2027 Jansky Fellowship: $75,000 Salary Plus $17,000 Research Support for Early-Career Radio Astronomers

2027 Jansky Fellowship: $75,000 Salary Plus $17,000 Research Support for Early-Career Radio Astronomers

The 2027 Jansky Fellowship is a paid postdoctoral research appointment with the NSF National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). It is designed for early-career scientists who want to pursue independent work connected to radio astronomy, multi-wavelength science, radio techniques, instrumentation, computation, or theory. A fellow normally spends two to three years working through one of NRAO’s internal sites or, in compelling cases, through a split or non-resident arrangement with a U.S. university.

This is a strong opportunity for someone who wants more than a salary line on a postdoctoral contract. The fellowship pairs a typical starting salary of $75,000 with $17,000 per year for travel and other research expenses. AUI, the organization operating NRAO and the Green Bank Observatory under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation, also lists paid time off, medical, dental and vision coverage from the first day of employment, and a retirement contribution equal to 10 percent of qualified base pay with no required employee contribution, subject to eligibility rules.

The 2027 application is open. The official deadline for the application materials, excluding reference letters, is 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Reference letters have a separate deadline of 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. The nominal fellowship start is September 2027, although NRAO says an earlier or later start can be arranged, with a latest start date of January 2028.

Key details

The $75,000 figure is described by NRAO as a typical starting salary, not a guaranteed total value for every candidate or year. The $17,000 allocation is separate from salary and is intended for travel and other research expenses. These amounts make the fellowship financially meaningful, but applicants should also read the employment and benefits terms in the live careers posting before making a relocation or visa decision.

What the fellowship offers

The Jansky Fellowship gives a researcher time and institutional access to develop an independent program using NRAO and GBO facilities, expertise, and scientific community connections. NRAO operates the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, the Very Long Baseline Array, and the Green Bank Observatory. The observatory is also developing the next generation VLA. A successful proposal does not need to use every facility. It does need to explain why the fellowship’s connection to the relevant facilities and scientists is important to the work.

Supported research may involve radio astronomy, multi-wavelength science, radio astronomy methods, instrumentation, computation, or theory. NRAO particularly encourages applicants with expertise or interest in technology initiatives such as very long baseline interferometry or Green Bank telescope upgrades. That language is a useful signal about fit. A proposal can be ambitious, but it should be technically legible and grounded in a real relationship to the observatory’s instruments, data, software, technical programs, or scientific mission.

The fellowship is also an employment package. AUI lists 13 paid holidays and annual vacation accrual of up to 24 days, along with medical, dental, and vision plans that are effective on the first day of employment, subject to eligibility requirements. The listed retirement benefit is a 10 percent employer contribution on qualified participant base pay without a required employee contribution. These benefits are important when comparing the fellowship with a university postdoctoral offer, although the official total-rewards terms should control any personal comparison.

Who is eligible and who fits best

Applicants may be of any nationality, but they must be eligible to work in the United States when employment begins. NRAO does not sponsor H-1B visas for this position. Candidates who need sponsorship may be eligible for the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program if they meet the applicable requirements. Visa eligibility is therefore a practical screening question, not a detail to postpone until after selection.

The program describes its intended applicants as early-career researchers who will have no more than five years of postdoctoral experience at the start of the fellowship. NRAO says well-justified exceptions will receive full consideration, and it evaluates applicants relative to their opportunity and career stage. A significant break or hardship after the PhD that affected research output may be explained in the statement for the committee’s consideration. Applicants in the first few years after the PhD receive preference, but the rule is not simply a publication-count cutoff.

The listed degree backgrounds are astronomy, astrophysics, physics, computer science, or a related field. The phrase “related field” should be handled carefully. It is not a reason to assume that any technical doctorate qualifies. If your degree is adjacent, your materials should make the connection obvious through your research record, methods, and proposed use of NRAO or GBO capabilities.

The strongest fit is a researcher who can answer three questions clearly. What scientific or technical problem will the fellowship address? Why does the work require a close relationship with NRAO or GBO? What will both the applicant and the observatory gain from the appointment? The selection criteria expressly include research strength, applicant excellence, leadership potential or community service, synergy with the chosen host location, and mutual benefit.

