ARL Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (PFP) | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The ARL Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (PFP) is a U.S. Army Research Laboratory effort, released through a Program Announcement (W911NF 11 R 0010), to stand up and operate a fellowship program that brings highly promising postdoctoral scientists and engineers into ARL research. The core idea is to give these early-career researchers room to pursue problems that are largely of their own choosing, as long as the work aligns with ARL interests and can contribute to ARLs broader mission. The program emphasizes fundamental research (basic and applied) that can advance science and technology and may have both civilian and military relevance, while also exposing fellows to real Army and Warfighter needs.

Funding is intended to support a single award (Expected Awards: 1) made as a Cooperative Agreement under 31 U.S.C. 6305, meaning ARL expects to be actively involved rather than acting as a hands-off funder. The cooperative agreement will be governed by Department of Defense Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARs), and the planned period of performance is five years, subject to the availability of funds. The stated purpose of the relationship is not to buy goods or services for the governments direct benefit, but to support and stimulate research in areas that matter to ARL, while bringing new talent, ideas, and techniques into ARLs environment.

A key feature of this opportunity is that it is not a direct fellowship application for individual postdocs. Instead, ARL is seeking an organization (the Recipient) to execute the program. The selected recipient would be responsible for designing and running the full pipeline: recruiting candidates, managing competitions and reviews, coordinating with ARL, and handling administration and reporting. ARL signals that it wants the most creative and effective approach to operating the PFP, but it also lays out specific expectations for what the managing organization must deliver.

The recipient is expected to develop an advertising and outreach strategy that targets strong applicant pools and reflects ARLs mission and capabilities. This includes identifying potential sources of candidates such as major U.S. colleges and universities, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). It also involves selecting dissemination channels such as professional journals, society meetings, seminars, and both electronic and print media, along with practical implementation methods. In addition, the recipient must produce marketing materials every year in collaboration with the government that explain the PFP and either include or link to key information such as the content used in advertisements and background/history and accomplishments of ARL.

On the operational side, the recipient must establish a formal application process for qualified individuals, including postdoctoral and senior-level scientists and engineers whose research interests fit ARLs mission. Just as important, the recipient must set up a competitive review and selection process, describing how applications will be reviewed, vetted, approved, and then recommended to ARL. Because ARL anticipates substantial government involvement, the management approach needs to support ongoing coordination on planning, managing, and executing research activities between ARL and the fellows supported under the program.

The program also requires a clear management structure capable of handling the routine responsibilities of a fellowship program at scale. This includes progress reporting and evaluations for each fellow, recordkeeping, stipend/payment administration, and required financial reporting. The announcement notes that the PA provides estimated numbers of Postdoctoral Fellows and Senior Researchers, estimated stipend levels, and anticipated performance locations based on historical data, though the summary details shown do not list those exact figures.

In terms of where the research happens, fellows and senior researchers are expected to work primarily at ARL facilities in Adelphi, Maryland and at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Other locations may be used if the government determines it is in its best interest. Participation as a fellow or researcher is limited to U.S. citizens, reflecting the nature of ARL work and the expected research environment. However, the administrative and other non-research execution activities performed by the recipient organization are not restricted to a specific place of performance.

From an eligibility and submission standpoint, the opportunity lists eligible applicants as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), as long as they meet any additional conditions described in the announcement text. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement stated. Proposals had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (faxed or emailed proposals would not be considered). The opportunity was posted September 30, 2011, with a closing date of November 1, 2011, and it is associated with CFDA 12.630, Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering. The issuing agency is the Department of the Army, Materiel Command, with contracting handled through the U.S. Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Research Triangle Park Division. For access issues with the full announcement, the listed grants officer contact is Julia Wertley Rotenberry (phone 919-549-4268).

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