The CICOES (formerly JISAO) Task I Postdoctoral Scholar program has been running at the University of Washington since 1978. Prospective CICOES Postdocs design and conduct their own research project in conjunction with academic mentors at one of the three CICOES consortium universities and at least one NOAA scientist. The CICOES consortium consists of the University of Washington, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University. Our NOAA partner laboratories include the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, and the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory.

CICOES Postdoctoral Scholars are appointed for one year with a second-year dependent on funding availability and scholarly progress. The academic appointment provides a competitive salary, moving expenses, and a modest research/travel budget. Research interests must align with at least one of the nine CICOES research themes.

The list of former JISAO/CICOES Postdoctoral Scholars continues to grow and their current positions indicate the scope and quality of scientists that have participated in the program.

For more information on the CICOES fellowship postdoc program, contact John Horne, Director, at jhorne@uw.edu.

2026 CICOES Task I Postdoctoral Scholar Announcement

The Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies (CICOES) at the University of Washington (UW), University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), and Oregon State University (OSU) seeks a Postdoctoral Scholar with research interests in climate science, fisheries science, and/or oceanography. As a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sponsored Cooperative Institute, CICOES promotes and facilitates collaborative research between UW, UAF, OSU and the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), the Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), and the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL).

We anticipate one position will be filled at 100% FTE in 2026. Positions are not tied to any current research project but are based on the applicant’s research proposal. Applicants are expected to conduct research relevant to at least one of CICOES’ research themes:

1. Climate and Ocean Variability, Change and Impacts
2. Earth Systems and Processes
3. Environmental Chemistry and Ocean Carbon
4. Marine Ecosystems: Observation, Analysis, and Forecasts
5. Ocean and Coastal Observations
6. Environmental Data Science
7. Aquaculture Science
8. Human Dimensions in Marine Systems
9. Polar Studies

The proposed research project must demonstrate relevance to both CICOES and at least one of the NOAA programs at AFSC, NWFSC, or PMEL. The Postdoctoral Scholar will conduct research in association with at least one mentor from AFSC, NWFSC, PMEL, and at least one academic faculty member at a CICOES consortium university including the UW, the UAF, and CEOAS at OSU. Please consult the list of potential postdoc mentors at UW.

Description and application instructions will be available at the UW Interfolio website, which is anticipated to be available in early January, 2026. The deadline to apply is February 23, 2026. All applications must be submitted through Interfolio.