CICOES Postdoctoral Scholar Program 2026
Position Overview
Organization: Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies
Title: CICOES Postdoctoral Scholar Program 2026
Position Details
Position Description
CICOES Postdoctoral Scholar Program 2026
The Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies (CICOES) seeks applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar with research interests in climate, oceanography, and/or ecosystem science including human dimensions and policy. We anticipate offering one Postdoctoral Scholar appointment in 2026. Postdocs are appointed at any one of the CICOES consortium universities: University of Washington (UW), Oregon State University (OSU), and University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and may be located on campus or at one of our National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sponsored laboratories: the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), the Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), and/or the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL).
Appointments are based on the strength of the applicant’s research proposal, the fit to CICOES’ research portfolio, and the composition of the mentoring team. A mentoring team must include at least one NOAA research scientist (co-located CICOES research scientists are eligible) and at least one academic faculty member (WOT, affiliate, or emeritus faculty are not eligible to serve as academic mentors). Applicants are expected to conduct research within at least one of CICOES’ nine research themes: climate and ocean variability, change, and impacts; earth systems and processes; environmental chemistry and ocean carbon; marine ecosystems; ocean and coastal observations; environmental data science; aquaculture science; human dimensions in marine systems; and polar studies. Applicant research proposals should demonstrate relevance to both CICOES and at least one of the NOAA programs primarily at AFSC, NWFSC, or PMEL. A central foundation of this program is to foster collaboration between CICOES and NOAA Laboratories.
Appointments are 100% FTE for 12 months, renewable for a second 12 months subject to availability of funding and scholarly progress. A competitive salary, a small research/travel budget, and a relocation allowance are included in the award. The base salary range for this position will be $6,685 to $6,955 per month, commensurate with experience or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination.
Postdoctoral scholars are engaged in full-time, mentored advanced training to enhance professional skills and research independence. Given the close mentoring relationship necessitated by the nature of postdoctoral scholar appointments; access to the full university community to support individual development; and, if applicable, visa sponsorship requirements, postdoctoral scholars must be physically present at their place of work on university property to fulfill their appointment duties.
General Information for Applicants
Postdoctoral scholars at the University of Washington are represented by UAW 4121 and are subject to the collective bargaining agreement, unless agreed exclusion criteria apply. For more information, please visit the University of Washington Labor Relations website.
Applications are due in Interfolio by February 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.
Letters of support from mentors and references are due by March 2, 2026.
For disability accommodation and/or questions about the position, please contact Human Resources Manager Carol Pérez at <perezcar@uw.edu>
Qualifications
A Postdoctoral Scholar is an academic appointment that requires evidence of a conferred PhD in a CICOES-relevant field by the appointment start date (approximately September 2026). Eligible candidates cannot exceed 5 years of Postdoctoral experience from the start of their first Postdoctoral appointment to the end of the CICOES Postdoctoral appointment.
Applicants from consortium universities will only be considered for the CICOES Postdoctoral program at their home university under extraordinary circumstances that should be addressed in the cover letter.
Instructions
Please submit an electronic package of required documents using one-inch margins (headers and footers may be outside margins), single or greater line spacing, and ≥ 11 point font via Interfolio that contains:
· A cover letter specifying research interests, proposed project summary, academic and NOAA-affiliated mentors that have agreed to support the research, and a brief narrative describing connections between the proposed project, CICOES, PMEL, AFSC, and/or NWFSC. Cover letters may not exceed 2 pages.
· A current Curriculum Vitae with dates of education, appointments, experience, and publication list. Curriculum Vitae may not exceed 5 pages. Page numbers should be used.
· A research proposal describing objectives, methods, and expected outcomes during a two-year period. The proposal should be accessible to a general scientific audience while also addressing issues suited to a specialist in the proposed area of study. The proposal should include the relevance of the proposed research to CICOES research themes and to the proposed NOAA partner (AFSC, NWFSC, and/or PMEL) program(s). Proposals should not exceed 7 numbered pages.
· Three letters of recommendation should be submitted within one week of the application due date. Letters should be uploaded to Interfolio directly by the reference writer.
· Letter(s) of support from must be submitted from a proposed academic faculty mentor and a proposed NOAA mentor (a joint letter of support from both mentors is also acceptable). Letters should be uploaded to Interfolio directly by the mentor(s).
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all.
As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.
Benefits Information
A summary of benefits associated with this title/rank can be found at https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/benefits-orientation/benefit-summary-pdfs/. Appointees solely employed and paid directly by a non-UW entity are not UW employees and are not eligible for UW or Washington State employee benefits
Privacy Notice
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Disability Services
To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.