About SETI

At the SETI Institute, we aren’t just looking at the stars—we are actively trying to understand our place among them. Our mission is dedicated to advancing humanity’s understanding of the universe through world-class scientific research, exploration, and discovery. We bring together a brilliant, passionate community of researchers, scientists, engineers, and innovators across more than 24 natural science domains. To fuel our next giant leap, we are seeking visionary researchers to join our Affiliates Program and partner with us to launch the next generation of scientific exploration.

About This Role

Have a groundbreaking research vision without current funding? Apply to become a SETI Institute Affiliate. The Affiliates Program provides qualified scientists, engineers, and educators a premier institutional platform to submit competitive research proposals to government agencies (such as NASA and NSF), private foundations, and industry partners.

As an Affiliate, you gain immediate association with a world-class research institute and access to our dedicated Grants Administration team to help assemble, review, and submit your proposals. While affiliation itself is an uncompensated pathway for proposal preparation rather than formal employment, securing grant funding unlocks the opportunity to transition into a Principal Investigator (PI) or staff researcher role at SETI. Temporary workspace at our Mountain View HQ is available by request to support pre-submittal consultations and proposal development.

FLSA Status: Uncompensated Research Affiliation (Potential transition to Exempt employee upon grant award)

Benefits & What You'll Do

• Submit Winning Research Proposals: Partner with SETI’s Grants Administration to write, edit, and submit proposals as a Project Lead or Co-Investigator to top-tier funding agencies.
• Leverage Full Grants Administration Support: Access expert assistance with budget preparation, proposal element templates, compliance reviews, endorsement letters, and final submission logistics.
• Access Internal Pilot Funds & Networks: Apply for internal competitive funding to execute pilot projects, while collaborating across a global network of leaders in Astrobiology, Exoplanets, Planetary Exploration, and Data Science.
• Amplify Research & Educational Impact: Partner with the Center for Education for proposal outreach components, and utilize SETI's Communications team to amplify your press releases and social media reach.
• Maintain Active Institutional Engagement: Submit at least one grant proposal within your first 18 months to maintain active affiliation status and keep your pathway to funded research open.

Who You Are

• A Mission-Driven Researcher: You possess a fierce scientific curiosity and a clear research vision in astrophysics, astrobiology, planetary science, heliophysics, space instrumentation, SETI, or STEM education.
• A Proactive Proposal Author: You are eager to lead or co-investigate grant proposals, taking advantage of senior staff reviews and technical advice to maximize funding success.
• An Agile & Collaborative Thinker: You thrive when connected to a multidisciplinary scientific network, seamlessly partnering across research divisions and administrative teams.
• A Dedicated Scientific Storyteller: You understand the value of translating complex research into compelling proposals that resonate with federal agencies, foundations, and private partners.
• Accountable & Deadline-Driven: You manage proposal preparation timelines with precision, ensuring internal review deadlines, compliance guidelines, and funder submittal cutoffs are flawlessly met.

What We're Looking For

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Planetary Science, Engineering, STEM Education, or a related natural science discipline (or equivalent research experience).
• Demonstrated track record or strong potential for writing competitive scientific research or educational grant proposals.
• Alignment with one or more of SETI's 8 research divisions or 24 natural science domains.
• High digital literacy and comfort utilizing modern collaboration platforms (Dropbox, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoom, and Slack).
• Commitment to submitting at least one research proposal through the SETI Institute within an 18-month term period.

What Will Make You Stand Out

• Prior experience as a Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Investigator (Co-I) on successfully awarded NASA, NSF, or foundation grants.
• Research proposals featuring an integrated public engagement or STEM education component.
• Existing partnerships or collaborative relationships with NASA-affiliated centers, academic hubs, or international research institutions.
• Experience utilizing open-source scientific databases, academic repositories (arXiv / Google Scholar), or advanced data analytics in research design.
• A defined research project ready for immediate budget assembly and grant submission.

Important Program Details & Expectations

The SETI Institute Affiliate position is an institutional avenue for submitting research proposals and does not constitute formal employment or guarantee future salary.

• Title Usage: Affiliates may not use "SETI Institute Affiliate" as a formal professional title in general correspondence or publications; the designation serves solely as an administrative mechanism for proposal submissions.
• Term & Renewal: Affiliation automatically expires after 18 months if no grant proposals are submitted within that timeframe.
• Transition to Employment: Upon successful selection and funding of a research proposal, Affiliates will be evaluated for formal employment at the SETI Institute.

Equal Employment Opportunity & Accommodation Statement

SETI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for program participation without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws.

SETI provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).

Fair Chance Statement

Consistent with applicable law, including the California Fair Chance Act, qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for participation.

Disclaimer

This posting describes the general nature and scope of the SETI Institute Affiliates Program. Program guidelines, resources, and support parameters may be updated based on organizational priorities and funding agency requirements. For specific inquiries, please contact Zenia Ibarra, People & Talent Operations Partner (zibarra@seti.org).