University of Notre Dame's Society of Science Fellows

Description

At the University of Notre Dame, the Society of Science Fellows is a Postdoctoral Fellowship Program to support highly motivated and accomplished individuals who represent the best of the next generation of scientists. 

These prestigious fellowships support early-career scientists pursuing research-intensive careers in universities, institutes, or industry. Society Fellows are appointed for up to three years, receive a stipend at or above the NRSA NIH postdoctoral pay scale, and benefit from individualized guidance from the College of Science Director of Postdoctoral Studies. In collaboration with the director, each fellow will select a primary research mentor from one of the College of Science’s five departments; additional co-mentors may be appointed, provided they hold an appointment at the University of Notre Dame. The primary research mentor is responsible for providing research space, supplies, and travel support. 

 

Monetary support will be coupled with faculty mentoring, professional development, and networking opportunities. The Society Fellows will have an independent mentoring committee to review their progress and discuss future plans every six months. A sum of $10,000 will be placed under the control of the fellow to cover expenses related to training, professional development, and independent research endeavors. The Fellows will participate in a university-wide postdoctoral training program, a curriculum that enhances our postdoc’s research skills, career development, and social and personal skills.  Specific advice on how to apply for and obtain jobs, and how to develop short- and long-term plans for career success will be an integral part of this program. The Fellows are encouraged to apply for both internal and external funding to continue their research at Notre Dame if they so desire.

 

Our goal is to train our postdoctoral fellows through workshops, panel discussions, seminars, and networking opportunities designed to advance lab management skills, grantsmanship, communication, academic and industry career exploration, as well as work/life and cultural considerations throughout the year. Moreover, the fellows will participate in a rigorous grant writing workshop for transition awards and fellowships. The Society Fellows are encouraged to apply for both internal and external funding to continue their research at Notre Dame. The Society Fellows also have opportunities to teach at the University of Notre Dame, Holy Cross College, Saint Mary’s College, or Indiana University South Bend.

 

Qualifications

 

Preference will be given to applicants who have successfully completed (or plan to complete) a doctoral degree after June 2024 (or earlier dates if maternity or paternity leave, or Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave occurred within the past two years).

Application Instructions

 

Applicants should submit the following via the Interfolio website:

1. A cover letter including: the motivation for your application, how this fellowship will further your career goals, and your research interests at Notre Dame. 

2. Your curriculum vitae.

3. A statement describing your previous research accomplishments and what research you propose to do under the fellowship. This statement must include the identification of primary mentor and co-mentors, and rationale for selecting mentors. Please see the following links for more information on faculty: Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy. The research statement should not exceed 5 pages (not counting the bibliography).

 

Candidates must also arrange for at least three letters of recommendation to be submitted via Interfolio. (Do not ask your letter writers to e-mail their letters directly.)

 

The application deadline is December 15, 2025 at 11:59 pm EST. Decision by Feb 15th, 2026.

 

For questions or concerns about the