Announcement of Opportunity

Important Dates and Deadlines

• The STScI online application portal will be activated on Friday, August 11, 2023.
• Applications received by Friday, October 6, 2023 11:59 p.m. EDT will receive full consideration.
• STScI Fellowship interviews are anticipated in January 2024.
• Award offers for both Fellowships are anticipated for the end of January 2024.

General Information

Awards are made on the basis of a review by a committee of the requested application materials submitted by the applicant, as specified below, and three letters of reference submitted on the applicant’s behalf. Each fellowship description page contains the specific review criteria and weighting that the committee will use to score applications. We seek applicants with high potential who demonstrate both depth of knowledge in their chosen field and breadth of knowledge across other fields, with the ability to work independently and communicate clearly. Applicants should demonstrate enthusiasm for coming to work at STScI and highlight synergies with the science and missions of the institute.

Application

Only application materials received by the deadline will receive full consideration. All application materials must be submitted via the fellowship application form. Incomplete applications and/or applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

Application Materials

The following materials are required for all Fellowship applications:

• A cover letter (maximum two pages);
• A curriculum vitae and list of publications;
• A statement of past, current and proposed research (maximum four pages);
• The names of three individuals who can provide letters for reference for the applicant.

Additional requirements for STScI Fellowship applicants:

• A statement of technical skills and interests relevant to supporting STScI missions (maximum one page).

Figures must be included within the page limits. References do not count towards the page limits. Any application missing any of the requested documents will be rejected without review.

Strong applications will address why the applicant wishes to work at STScI, highlight synergies with STScI’s goals, missions, research, and staff, and explain how holding a Fellowship at STScI will support their scientific development and career goals.

Please produce all documents as a single PDF file with text that is at least an 11-point font and displayed single spaced. Submission should be US Letter (8.5 x 11 inch / 21.6 x 28 cm) size with at least one-inch margins on all sides, or equivalent.

Research Proposal

The research statement should describe past and current research, and formulate a plan of proposed research to be carried out during the Fellowship. Proposed research should be related to or motivated by current problems in astronomy and astrophysics, with a clear plan of work, milestones and deliverables. This document should be no longer than four pages in total, including figures. References do not count towards the page limits. The review committee may ignore pages in excess of the stated limits.

Statement of Technical Skills and Interests

STScI Fellowship applications must include a statement on technical skills and interests. This can include any specific technical skills relevant to the operation of ground-based or space-based observatories, including but not limited to, user support, instrumental calibration, instrumentation, science policy, or data science. The applicant should also discuss how these skills might be relevant to the science and operation of the Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope, or the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

Letters of Reference

Applicants must provide the names and contact details of three individuals familiar with their scientific abilities. References will be contacted by STScI and prompted to submit a letter of recommendation.