Fellowships & Visiting Scientist Positions
Why the CfA
The CfA is known for its leadership in theoretical, observational and laboratory astrophysics, and for its observational programs across the electromagnetic spectrum. The CfA also includes highly successful instrument development teams and facility operations expertise. Fellows are encouraged to use the combined resources and facilities of the CfA’s two collaborating observatories – the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the Harvard College Observatory.
Through the CfA’s operational agreements with its partners, 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. Fellows participate in ground- and space-based observing programs including but not limited to the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Event Horizon Telescope, the TEMPO satellite instrument for air quality monitoring, the Parker Solar Probe, the James Webb Space Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, Kepler K2, the Solar Dynamics Observatory, and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array. The CfA is a founding member of the Giant Magellan Telescope project and operates a world-class engineering program that develops leading ground and space telescope instrumentation. The CfA has emerging programs in artificial intelligence and data science. The CfA also offers a number of specialized laboratories and numerous research initiatives open to Fellows that focus on a particular research area (for example in black holes, theoretical astrophysics, and the origins of life), where interdisciplinary, cross-institutional collaborative research is the central organizing principle.
Currently led by Director Lisa Kewley, the CfA provides a dynamic range of weekly luncheons, colloquia, journal clubs, daily coffees, and divisional events. The CfA also supports many other formal and informal opportunities for the exchange of ideas and professional development in a diverse scientific community. Fellows have access to institution-wide funding for organizing workshops, conferences, and visitor programs.
The CfA is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a vibrant community in the Boston metropolitan area, known for excellent universities, colleges, and public schools, world renowned medical facilities and teaching hospitals, a dynamic technology hub, a lively art scene, passionate sports fans, and diverse cultures. Cambridge is also a two to three hour drive to downhill skiing and hiking in the White, Green or Berkshire mountains, and many Atlantic Ocean beaches and craggy coastlines are nearby, as are downhill and cross-country skiing, cycling, and hiking in the White, Green and Berkshire mountains.
Fellowship Programs
Fellowship Calendar
Visiting Scientist Program
The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, through its collaborating entity the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), offers opportunities for visiting scientists to engage with CfA | Harvard & Smithsonian science, research and resources.
The Visiting Scientist and Visiting Student Program at Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory expands scholarly exchange in atomic and molecular physics; infrared, optical, radio, and X-ray astronomy; planetary sciences; geophysics; solar and stellar physics; and theoretical astrophysics. Visits can vary from a few days to several weeks or months and, in some cases, last up to a year. This program annually attracts many international and national visitors.
Stipend support varies with the length of the visit, with support being provided by the visitor's home institution or by fellowships such as a Guggenheim or from NATO, etc. Application to the program is made by directly contacting a member of the research staff to request support.
Awards are dependent upon availability of funding.
Institutional Letters of Endorsement
The CfA welcomes Postdoctoral Scholars in Astrophysics-related fields with funding from external sources, including US agencies (e.g. NASA, NSF, DOE), foundations (e.g. Schmidt, Templeton), or from agencies or foundations outside the US. All external prize fellowship applications will require approval and a letter from the Director acknowledging the Postdoctoral Scholar’s intention to come to the CfA with external funding.
The institutional Letter of Endorsement (LoE) request form should be submitted at least 21 business days before the submission deadline. The lead time ensures there is sufficient time to iterate with the applicant and for the Director to review and approve the application. When necessary, the external funding source will be reviewed by export control.
The LoE request should be submitted by the applicant’s CfA host and include a draft of the full proposal for review. The CfA host will need to confirm that they have read the proposal and agree to serve as the applicant’s host.
Link to CfA Host Letter for External Postdoctoral Fellowships request form
Questions or need additional guidance? Please contact the Early Career Researchers Coordinator ecr-coordinator@cfa.harvard.edu
My time as CfA fellow was formative in my scientific career, particularly for forging friendships and collaborations among my fellow postdocs. Some of the collaborations I started at the CfA are still active today, more than a decade later.- Anil Chandra Seth, 2006 CfA Fellow, Associate Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah