 1, 2025 (5 PM ET)
If a deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday, it is moved to the next business day.
Funding Amount
- Base stipend: $99,200 per year
- Travel allowance: $3,000 annually
- Relocation assistance for awardees living more than 50 miles from the host laboratory (after 6 months tenure)
- Group health insurance available for awardees and qualifying dependents in the U.S.
- Typical award duration: 2-3 years
Eligibility
- Citizenship: U.S. citizens and permanent residents only
- Education: Must have earned a Ph.D., Sc.D., M.D., D.V.M., or equivalent research doctorate before starting tenure
- Experience: Postdoctoral applicants must have held their doctorate for less than five years as of the application deadline
- Prior affiliation: Applicants with current or recent prior employment or postdoctoral fellowships at the sponsoring agency may be ineligible; research collaborations are generally acceptable unless continuing with the same adviser or project
- Security clearance: May be required depending on agency policies
Application Process
Steps to Apply
- Review eligibility criteria on the NRC RAP For Applicants page.
- Identify this and other research opportunities via the NRL Opportunities List or the general search tool.
- Contact the Research Adviser listed for this opportunity (Igor V Schweigert, igor.v.schweigert.civ@us.navy.mil) to discuss your research proposal and funding availability.
- Prepare application materials including:
- Research proposal (max 10 pages)
- Previous and current research description (max 4 pages)
- List of publications and presentations (max 2 pages)
- Letters of recommendation (minimum 3, including dissertation adviser)
- Transcripts (for postdoctoral applicants)
- Submit your application through the NRC RAP online system: Start Application.
Application Requirements
- Research proposal must be original, innovative, feasible within 2-3 years, and aligned with the research opportunity.
- Letters of recommendation must be uploaded by letter writers via the online system by the deadline.
- Applicants must notify letter writers to ensure timely submission.
- Applications missing required materials or letters will not be reviewed.
Review Process
- Applications are reviewed by expert panels in chemistry and related fields.
- Each application is evaluated on academic record, research merit, letters of recommendation, and relevance to the host laboratory.
- Scores are assigned on a 100-point scale; scores above 70 typically receive award recommendations.
- Final funding decisions depend on ranking and available slots.
Additional Information
- Awardees may receive relocation support if moving more than 50 miles.
- Health insurance is available and partially cost-shared.
- Annual travel allowance supports conference attendance and fieldwork.
- Applicants who previously held an NRC Research Associateship must wait two years before applying again.
- Applicants can apply to up to three different agencies per cycle but only one application per agency.
External Links
Contact Information
For general questions about the NRC Research Associateship Programs, contact the Fellowships Office at rap@nas.edu or call 202-334-2760.