At the University of Notre Dame, the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship in Engineering is a competitive fellowship program established to support highly motivated and accomplished individuals who are committed to Notre Dame’s mission—to be powerful forces for good and to advance research solutions for the challenges facing society and our world.
These prestigious fellowships are designed for early-stage scientists and engineers who are bound for research careers. The principal selection criteria for Fellows are scientific excellence and a clearly expressed plan to investigate problems at the forefront of engineering and applied sciences. Plans to investigate problems relevant to the University’s 2033 Strategic Framework and Initiatives are especially welcome.
Fellowships are supported institutionally for 24 months, carry a $75,000/year stipend, and include a $15,000 allowance to cover expenses related to independent research endeavors, training, and professional development.
All Fellows will receive individualized professional development support from the College of Engineering’s Director of Postdoctoral Studies. Each fellow will work with a primary research mentor from the College of Engineering. Additional co-mentors can also be selected but must have an appointment at the University of Notre Dame. Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to contact potential mentors as early as possible. To find prospective mentors, read about the research conducted by our faculty. The university also sustains outstanding research programs distributed across 30 university-wide interdisciplinary centers and institutes.
In addition to individualized mentoring, all fellows will participate in the College of Engineering Postdoctoral Training program, which provides career development training to enhance independent research and leadership skills within a cohort of other post-doctoral scholars.
Eligibility
Applicants should have successfully completed (or plan to complete) all requirements for a doctoral degree between June 2024 and September 2026. Earlier dates can be accepted if maternity/paternity leaves or Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leaves occurred within the past two years. Scholars of all nationalities may apply. Current postdoctoral scholars at the University of Notre Dame are not eligible.
Application Instructions
Applicants should submit the following:
- Your Curriculum Vitae.
- A statement describing your career goals, previous research accomplishments, teaching/mentoring experience, and the research you propose to do during the fellowship. This statement must include the identification of primary mentor and co-mentors and rationale for selecting mentors. Candidates are highly encouraged to contact potential mentors early to discuss their research plans before submission. The statement should not exceed 5 pages, excluding citations.
- Up to 5-slide presentation (attached as PDF) following this template.
Candidates must also arrange for three letters of recommendation to be submitted via Interfolio by the deadline below. (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 expected by March 2026.
This year’s application cycle is now closed.
For questions or concerns about the submission process, please email eng-postdocs@nd.edu.