2027 CfA Prize Postdoctoral Fellowship: $84,600 Stipend and $18,000 Research Budget

2027 CfA Prize Postdoctoral Fellowship: $84,600 Stipend and $18,000 Research Budget

The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA) is accepting applications for its 2027 CfA Prize Postdoctoral Fellowship. The fellowship is designed for an early-career astrophysicist who is ready to develop an independent research programme while working across the resources of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) and Harvard College Observatory (HCO). The appointment begins on September 1, 2027.

This is a substantial research position rather than a small project grant. The official CfA description lists a three-year appointment, with the third year dependent on satisfactory progress, an $84,600 stipend with an annual cost-of-living adjustment, and an $18,000 research budget for each year. The institution also funds health and dental benefits for the fellow and eligible dependents at no cost to the fellow and provides a one-time relocation allowance. Fellows have research independence, access to CfA facilities and staff, and opportunities to propose as principal investigators for external support.

The application deadline is October 15, 2026, at 5 p.m. Boston time. Applications are submitted online through AJO under the programme name “CfA Prize Postdoctoral Fellowship.” The application is unusually constrained: the CfA asks for a CV, publication list, short descriptions of up to three publications, and a five-page research overview containing previous/current research and a proposal. It specifically says not to submit reprints, preprints, a cover letter, or cover sheets.

Key details

What the fellowship provides

The central benefit is protected time and institutional capacity for independent research. The CfA says the fellowship mission is to foster innovative astrophysics by giving independent researchers access to its facilities, research staff, and resources. The award is therefore a good fit for a candidate whose next project needs more than a salary: it may depend on observing access, instrumentation expertise, collaboration across research areas, or a research environment with substantial computing and laboratory capabilities.

The financial package has several parts. The listed stipend is $84,600, and the page states that it receives an annual cost-of-living adjustment. The research budget is $18,000 for every year of the fellowship. The CfA also lists health and dental benefits for the fellow and dependents, where applicable, without cost to the fellow, plus a one-time relocation allowance. The official page does not describe the relocation allowance’s amount or a detailed eligible-expense schedule, so applicants should not treat it as an unlimited moving budget.

The appointment lasts three years, but the third year depends on satisfactory progress. That condition is important when planning a research programme: the proposal should have a credible first- and second-year plan, clear milestones, and a third-year stage that follows logically from results rather than relying on an unbounded promise. The fellowship cannot be combined with other fellowships, so applicants considering overlapping awards should check the terms of every offer before accepting.

The scientific environment is broad. The CfA identifies strengths in theory, observation, instrumentation, engineering, laboratory and experimental astrophysics, and data science. Fellows may collaborate across SAO and Harvard astronomy groups. The page also says that fellows can propose for CfA-allocated observing time on the MMT in Arizona, the Magellan Telescopes in Chile, and the Submillimeter Array in Hawai‘i, subject to the relevant processes and resources. It names participation in programmes involving facilities and missions such as Chandra, the Event Horizon Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, Hubble, TESS, the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Parker Solar Probe, and other projects.

Who is eligible

The most important eligibility test is career stage. At the time the fellowship starts on September 1, 2027, a candidate must be within 24 months or less of equivalent full-time post-PhD research experience. If the PhD defence or acceptance of the thesis and the formal degree-award date are different, the CfA says to use the defence or thesis-acceptance date. This means the CV needs a clear, easy-to-check chronology rather than a vague graduation year.

The experience limit is adjusted for certain interruptions. The CfA states that time taken for family leave, career duties, illness, or other career gaps does not count toward the 24-month equivalent full-time research limit. Those circumstances should be noted in the CV. Applicants should explain the dates and nature of an interruption plainly, using enough information for reviewers to understand how the calculation applies. Do not hide a gap and assume the committee will infer it from employment dates.

The call is international. It is open to qualified English-speaking citizens of any nation. The CfA describes successful candidates as outstanding researchers with demonstrated promise in theory, observation, instrumentation, engineering, and/or laboratory or experimental astrophysics. A strong application therefore needs to show both research quality and a convincing next step. A publication record alone is not a substitute for a well-defined proposal, and a technically ambitious project still needs a feasible route through the CfA environment.

