Ocean Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships | 22 628

Opportunity Information: Apply for 22 628

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Ocean Sciences (OCE) Ocean Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (OCE-PRF) program supports early-career scientists who are ready to lead independent, ocean-focused research soon after completing their PhD. The core purpose of the fellowship is to help promising new investigators broaden their scientific range by working within and across traditional disciplines, building new research partnerships, and gaining access to specialized resources such as unique field sites, major facilities, and other advanced research infrastructure. The program is structured to help fellows move beyond being a strong trainee and into being a visible, connected scientific leader within the ocean sciences community.

Fellows carry out a self-designed research project that aligns with OCE priorities or other NSF ocean-related programs, while being formally affiliated with a U.S.-based host research organization. A key expectation is that the fellowship experience strengthens the fellow’s professional network and research independence, often by encouraging the fellow to work at an institution that is new to them. Alongside the research plan, the fellowship includes a required professional development component that emphasizes mentoring skills and purposeful engagement in conferences and activities aimed at increasing participation of underrepresented groups in STEM. In other words, the fellowship is not only about producing high-quality science; it is also about developing fellows as mentors and community contributors who can help broaden participation in ocean sciences.

Proposals must be submitted directly to NSF by the fellowship candidate (not by the host institution on the candidate’s behalf). Each candidate must name one or more scientific mentor(s) and affiliate with an eligible U.S. host organization. Acceptable primary hosts include U.S. accredited institutions of higher education (including two-year and four-year colleges and community colleges), U.S. non-profit non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research labs, and professional societies that are connected to research or education, and U.S. for-profit research organizations, including small businesses with strong R and D capabilities. This range of eligible hosts is meant to support both traditional academic postdocs and research paths that leverage specialized non-academic settings.

Eligibility to serve as the Principal Investigator (the fellowship applicant) is strict and is checked as of the full proposal target date. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or permanent resident at the time of submission. They must have already earned a PhD or expect to complete it before the required fellowship start date. They also must not have accumulated more than 24 months total full-time-equivalent work in positions that require a doctoral degree, ensuring the program remains focused on scientists at an early post-PhD stage. The proposed project must fit within NSF OCE’s oceanographic research priorities, and the applicant cannot submit the same project concurrently to another program. Proposals that do not meet these requirements are returned without review, and submission represents a formal certification of eligibility; knowingly providing false information can trigger criminal penalties under U.S. law (Title 18, Section 1001).

The solicitation also highlights a strong interest in supporting participation from groups that are historically underrepresented or underserved in STEM. Women, veterans, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in STEM are especially encouraged to apply, as are individuals who attended community colleges or minority-serving institutions such as HBCUs, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Alaska Native Serving Institutions, and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions. This emphasis aligns with the fellowship’s built-in professional development expectations around mentoring and engagement efforts that broaden participation.

In cases where a fellow plans to conduct the fellowship at the same organization where they earned their PhD or where they are currently employed at the time of submission, NSF allows it but sets a higher bar. The applicant must clearly justify why staying at the same institution is important for their research and educational goals, and they must have at least two mentors: one at the host organization and a second mentor at a different organization who represents a new collaboration for the applicant. This requirement is designed to protect the fellowship’s intent of expanding professional networks and avoiding a postdoc experience that is simply a continuation of prior training without new intellectual and collaborative growth.

From the opportunity listing details provided, the program is a discretionary NSF grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 22-628) within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category (CFDA 47.050). The original closing date shown is 2024-11-08, and the listing indicates an award ceiling of 450000.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Ocean Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.050.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-08-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-11-08. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $450,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for 22 628

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