Postdoctoral Research Opportunities

Banner image in lab.

Graduate student Allison Churnside and Fellow Tom Perkins use a focused laser beam to identify a purple membrane patch for further study with an atomic force microscope.

Image Credit
Brad Baxley

JILA believes science environments are collaborative environments. We therefore encourage scientists from around the world to join us at JILA as postdoctoral researchers. At JILA, researchers will benefit from the collaborative and welcoming environment. Learn more about the JILA environment on our community page.

Postdoctoral Research Associateships are intended to provide advanced research training in the years immediately following the Ph.D. degree. 

Postdoctoral Research Associates

JILA hires postdoctoral researchers both through the University of Colorado Boulder and through the National Research Associates Program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

Through the University of Colorado Boulder, JILA hires postdoctoral researchers whose scholarly qualifications, promise as research scientists, and research interests and experience support JILA's ongoing research programs and goals. Postdoctoral Research Associate positions provide advanced research experience in the years immediately following the Ph.D. degree. Associateships are generally offered for durations of a year or longer. Applicants from all countries are welcome.   

Postdoctoral appointments usually are awarded in support of ongoing research projects, but consideration of proposals for original research is not precluded. In any case, the recipients will work under the direction of a member of the permanent scientific staff of JILA. The latitude available to the Research Associate is at the discretion of the project leader and may depend heavily on the source of financial support. Research Associateships are supported by specific grants and contracts awarded by federal agencies including NSF, NASA, DOE, and DoD to individual members of JILA's scientific staff. All Research Associates in JILA are appointed by the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Financial Support: JILA postdocs receive competitive salaries and benefits.

Apply

Those interested in applying are encouraged to contact JILA Fellows to discuss research opportunities and potential application. Please consult the research areas listed at the linked topics on JILA's Research Topics Page to find the names of faculty members to use in answering item 12 of the application. On each topic page, you may click on a principal investigator to get to their website for more in-depth information on their research. Once you have spoken with a JILA Fellow about your research experience, then download the Postdoctoral Research Associateship Application form, complete it, and send it via email (along with supporting materials) to the JILA Executive Assistant (see "Inquiries and/or Application Materials," below). Applications and Supporting materials must be sent before letters of recommendation.

Supporting Materials

  • One letter of recommendation
  • A copy of the transcript of your graduate record. (An unofficial copy will be adequate. An official copy will ultimately be required by the University of Colorado at Boulder before an appointment   can be made.)
  • A list of professional publication accepted or in preparation.
  • A resume of your research experience and current research interests.

On receipt of the completed application form, supporting materials and letters of recommendation, Applicants will be informed when their files are complete. Since associateships are awarded throughout the year, there may be an extended period of time between completion of the file and the offer of an appointment, if any. Please note that applications are accepted at any time.

Inquiries and/or Application Materials for the JILA Research Associateship Program should be sent to:
JILA Community Engagement Coordinator
440 UCB, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440
(303) 492-5749 (phone)
(303) 492-5235 (fax)
secretary@jila.colorado.edu