Distinguished Staff Fellowship Program

Requisition Id 17022

Overview

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.
  
  

Targeted Research Directions

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

• Future of Computing
• AI
• Autonomous Science
• Quantum
• Atoms to Applications
• Materials
• Neutron Sciences
• Biotechnology
• Nuclear Solutions for National Priorities
• Isotopes
• Nuclear
• Fusion
• Secure, Resilient Systems for Abundant Energy
• Grid
• National Security
  
  

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.

Major Duties/Responsibilities

• 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.
  
  

Basic Qualifications

• 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.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• 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 for a long-term career at ORNL.

Application Process

Applications will be accepted from September 1, 2026, through September 30, 2026, ending at 11:59pm EST. Select “Apply Now” via our Careers website at jobs.ornl.gov or on the DSF website.

Please Attach The Following Documents With Your Application Submission

• A concise but thorough research statement that describes a vision for tackling a grand research challenge, its significance and relationship to ORNL research programs, and its alignment to one (or more) of ORNL’s targeted research directions.
  
  

Research Statement Guidelines

• A one-paragraph abstract of the research statement explaining, in general terms, what information will be discussed in your research statement. This should be a standalone cover page for an audience with diverse knowledge bases.
• Research statement up to 1,500 words, not including illustrations or references

• Background and significance
  
  

• Describe the problem to be solved, the need to be addressed, or the gap in knowledge to be filled.
  
  

• Describe the current state of the field (including citations to relevant literature).
  
  

• Research plan and approach
  
  

• State your specific aims and describe specific questions to be addressed or steps that will be taken to reach the overarching goal of your proposal.
  
  

• For each specific aim, describe the approach that will be taken to address that aim, providing enough detail to allow reviewers representing a broad range of research areas to assess the appropriateness and novelty of your approach.
  

References

• Unofficial Ph.D. transcript
• CV/resume including a list of scholarly outputs (e.g., scientific publications in journals, conferences, reports, patents, etc., which distinguishes refereed from non-refereed items, and other notable scientifically related achievements, such as technical achievements, spin-offs, startup companies, etc.)
• Cover letter addressed to the Distinguished Staff Fellowship Selection Committee
• Three letters of recommendation:
• You are responsible for requesting the recommendation letters from your references, and all references should submit their letters directly to ornlfellows@ornl.gov. Please have your references address their letters to the “Distinguished Staff Fellowship Selection Committee”. To ensure proper receipt, please ask your references to use a subject line with your name included.
  
  

To be considered for this position, your application, and all required documents, including your three reference letters, must be received by Sep 30, 2026, no later than 11:59pm EST.

Selection Process

The DFC is a body of esteemed scientists representing diverse subject matters across the Lab. The DFC will evaluate applicants based on candidate excellence and relevance of the proposed research topic once the application period has closed.

Several steps in the application review process take place after the application window closing date. It may take several weeks for candidates to be notified of their application status.

Additional information regarding ORNL’s DSF Program may be found by visiting the following link: https://www.ornl.gov/careers/distinguished-fellowships.

About ORNL

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an impressive 80-year legacy of addressing the nation’s most pressing challenges. Our team is made up of over 7,000 dedicated and innovative individuals! Our goal is to create an environment where a variety of perspectives and backgrounds are valued, ensuring ORNL is known as a top choice for employment. These principles are essential for supporting our broader mission to drive scientific breakthroughs and translate them into solutions for energy, environmental, and security challenges facing the nation.

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain individuals who demonstrate exceptional work behaviors. The laboratory provides a range of employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to support the well-being of you and your family. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also available for added convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply. UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.