Research areas and host locations

The standard appointment locations are Socorro or Albuquerque, New Mexico; Charlottesville, Virginia; and Green Bank, West Virginia. The official page asks applicants to name a proposed NRAO or GBO location and a second-choice location. The second choice must be one of the NRAO or GBO sites in Socorro, Charlottesville, or Green Bank. If an applicant does not provide a secondary choice, the application will be reviewed only for the single host selected.

NRAO may consider a split appointment between a U.S.-based university and an NRAO site. It may also consider a non-resident fellowship hosted at a university within the United States. These arrangements are not automatic alternatives to the main model. A non-resident applicant must show how the proposed university residence will create close ties with NRAO, and frequent or long-term visits to NRAO sites are strongly encouraged.

For a split or non-resident request, the research proposal should do more than state that remote work is convenient. Explain what happens at each location, which people or facilities are needed at each site, how the time is divided, and why the arrangement improves the research or professional development. A non-resident or split application also requires a letter from the external host department chair approving the proposal and agreeing to host the fellowship at that institution.

Partial teleworking arrangements are supported for scientific postdoctoral fellows, but that does not remove the need for an institutionally credible host plan. The proposal should demonstrate engagement with the observatory rather than treating the fellowship as a generic remote research job.

Application timeline and deadlines

The NRAO Careers posting became available on August 28, 2026. The application deadline for the main file is October 28, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Only complete applications are considered, and significant failure to follow document rules, including page, font, and margin requirements, may jeopardize an application.

Reference letters follow a different schedule. Three referees familiar with the applicant’s scientific abilities must submit letters directly to NRAO by November 11, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. NRAO says instructions for arranging those submissions will be provided after the application submission closes, so applicants should identify and brief referees well before October 28 rather than treating the letters as an afterthought.

Selection is expected between November and December 2026. Short-listed candidates will be interviewed virtually in January 2027, and award offers are expected by the end of January. The nominal start is September 2027, with flexibility for an earlier or later start by agreement, but not later than January 2028.

Build your calendar around the earlier deadline. Convert 11:59 p.m. EDT to your own time zone, leave time to combine the required materials into one PDF, and treat the afternoon of October 28 as a safety margin rather than as the moment to upload. Keep the November 11 reference deadline visible even though it follows the main submission.

What to submit

The application requires one combined PDF uploaded through the careers system’s “Add Resume” button. The PDF must contain the cover letter, statement addressing the selection criteria, curriculum vitae with full publication list, summary of previous and current research, and research proposal. NRAO specifically says there is no need to upload the cover letter separately.

The cover letter should name the proposed primary location and a second-choice NRAO or GBO site. For a split fellowship, identify both the NRAO location and the university host, and state the proposed fraction of time at each. For a non-resident appointment, name the university host and make the relationship to NRAO concrete.

The statement addressing the selection criteria is limited to two pages. It must use 12-point font and margins of at least 0.75 inches. The previous and current research summary is also limited to two pages, including figures and references, with the same font and margin requirements. The research proposal is limited to three pages including figures and references and must use 12-point font with at least 0.75-inch margins.

The proposal should state the research area, explain its connection to NRAO’s mission and strategic goals, and identify the observatories and instruments that matter. It should also explain why having a Jansky Fellowship, with its close linkage to NRAO scientists and facilities, is important for the research goals and the applicant’s professional development. The CV has no page limit for the CV and publication list, but that freedom is best used for clarity rather than for padding.

Three reference letters are required. Choose people who can speak specifically about scientific ability, independence, technical judgment, collaboration, and the proposed next step. A famous name who writes a vague letter is less useful than a referee who can describe the applicant’s actual contribution and future potential.

How to prepare a credible proposal

Start by mapping the proposal to the selection criteria. Make a short working table with one row for research excellence, applicant excellence, leadership or service, host-location synergy, and mutual benefit. For each row, identify the paragraph, result, or concrete plan that provides evidence. This prevents a strong science idea from leaving the committee to infer the rest of the case.

Then narrow the facility connection. Mention the relevant instruments, data, techniques, or technical initiatives only when they change what the project can accomplish. A list of telescope names is not a research plan. Explain the dependency: which measurement, observing mode, archive, software capability, calibration expertise, instrument development, or local collaboration makes the chosen site the right environment.

