Panofsky Fellowship

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Menlo Park (CA); On-site; USD 147,000 - 189,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits

Research support

Mentorship to students

Job summary

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory invites exceptional early-career researchers to pursue their science at a premier facility. The Panofsky Fellowship supports building a research program that expands SLAC’s capabilities and aligns with its mission.

Applicants should submit a plan utilizing SLAC resources and demonstrate leadership, mentorship, and potential for a high-impact program. The appointment is five years with full benefits and generous research support.

Qualifications

• Evidence of completed PhD (or equivalent) prior to starting the position.
• Appointment is at Associate Staff Scientist Level with a five-year term.
• Applicants will be evaluated on scientific potential and leadership in field.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop an independent research program leveraging SLAC facilities.
• Mentor students and postdocs and collaborate across divisions.
• Contribute to SLAC mission and expand research directions.

Education

PhD or equivalent

Job description

The Panofsky Fellowship recognizes exceptional and promising early-career scientists who would most benefit from the unique opportunity to conduct their research at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. It honors SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory’s founder and first Director, Wolfgang K. H. Panofsky.

The fellowship is intended for early-career researchers in a diverse range of fields related to the SLAC scientific mission. Panofsky Fellows push the frontiers of existing research programs at SLAC and develop their research group and program to expand into new directions building on this foundation. Applicants for the Fellowship should provide a research plan that makes use of the facilities and resources that their potential research area has available.

We are especially interested in candidates who propose innovative research programs that utilize and potentially extend the Laboratory's capabilities. Their plan should also demonstrate alignment with the SLAC mission and values https://www6.slac.stanford.edu/about/our-story/mission-vision-values . We therefore strongly encourage candidates to explore the current programs at SLAC described on our web site and reach out to SLAC staff members (see FAQ on the website) in their field to discuss more about how their ideas could be implemented to be a fit at SLAC.

Applicants must provide evidence of either a completed PhD (or equivalent) degree or confirmation of completion of the PhD degree requirements prior to starting the position. The position is targeted at early career researchers engaged in postdoctoral research. While postdoctoral experience is not strictly required, the applicant pool is highly competitive. Candidates will be evaluated based on their scientific potential to lead an exceptional research program and demonstrate community leadership in their field; on their proposed research to leverage the scientific opportunities enabled by SLAC's unique facilities and capabilities; and on their ability to work collaboratively at SLAC as a mentor to students and postdocs and forge connections across the lab.

The appointment is at the Associate Staff Scientist Level and carries a five-year term at SLAC, with salary commensurate with the experience of the candidate. The appointment comes with full benefits and generous research support. Review for promotion to a continuing staff scientist position at SLAC will be conducted at, or before, the completion of the Fellowship.

The deadline for applications is November 30, 2026 8:59 PM PT.

For further information, please consult https://ddst.slac.stanford.edu/career-pathways-development/panofsky-fellowship or contact [e-mail].

The expected pay range for this position is $147,000 - $189,000 per annum. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory/Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital or family status, sexual orientation, gender identity or genetic information. All staff at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory must be able to demonstrate the legal right to work in the United States. SLAC is an E-Verify employer.