Astronomical Innovation (Astronova) Fellowship — Postdoctoral fellowship in astronomical instrumentation

About this program

Heising‑Simons Foundation’s Astronova Fellowship (launched 2026) funds promising postdoctoral researchers developing cutting‑edge astronomical instrumentation for astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, and planetary science, with the goal of preparing fellows for tenure‑track faculty roles and increasing the visibility of instrumentation research. The fellowship provides salary, benefits, and a discretionary research fund for a four‑year term (with an optional one‑year extension), and beginning in year two fellows may apply for an additional Innovation Grant up to $150,000; the program also offers annual summits and professional development. Applicants must be postdoctoral scientists proposing a coherent instrumentation research program to be carried out at one of the six designated 2026 host institutions (Carnegie Science, Keck Observatory—Hawai‘i, University of Arizona, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, or UC Santa Cruz) and are encouraged to consult the host institution contact while preparing their application.