Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellowship

For The Maria Mitchell Association seeks applications for a 1-year long Research Fellow position. Eligible candidates are expected to be post-baccalaureate, pre-graduate school and interested in astrophysics. We strongly encourage applications from people of historically underrepresented groups in STEM. The position will be held at the Maria Mitchell Association on the island of Nantucket, MA.


We are not currently accepting applications for Fellowship positions!


Please direct any questions to Dr. Geoffrey Clayton, Interim Director of Astronomy at gclayton@mariamitchell.org.

Application Deadline: Not currently Accepting Applications

  • About the Research and the F4 Collaboration

    The MMA Research Fellow will become part of the Fast and Fortunate for FRB Follow-up (F4) collaboration, consisting of students, post-docs, and faculty from around the world, and whose mission is to perform multi-wavelength follow-up studies of fast radio bursts (FRBs) and their host galaxies. The scientific goals of the F4 collaboration include:


    • Disentangling the cosmic web through FRB dispersion measures correlated with foreground galaxies and their halos.


    • Constraining FRB progenitor(s) through population studies of their host galaxies.


    • Constraining the physical properties of halo gas, e.g. magnetic field, density.


    The MMA Research Fellow duties will include performing scientific research as part of the F4 collaboration. In addition, the Research Fellow will have the opportunity to participate in the day-to-day operations of the MMA, including the operation of our on-site 24-inch telescope and participating in the public outreach and education efforts of the MMA.


    For more information about the science conducted by the F4 collaboration please see: Fast and Fortunate for FRB Follow-up. The F4 collaboration is generously funded by the National Science Foundation under awards AST-1911140 and AST-1910471.

  • About The Maria Mitchell Association

    The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) is a private non-profit organization. Founded in 1902, the MMA works to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages.


    The MMA operates a summer internship program in astrophysics under the auspices of the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) program. The MMA has a long history of encouraging and supporting women and other members of historically underrepresented groups in STEM and maintains a strong commitment to issues of equity and inclusion.

  • Requirements

    Soon or recent graduate with bachelor’s degree in Astronomy, Physics, or a related science or engineering discipline.


    • With 40 hours/week available to work on-site at Maria Mitchell Association, Nantucket, MA


    • Experience in scientific Python programming (or some other language) is a plus