Postdoctoral Research Program

General Information

Description

The Fusion Energy Postdoctoral Research Program offers recent doctoral degree recipients the opportunity to conduct research in the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) fusion energy research and development programs.  Participants acquire experience and training in areas of fusion energy, interact with outstanding scientists and engineers, and have access to advanced equipment and facilities.  Appointments are made to designated DOE laboratories, universities, and contractor fusion energy centers.

Eligibility and Selection 

An applicant must have received a doctoral degree in an appropriate science or engineering discipline within three years of the desired starting date or expect to complete all requirements for such a degree prior to the desired starting date.  The desired starting date must be before December 31 of the application year. U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status is also required.

The selection of participants is based on academic records; recommendations; science and engineering background; interests and professional goals; statement of research to be performed; compatibility of research interests with the sponsor's research programs and resources; and availability of funds, staff, programs, and equipment.  Preference is given to applicants who request a participating facility other than the one where the doctoral degree was obtained.

Benefits and Obligations

Appointments are for one year, normally renewable for a second year.  Participants receive an annual stipend of $50,400 plus limited reimbursement for health and medical insurance costs (currently $339.48 per month single coverage and $868.86 per month family coverage).  Inbound travel and moving expenses are reimbursed according to established policies.

Participants must show proof of health and medical insurance.  Appointments are for full-time research at the host facility.

Deadline 

Completed applications and all supporting materials should be received by March 1, 2009.  Appointment offers will be announced in April.

Contact

For additional information, contact:  Fusion Energy Postdoctoral Research Program, Attn:  Debbie Alcorn, Science and Engineering Education - MS 36, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, P.O. Box 117, Oak Ridge, Tennessee  37831-0117, Phone:  (865) 576-3428, Fax:  (865) 241-5219, e-mail:  debbie.alcorn@orau.org.

Participating Facilities

Participating facilities for the Fusion Energy Postdoctoral Research Program include all U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences-supported laboratories, universities, and contractor sites.  The following is a partial listing of these centers.

Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
Columbia University, New York, New York
General Atomics, San Diego, California
Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Idaho
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California
Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
New York University, New York, New York
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, California
University of California, Berkeley, California
University of California, Davis, California
University of California, Irvine, California
University of California, Los Angeles, California
University of California, San Diego, California
University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
University of Texas, Austin, Texas
University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia

Other fusion energy centers, including industrial contractors and universities, with programs supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences.