U.S. Department of Energy Announces Early Career Research Program for FY 2024

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced it is accepting applications for the 2024 DOE Office of Science Early Career Research Program to support the research of outstanding scientists early in their careers. The program will support over 80 early career researchers for five years at U.S. academic institutions, DOE national laboratories, and Office of Science user facilities.

“The Department of Energy’s Office of Science is delivering scientific discoveries and tools needed to keep the U.S. science and technology enterprise at the forefront. Early career researchers are key to driving the nation’s innovation engine,” said Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Director of DOE’s Office of Science. “The Early Career Research program allows scientists to push the frontiers of knowledge to close major scientific challenges, and as needed, to gain experience working across large scientific facilities at the department’s national laboratories and user facilities. This program offers a unique opportunity to propel the careers of promising early career researchers.”

To be eligible for the program, a researcher must be an untenured, tenure-track assistant or associate professor at a U.S. academic institution or a full-time employee at a DOE national laboratory or Office of Science user facility. To address special circumstances and challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, for a second year the Office of Science is extending the eligibility window for this competition from 10 to 12 years for all applicants. Awards to an institution of higher education will be approximately $875,000 over five years and the minimum request for awards to a DOE national laboratory or Office of Science user facility will be approximately $2,750,000 over five years. 

DOE’s Office of Science is the nation’s largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences. Early career researchers may apply to one of eight Office of Science program offices: Advanced Scientific Computing Research; Biological and Environmental Research; Basic Energy Sciences; Fusion Energy Sciences; High Energy Physics; Nuclear Physics; Accelerator R&D and Production; and Isotope R&D and Production. Proposed research topics must fall within the programmatic priorities of DOE’s Office of Science, which are provided in the program announcement. Funding will be competitively awarded on the basis of peer review.

Pre-applications are mandatory and are due on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. ET. Applications will be due on Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Only those applicants that receive notification from DOE encouraging a formal application may submit full applications.

A webinar on this opportunity will be held on January 10, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. ET. Please register here.

Further information can be found on the Office of Science funding opportunities page.