Postdoctoral Associate
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MAFull-time / Temporary$73–90K/yrSeen 1w agoSeen in employer's feed today
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At a glance
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Requirements
Credentials this posting asks for.
Job overview
The Postdoctoral Associate will advance interdisciplinary research and innovation addressing energy and climate challenges through technical assessments, research-priority development, and strategies for climate solutions. The role focuses on scientific and technical strategy rather than laboratory research, with initial areas including extreme heat resilience and green steel production. The associate will collaborate with MIT faculty, staff, researchers, industry, government, and other stakeholders, and will be considered an Energy and Climate Fellow.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Full job description
Postdoctoral Associate
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Job Number: 26147
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Functional Area: Research - Engineering
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Department: Office of the Vice President for Energy and Climate (VPEC)
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School Area: Engineering
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Pay Range Minimum: $73,308
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Pay Range Maximum: $90,000
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Employment Type: Full-Time Temporary
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Employment Category: Exempt
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Visa Sponsorship Available: Yes
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Schedule:
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Pay Grade: No Grade
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Posting Description
POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE , Office of the Vice President for Energy and Climate (VPEC) , to advance interdisciplinary research and innovation addressing urgent energy and climate challenges. Will identify emerging scientific and technological opportunities, assess technical feasibility and potential impact, and collaborate with MIT faculty and staff to shape research priorities, programs, and strategies. Responsibilities include conducting technical assessments, evaluating research proposals, identifying pathways to technology demonstration and adoption, and engaging researchers, industry, government, and other stakeholders to advance climate solutions. Initial areas of focus include extreme heat resilience and green steel production. Will prepare technical briefs, research roadmaps, and recommendations and contribute to workshops and collaborative initiatives. The position emphasizes scientific and technical strategy rather than laboratory research. The postdoctoral associate will be considered an Energy and Climate Fellow. The full job description is available, here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZPrTKIADqweTtQ2cz7WWZ8CY4u68kg75/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110716311861814000406&rtpof=true&sd=true
Job Requirements
REQUIRED : PhD in science, engineering, or a related field; demonstrated ability to conduct rigorous, independent analysis; excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to initiate and lead interdisciplinary projects; strong commitment to addressing climate change; and an entrepreneurial mindset, including initiative, ownership, and ability to navigate ambiguity. PREFERRED : Experience at the intersection of research, innovation, and commercialization; familiarity with energy, climate, or sustainability; and expertise in thermal sciences, cooling technologies, building systems, metallurgy, green steel production, or related fields. This is a one-year appointment, renewable for a second year, based on performance, research priorities and funding. As part of the application, include a cover letter outlining your interest in the MIT Climate Project and include a response to this (500-word-max): Drawing on your expertise, identify an important but underexplored scientific or technological opportunity in energy or climate. Why does it matter, and how would you assess its technical promise and pathway to real-world impact? Briefly describe the analyses you would undertake and the disciplines or partners you would engage. Please also include contact information for three references. 10/15/2026
How this job compares
Set against the 4,861 open Researcher jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 27, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$73–90K/yr
- Massachusetts median$90–123K/yr217 salary ranges
- US median$102–154K/yr2,234 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $82K, is 23% below the Massachusetts median midpoint ($107K) — in the middle half of Researcher salary ranges in Massachusetts.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 294 open Researcher jobs in Massachusetts and 4,861 across the US. 2% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in Massachusetts
- Harvard University63 open
- Boston University29 open
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (this employer)20 open
- Experience
- Researcher postings that state a minimum ask for 4 years of experience at the median; the middle half ask for 2 to 5 years (1,623 postings).
- Education
- This posting asks for a doctorate or professional degree; 2,069 of the 4,861 open Researcher jobs (43%) ask for a doctorate or professional degree.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 27, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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