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Programs
Fellowship/Professional Development Program

Army Research Laboratory Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowships

Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowships provide early career researchers the opportunity to pursue independent research of their own choosing that supports the mission of ARL. Candidates must display extraordinary ability in scientific research, show clear promise of becoming outstanding leaders, and are expected to have already successfully tackled a major scientific or engineering problem during their thesis work or to have provided a new approach or insight, evidenced by a recognized impact in their field.

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About Review process Resources

Key dates

  • April 14, 2025: Application opens
  • July 10, 2025: Application deadline (5:00 PM Eastern Time)
  • Mid-July to late August: Review of applications
  • Late August: Applicants notified of status
  • Late August to early September: Review of finalist applications by ARL
  • September/October: Subset of finalists invited to give seminars at ARL
  • November: Awardees announced
  • Early 2026: Fellow start date

Award details

  • Stipend: $115,000/year
  • Health insurance
  • Paid relocation
  • Professional travel allowance

Fellowship Terms

  • Selected Fellows must successfully complete a Department of Defense (DoD) clearance process, requiring a background security investigation. There are no citizenship requirements; however, foreign nationals must get further DoD approval, requiring a background investigation. If needed, J-1 research scholar visas may be sponsored for fellows; this will be determined on a case-by-case basis at the time of the award.
  • Fellows may renew their one-year appointments for up to three years based on performance.
  • Fellows must commit to full-time to the research program at ARL and must be in residence at ARL (i.e. conduct their research on site) during the entire period of the appointment. In some cases, ARL may provide for temporary location at another facility (e.g. another federal facility or a facility ARL is working with) to meet the specific needs of the research program.
  • Fellows will be required to submit annual progress reports and a final report at the end of the appointment. These reports include an abstract of the research conducted and copies of publications resulting from it. If future papers are published as a result of research performed at ARL, copies must be provided to ARL.
  • Fellows will be required to sign and abide by an appointment letter and an ARL IP agreement concerning discoveries, inventions, data, copyrights, and a disclaimer of liability.

Application

Application Process

Selection process

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