The postbaccalaureate (postbac) fellowship is a training program for recent college graduates interested in climate change, environmental justice, and community-based research. Fellows will be hired as Junior Specialists for a one-year, full-time appointment, with a September 1, 2024 start date.

Postbacs will spend approximately 20 hours per week working on research with their faculty mentor, and 20 hours per week completing program curriculum (including team community-based research projects) and attending other CLIMATE Justice-related events.

The Fellowship period runs from September 1, 2024 – August 31, 2025.

Applications for the 2024-2025 cycle are now closed. Applicants for the following cohort must apply via UCI Recruit between March 1st and April 30th, 2025.  A virtual info session will be held on March 20, 2025 from 2-3:30 pm PT.

• Those who have completed a B.S. or B.A. degree in geoscience or a related field at any institution within the past 2 years (2023 or 2024).
• Those interested in pursuing a career and/or graduate studies related to climate science and policy, environmental justice, geoscience, and/or climate change adaptation and mitigation.
• Those interested in collaborating with Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)-led and BIPOC-serving community-based organizations on community-based research projects.

Applicants will be required to submit an application through UCI Recruit.  The 2024-2025 application is now closed.  The following extra documents will be required for a complete application during the next application cycle:

1. Completion of essay questions (questions will be provided in the application)
2. A curriculum vitae that includes the following sections:
   • Contact information (i.e., name, email, phone, address, etc.)
   • Education (i.e., college/university, major, year of degree)
   • Research experience in previous courses or jobs (if applicable)
   • Skills (i.e., computer, lab, field, language, or other skills)
   • Honors or scholarships
   • Previous work experience
   • Service, education, or volunteer work (e.g., tutoring, teaching, outreach, etc.)
     
3. A one-page cover letter explaining your relevant background, your interest in this opportunity, and your immediate and long-term career goals.
4. Unofficial transcripts from any undergraduate institution(s) you have attended.
5. Contact information for 2-3 references who can speak to your academic background, research potential, and overall suitability for the program.  They will be contacted only if you are selected as a finalist.  

Questions should be directed to our Academic Coordinator, Robert Garcia (garciar1@uci.edu).

1. Can I apply if I graduated before 2023? Yes, but 2023 and 2024 graduates will be prioritized.
2. Can I apply if I have a Master’s degree? No.
3. Can international students apply? Maybe. Contact us so we can discuss your individual situation.
4. Who will my faculty research mentor be? Accepted postbac fellows will be surveyed about their interests, skills, and career goals in order to be matched with a faculty mentor. You may request specific faculty mentors in your application or after acceptance, but we cannot guarantee placement in specific labs.
5. I’ve never written a CV or cover letter. Are there resources to help me? Yes. Columbia University has information on creating undergraduate CVs, a cover letter example can be found here, and this blog post gives advice for finding and applying to postbac positions.