Make feasibility visible within the three-page limit. Define the central question, the first decisive test, the methods, and the likely output. If there are risks, describe a reasonable fallback. Reviewers do not need a guarantee that every observation or computation will work. They do need evidence that the project can become productive within a two- to three-year appointment.

Use the statement to explain the professional return. The fellowship should help you gain independence, a technical skill, a collaboration network, or a research direction that is difficult to develop elsewhere. Connect that growth to the proposed work instead of describing generic career ambitions.

For the location choice, research the people and capabilities at the site you name. You should not claim a collaboration that has not been discussed, but you can identify relevant scientific or technical communities and explain the type of interaction the project requires. If the proposal is split or non-resident, secure the external host letter early and make sure the letter supports the exact arrangement described in the application.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most serious mistake is submitting a general astronomy proposal with a few NRAO names added. The program is evaluating the mutual benefit of the fellowship project and its synergy with the selected location. Make the institutional connection part of the research logic from the opening paragraph.

Another mistake is ignoring the location instructions. Name a primary location and a valid second choice. If you want a split or non-resident appointment, provide the required host information and letter. Do not assume that a preference for remote work is enough to establish a non-resident case.

Formatting errors are avoidable. Check every page count after figures and references are included. Confirm the 12-point font and 0.75-inch minimum margins in the two-page statement, two-page research summary, and three-page proposal. Keep the cover letter inside the combined PDF and use the upload field requested by NRAO.

Do not wait to contact referees. They need to know the scientific question, the site choice, and the qualities you want them to address. Send them a near-final proposal and a short deadline reminder, then confirm that the letters were submitted directly through the process described by NRAO.

Finally, check work authorization before applying. “Any nationality” does not mean that no employment documentation is needed. The applicant must be eligible to work in the United States when the appointment begins, and NRAO does not sponsor H-1B visas. Applicants considering a J-1 route should verify the applicable Exchange Visitor requirements rather than treating it as a guaranteed option.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Jansky Fellowship a scholarship or a job?

It is a paid postdoctoral fellowship appointment. The official page describes a typical starting salary, research and travel support, and AUI employee benefits. It is not a tuition scholarship for a degree program.

Can international researchers apply?

Yes. Applicants of any nationality may apply, but they must be eligible to work in the United States when employment begins. NRAO does not sponsor H-1B visas. Some candidates who need sponsorship may qualify for a J-1 Exchange Visitor route if they meet the program requirements.

Do I need to be a radio astronomer already?

The program supports radio astronomy and related areas including multi-wavelength science, techniques, instrumentation, computation, and theory. A candidate from a related field can be a fit when the degree, research record, and proposed work connect convincingly to NRAO or GBO’s mission and facilities.

What if I have more than five years of postdoctoral experience?

The standard expectation is no more than five years at the start of the fellowship. NRAO says well-justified exceptions will receive full consideration, and applicants may explain a significant break or hardship that affected research output. Do not assume an exception; explain the circumstances and ask the fellowship contact if your case is unclear.

Can I propose a university-based fellowship?

Possibly. NRAO may offer a split appointment with a U.S.-based university or a non-resident fellowship hosted at a U.S. university in compelling cases. The proposal must show how the arrangement creates close ties with NRAO, and the external host department chair must provide a letter approving the proposal and agreeing to host the appointment.

When should the references arrive?

Reference letters must be received by 11:59 p.m. EDT on November 11, 2026. The main application file is due earlier, by 11:59 p.m. EDT on October 28, 2026.

Official links and next steps

Begin with the official NRAO Jansky Fellowship Program page. It contains the current eligibility rules, selection criteria, document limits, location instructions, benefits, contact email, and timeline. The job posting is made available through the NRAO Careers portal, which is the route to the electronic application.

Before you submit, confirm the live posting and check for any changed instructions. Prepare one combined PDF, choose a primary and secondary location, request the three letters early, and test the final file against every page and formatting limit. If you need clarification about the application or program, NRAO lists [email protected] for questions.

The best next step is not to write a longer proposal. It is to make the fit sharper: identify the specific NRAO or GBO capability that matters, show why your research record prepares you to use it, and explain how the fellowship benefits both your development and the observatory’s scientific mission.