Host selection is a separate practical issue. Only SAO scientists can officially host CfA Postdoctoral Fellows, even though fellows are encouraged to collaborate throughout the CfA and with Harvard astronomers. Before applying, identify a plausible SAO host whose expertise, facilities, or group context genuinely fits the work. The official page links to a list of available SAO scientists. A proposed collaboration with a Harvard researcher may be valuable, but it should not be presented as the formal host arrangement if the person cannot officially host the fellowship.

What to prepare for the application

The CfA requires PDF uploads of a curriculum vitae, a publication list, descriptions of up to three publications, and a research overview. The CV must include an ORCID identifier and up to three keywords from the Unified Astronomy Thesaurus. This is a small detail with a direct compliance consequence: add the ORCID and keywords before uploading rather than assuming the portal will collect them separately.

For up to three publications, the CfA asks applicants to describe the impact and relevance of each in no more than 100 words. The selected papers do not have to be works on which the applicant is lead author, but the applicant should have been the primary contributor. Choose papers that show a coherent research trajectory, a method or result you can build on, or a contribution that helps the committee understand your independence. Do not use the 100 words to repeat the abstract. Explain what changed because of the work and why it matters to the proposed fellowship direction.

The research overview is limited to five pages total, including tables and figures. It must contain two sections: “Summary of Previous and Current Research” and “Research Proposal.” References go at the end and do not count toward the page limit. The proposal must include relevance to the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. Because the limit includes visual material, every figure and table should earn its space. A simple diagram of the research logic may be more useful than a decorative plot; an unnecessary figure consumes room needed for methods, feasibility, or expected results.

The CfA explicitly says not to include anything else: no reprints, preprints, cover letter, or cover sheets. Treat that instruction as part of the application rather than as a suggestion. Use filenames that identify the applicant and document type, check that PDFs render correctly, and make sure the final page count is within the stated rule before uploading.

References are handled later. The CfA says applicants should not submit references unless contacted by the Fellowship Coordinator. References will be contacted by November 5, 2026, and letters are due to the coordinator by November 17, 2026, at 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The page says letters will be requested only for a subset of applicants. You can still ask potential referees early whether they would be able to respond if contacted, but do not send letters through an unrequested route.

How to make the research case

Start with a research problem that can be understood by an astrophysicist outside your immediate specialty. The first section should establish what you have done, what evidence you produced, and how those results lead to the proposed work. Keep the account selective. The committee does not need a catalogue of every project; it needs enough evidence to see your scientific contribution and the level of independence you have already exercised.

The proposal should then make four connections explicit. First, state the question or objective. Second, describe the observations, models, experiments, instrumentation, or analysis that will address it. Third, identify the result that would count as progress and the main risks that could alter the plan. Fourth, explain why CfA facilities, researchers, technical staff, or observing opportunities are relevant. “The CfA is excellent” is not a fit argument. A useful fit statement names the capability and shows how it changes the project’s practical or scientific reach.

Make the timeline credible for a three-year appointment. The first year might establish a dataset, instrument, model, or analysis pipeline; the second might test the central hypothesis or expand the work; the third might consolidate results, pursue a follow-on direction, or prepare a larger external proposal. These are planning examples, not requirements from the CfA. Replace them with milestones specific to your work and make sure they match the methods and resources you describe.

If the project depends on observing time, state what access is needed and why the proposed science justifies it. If it involves instrumentation or engineering, identify the development stage and the contribution expected from CfA technical staff. If it is computational or data-intensive, explain the data source, analysis method, validation plan, and expected research output. Reviewers should not have to guess which parts are already possible and which depend on a future award, observing allocation, or collaboration.

Timeline and submission process

Applications opened August 17, 2026, and are due October 15, 2026, by 5 p.m. in Boston, Massachusetts. The application route is online through AJO, using the programme name “CfA Prize Postdoctoral Fellowship.” The CfA says only online applications submitted through AJO will be considered.

