Distinguished Fellowship Program

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is the world’s premier research institution, empowering leaders and teams to pursue breakthroughs in an environment marked by operational excellence and engagement with the communities where we live and work. ORNL invites you to apply to its Distinguished Staff Fellowship (DSF) Program. This program recognizes outstanding early-career scientists and engineers who have excelled in their academic and professional subject areas and show promise as future science leaders.

The program offers highly sought-after fellowships in various research fields, including biology and the environment, clean energy, fusion and fission, isotope science, materials science, national security, neutron science, and supercomputing.

Applicants selected to become DSFs will be named to one of three fellowships based on their scientific background. The fellowships honor three prominent scientists who made a Big Science impact at ORNL.

Dr. Liane

B. Russell was a groundbreaking geneticist at ORNL (1947–2002), and in 1973 she was the first woman to receive the internationally awarded Roentgen Medal. She achieved international recognition for her contributions to our understanding of basic mammalian genetics. Russell Fellows are typically in the biological sciences, biomolecular chemistry, computational biology, and environmental and ecosystem sciences.

Dr. Alvin M. Weinberg was a passionate advocate for nuclear energy with a strong interest in science policy and ORNL’s longest serving director (1955–1973). Weinberg Fellows generally align with the applied, experimental, and computational sciences and demonstrate competency in chemistry and chemical engineering, radiochemistry, materials science and engineering, nuclear science and engineering, and manufacturing science and engineering.

Dr. Eugene P. Wigner was a 1963 Nobel Laureate in physics and ORNL’s first director of research and development (1946–1947). Wigner Fellows are typically in the fundamental sciences and demonstrate competency in advanced materials, chemistry, computational science, neutron scattering, nuclear physics, and plasma and fusion energy sciences.

Candidates should demonstrate their ability to contribute to one or more of the following cross-disciplinary research initiatives:

Nuclear Solutions for National Priorities

Secure, Resilient Systems for Abundant Energy

Aligned with the DOE Genesis Mission, candidates are encouraged to also articulate how their research will leverage or advance AI, advanced computing, data, automation, and other emerging capabilities to accelerate discovery and impact within these priority areas.

Visit ORNL.gov to learn more about ORNL’s Strategic Priorities.

Conduct scientific research of the highest quality and impact during their 3-year tenure appointment.

Successfully conduct a mentorship plan crafted to integrate each DSF into ORNL’s scientific community.

Become leaders in their fields and effective representatives of the Laboratory in interactions with colleagues and with the DOE and other sponsors of R&D at ORNL.

Align behaviors, priorities, and interactions with ORNL’s core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service.

Applicants must have either received their PhD in a STEM or National Security field no more than 5 years prior to or expect to be awarded their PhD no later than 6 months after the application date.

Current or recent ORNL postdoctoral researchers and ORNL staff members are not eligible to apply.

Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the Laboratory.

Proven ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to changing research priorities.

All degree requirements must be completed before starting the appointment.

Distinguished Staff Fellows join ORNL as independent, early-career research staff. Fellowship funds span the first 3 years of their ORNL employment to establish the foundation…