The Linus Pauling Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship 2027 at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is designed for outstanding early-career scientists and engineers who want to pursue independent research in areas of national and scientific importance.
The fellowship provides a competitive salary, research resources, benefits, and the opportunity to develop an independent research program within a leading U.S. national laboratory.
Program Overview: Linus Pauling Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship
- Opportunity Type: Postdoctoral Research Fellowship / Research Appointment
- Host Institution: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
- Study Level: Postdoctoral
- Eligible Nationalities: Open to U.S. and international applicants, subject to U.S. work authorization and applicable PNNL/DOE eligibility and security requirements.
- Age Limit: No specific age limit stated
- Education Requirement: PhD in science, engineering, or a related discipline, completed recently or expected to be completed before the appointment
- Work Experience: Early-career researchers; recent PhD completion or imminent completion expected
- Funding: Salaried position with competitive compensation and employee benefits
- Salary: Up to $118,000 per year
- Application Fee: $0
- Location: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, USA
- Duration: Up to 3 years
- Deadline: October 15, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. PST
Who Can Apply?
- Academic Requirement: PhD in a science or engineering field related to PNNL’s mission areas
- PhD Timing: PhD received in 2024 or later, or expected by August 31, 2027.
- Experience: Recent or upcoming PhD graduates; no separate work-experience requirement is stated.
- Research: Proposal should align with areas such as Scientific Discovery, Sustainable Energy, National Security, or Data Science & Computing.
- Work Authorization: This is the key condition. All PNNL staff must have legal authorization to work in the United States. Foreign nationals may therefore need to satisfy additional employment, security, and federal eligibility requirements
Research Areas
The fellowship supports research aligned with major PNNL research priorities, including:
- Scientific Discovery
- Sustainable Energy & Resiliency
- National Security
- Data Science & Computing
Applicants should demonstrate how their proposed research can contribute to these areas.
Salary & Benefits
Competitive Salary
The fellowship offers compensation of up to $118,000 per year, according to the provided opportunity details.
Because this is a research employment appointment rather than a conventional scholarship, the compensation should be treated as a salary, not a stipend.
Employee Benefits
The package includes benefits such as:
- Medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Relocation support
- Research and professional development resources
- Travel support for academic conferences
Research Independence
One of the major attractions of the fellowship is the opportunity for fellows to develop and pursue a self-directed research project while working within PNNL’s scientific environment.
This makes it particularly suitable for researchers who want to establish an independent research profile before moving into longer-term academic, government, or industry research careers.
Why Consider This Fellowship?
The Linus Pauling Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship is particularly attractive for researchers seeking to combine independent scientific research, strong compensation, and access to a major U.S. national laboratory.
It can be a strong fit for recent PhD graduates in science, engineering, data science, computing, energy, and national-security-related research.
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