Work backward from the deadline. Confirm the post-PhD experience calculation and host eligibility first. Then assemble the CV, publication list, and publication-impact notes. Draft the research overview early enough to get feedback on both the science and the page limit. Before submission, verify that the proposal contains the required two sections, the CfA relevance statement, references outside the five-page count, and no prohibited attachments.

The stated selection date is December 15, 2026. Reference requests, if they occur, are scheduled for November 5, with letters due November 17. A candidate who submits on time should keep the contact email used in AJO active through this period and tell prospective referees to watch for a message from the Fellowship Coordinator. The fellowship start date is September 1, 2027, leaving time after selection for appointment and relocation arrangements, but the award page does not provide a separate acceptance deadline or a detailed onboarding calendar.

Common mistakes to avoid

Using the wrong host. Collaboration with a Harvard researcher does not replace the official hosting requirement. Check the linked SAO scientist list and describe the formal host accurately.

Making the career-stage calculation hard to verify. Put the thesis defence or acceptance date, degree date, postdoctoral appointments, and qualifying career gaps in a clear sequence. State how a family leave, illness, or other interruption affects the equivalent full-time calculation.

Exceeding the research-overview limit. The five-page maximum includes tables and figures, while references are excluded. Count the document the way the call specifies, not the way a word processor’s page estimate happens to display it.

Submitting extra documents. Reprints, preprints, cover letters, and cover sheets are specifically excluded. More material does not strengthen an application when the programme has asked for a defined set of PDFs.

Describing the CfA in generic terms. The committee needs to see the operational connection between the proposal and the CfA’s people, facilities, observing opportunities, laboratories, engineering expertise, or data-science environment. Name only resources that are genuinely relevant and feasible.

Treating the third year as guaranteed. The appointment is three years, but the third year is contingent on satisfactory progress. Build a staged project with measurable progress rather than presenting a single result that must arrive at the end.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a cash grant?

No. It is a postdoctoral appointment with a listed stipend, annual research budget, benefits, and relocation support. The CfA describes the stipend as $84,600 with an annual cost-of-living adjustment and the research budget as $18,000 per year.

Can applicants from outside the United States apply?

Yes. The official page says the opportunity is open to qualified English-speaking citizens of any nation. Applicants should separately plan for relocation and any immigration or employment steps that apply to their circumstances; the page does not provide a complete visa guide.

Does a career gap automatically make someone ineligible?

No. The CfA says time taken for family leave, career duties, illness, or other career gaps does not count toward the 24-month equivalent full-time post-PhD research limit. Note the gap in the CV so the committee can assess the timeline.

Do I need to submit recommendation letters with the application?

No. Do not submit references unless the Fellowship Coordinator contacts you. The CfA says a subset of applicants will have references contacted by November 5, with letters due by November 17 at 5 p.m. EDT.

Can the CfA fellowship be combined with another fellowship?

The official page says the CfA Fellowship is not eligible to be combined with other fellowships. Review overlapping awards carefully before accepting any offer.

What should I upload besides the research overview?

Upload a CV with an ORCID identifier and up to three Unified Astronomy Thesaurus keywords, a publication list, and up to three publication descriptions of no more than 100 words each. The CfA says not to include reprints, preprints, a cover letter, or cover sheets.

Official links and next steps

Read the official CfA Postdoctoral Fellowship page for the live AJO route, full instructions, benefits, and contact details. Use the CfA’s linked SAO scientist list to investigate potential official hosts. The fellowship coordinator’s email is listed on the official call; use it for questions about the application rather than relying on an informal summary elsewhere.

The practical next step is to check the 24-month research-experience rule against your own dates and identify an eligible SAO host. Then prepare the constrained PDF set: CV, publication list, up to three 100-word publication-impact notes, and a five-page research overview. Keep the project focused, show exactly why CfA is the right base, and submit through AJO before October 15, 2026, at 5 p.m. Boston time.