To apply, click Apply at the bottom of this page.

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The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) enables research, development, and testing of emerging technologies to advance marine energy as well as next-generation hydropower and pumped storage systems for a flexible, reliable grid.

Marine energy technologies convert the energy of waves, tides, and river and ocean currents into electricity and have the potential to provide millions of Americans with locally sourced, reliable energy. The WPTO-funded Marine Energy Fellowship: Postgraduate Track will strengthen those efforts by preparing postgraduates for careers in marine energy important to WPTO by providing opportunities at DOE laboratories, industry organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), nonprofits, and other DOE/WPTO-approved facilities.

Marine Energy Fellowship applications are reviewed (and offers are made) two times per year:

Summer Cohort | Start Dates: May-July. Application Deadline: December 12, 2025 at 5:00pm ET. 
Fall Cohort | Start Dates: August-October: Application Deadline: March 27, 2026 at 5:00pm ET. 

What will I be doing?

As a participant with the Marine Energy Fellowship: Postgraduate Track, you will advance your experience and skills utilizing the expertise, resources, and capabilities available at DOE laboratories, industry, federal agencies, NGOs, or other approved facilities to accomplish your research goals, all while networking with top scientists in the field. You will enhance your education and training in marine energy, increase your marketability in these disciplines, gain access to top scientists and state-of-the-art equipment, and gain insight into research and career opportunities. You will have the opportunity to collaborate and learn from experts researching, developing, and testing emerging technologies in marine energy and/or blue economy.

You will conduct research at a host facility. Because you are responsible for finding a host facility and securing a mentor, you will be embedded in a facility whose research aligns with your research goals and who can provide the resources you need for your research. Your mentor may also be a resource for your next career step!

Who is an ideal candidate?

• Highly motivated recent graduates who have completed a degree program in a topic applicable to marine energy, including but not limited to innovative technologies for domestic power generation from marine energy technologies.
• Applicants who are able to independently secure a hosting facility and mentor to host them for the appointment; virtually, hybrid, or in-person.

Where will I be?

You will identify the host facility where you want to conduct your research and a potential mentor currently conducting or directing research, development, and/or testing in a marine energy topic.

The appointment period for this fellowship is 12 months at the identified hosting facility, virtually, hybrid, or in-person. For a list of potential host facilities, please visit https://orise.orau.gov/marine-energy-research-program/applicants/host-facilities.html. Applicants are not limited to this list.

Program Provisions

You will receive a competitive monthly stipend ($5,000 for post-bachelor's, $5,833 for post-master's, and $6,667 for postdocs), health insurance supplement, travel and education allowance up to $10,000, and limited tuition reimbursement. An inbound-outbound transportation allowance up to $4,000 may be provided for eligible candidates temporarily relocating and/or traveling to the hosting facility.

Nature of Appointment

The participant will not enter into an employee/employer relationship with ORISE, ORAU, DOE, or any other office or agency.  Instead, the participant will be affiliated with ORISE for the administration of the appointment through the ORISE appointment letter and Terms of Appointment.

Applicants must:

• Be a U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident
• Be a recent graduate with a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree from a qualified program at an accredited U.S. college or university. The degree must have been obtained within 24 months of the appointment start date.
• • Have conducted research, development, and/or testing in an area aligned with WPTO mission and marine research priorities.

A complete application consists of:

• Zintellect Profile
• Proposed Project
  • Title
  • Project description: The project description should be a maximum of two pages and summarize the applicant's project aims and learning objectives at the host facility, how the project supports the mission of the host facility, role of the host facility and mentor, timeline, expected outcomes, and relevance to WPTO priority research areas for marine energy.
• Academic records showing that the applicant is either currently pursuing a degree, or the degree was obtained from a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral program requiring a thesis. 
  • If currently pursuing at the time of application, the degree must be conferred by the appointment start date.
  • If degree obtained, it must have been conferred within the past 24 months at the time of application.
  • Transcripts or copies of the student academic records provided by the applicant from internal institutional systems may be submitted.
• Letter of Support from proposed mentor at host facility. The letter must demonstrate knowledge of and concurrence with the proposed project description and agreement to host the applicant if an appointment is offered.
• Professional summary detailing knowledge, skills, and background in an area aligned with marine energy.
• A current resume/CV (2-page limit)

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation. Documents sent by email, postal mail, or fax will not be considered. All supporting materials must be uploaded as PDF files so the document can be searched by Zintellect's search engine. Scanned items are not optimal for search engines. PDF must not require special certificates or passwords to open. Max file size is 10MB.

If you have questions, or have issues uploading documentation, please send an email to DOE-RPP@orise.orau.gov and list DOE-EERE-RPP-2025-Summer-MEF-Postgrad in the subject line of your email.

Review Criteria 
Applications will be collected in Zintellect and will undergo an eligibility check by ORISE, after which a merit review will be conducted by DOE. 

• Skills-Position Alignment (50%) 
  • Are the applicant’s academic background, skills, and experience appropriate for the position?
  • Recommend adding something like: Does the proposed work seem suitable to meet the applicant’s professional development goals? 
• Relevance to Marine Energy (25%) 
  • Is the proposed research a viable concept or topic relevant to marine energy?
  • Does the proposed position demonstrate a solid understanding of scientific and technical challenges in the field? 
• Support of Host Facility (25%) 
  • Can the proposed hosting facility provide the necessary resources and mentorship to support the proposed research? 
  • Are the professional interests of the mentor and applicant aligned? 
  • Are both parties committed to having a supportive and productive relationship?

For detailed information regarding application components, including requirements for the proposed project description, visit https://orise.orau.gov/marine-energy-research-program.

• Citizenship: LPR or U.S. Citizen
• Degree: Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree, or Doctoral Degree received within the last 24 months or currently pursuing.
• Minimum Overall GPA: 3.00
• Discipline(s):
  • Business (6 )
  • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (12 )
  • Communications and Graphics Design (6 )
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (15 )
  • Earth and Geosciences (17 )
  • Engineering (22 )
  • Environmental and Marine Sciences (14 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (34 )
  • Mathematics and Statistics (8 )
  • Other Non-Science & Engineering (10 )
  • Physics (9 )
  • Science & Engineering-related (2 )
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (21 )
• Age: Must be 18 years of age