Geochronology Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Description
The Earth and Planets Laboratory (EPL), a division of the Carnegie Institution for Science, invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in geochronology at its campus in Washington, DC. The Postdoctoral Fellow will work with Dr. Jennifer Kasbohm on any project of the fellow's choosing that integrates high-precision geochronology into an investigation of Earth history. Fellows should have an original research plan, and are welcome to contact Dr. Kasbohm to discuss their ideas. Projects may incorporate other isotope systems or methodological development. Priority will be given to applicants with prior research experience in conducting U-Pb zircon geochronology analyses via CA-ID-TIMS, though applicants with experience in other systems are also welcome to apply.
New fellows will join a supportive community of about 25 postdoctoral scientists and 28 staff and research scientists engaged in understanding the origin and evolution of Earth and planets and materials under extreme conditions. More information about our research and facilities can be viewed at https://carnegiescience.edu/epl and about our postdoctoral fellowships and experience at https://carnegiescience.edu/about/working/postdocs/epl.
Our postdoctoral fellows have access to: world-class laboratory facilities in analytical cosmochemistry and geochemistry (including a newly-installed Isotopx Phoenix thermal ionization mass spectrometer), high-pressure research, materials structure and properties characterization, and astrobiology; computational facilities to support theoretical and data-analytic investigations; and Carnegie's Las Campanas Observatory. Funding is available for travel to scientific conferences, user facilities, and observation sites, as well as publications. At EPL, we foster an exceptionally collegial research environment and emphasize mentoring, including professional development opportunities specifically for postdocs.
Qualifications
Applicants should have a Ph.D. in a relevant field by the start of the fellowship. The applicant selected may start their fellowship between July 1 and December 31, 2027. The principal selection criteria will be research accomplishment, originality and achievability of the research proposal, independence, and ability to take advantage of EPL's unique instrumentation and multi-disciplinary research environment.
Application Instructions
Only complete applications submitted here will be considered and must include: 1) a cover letter (1 page max), 2) curriculum vitae, 3) list of publications; 4) research plan / proposal (4 pages max, inclusive of figures and references), 5) a brief description of previous research, including the extent of your experience with U-Pb geochronology (3 pages max, all inclusive); and 6) three reference letters from scientists familiar with your work.
Applicants may use the cover letter to describe why EPL is a great fit for their research including how they will contribute to a positive research atmosphere, but should not use it to repeat what is in the other documents.
Submission triggers Interfolio to send instructions to your references so that they can submit their letters. You can edit your application up until the deadline, so please submit well in advance to give your references time to respond.
The deadline for all application materials including reference letters is November 1, 2026. Address any questions to jkasbohm@carnegiescience.edu.
Excellence in research, the essential goal of Carnegie Science, rests on the highest ethical standards of our scientific community. Our code of conduct requires our scrupulous honesty, critical judgement, full responsibility for the integrity of our work, and that we are truthful, accurate and do not mislead. Proposals must adhere to these principles. Cautious use of generative AI as a research or writing aid is allowed, as long as you take responsibility for all the content you submit. As part of submitting your application, you must attest to your full responsibility for the content of your proposal and guarantee that your application honestly represents your work, clearly communicates which ideas are your own, and gives appropriate credit to ideas, literature, and tools created by others, including generative AI where its use has materially contributed to the proposal. EPL does not use AI in the evaluation of applications, and your application materials will only be shared with our scientific reviewers and HR staff involved in the selection process.
Need help submitting your application? See the Interfolio Application Submission Guide
Other postdoctoral opportunities will be posted as they arise at https://apply.interfolio.com/36568/positions.