Fiscal Year 2026 Distinguished Early Career Program

The Fiscal Year 2026 Distinguished Early Career Program is a grant opportunity provided by the Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office. The program aims to support early career faculty in forming impactful research groups, innovative lines of inquiry, educational approaches, and critical new research directions that will drive the next generation of nuclear energy innovation. Eligible applicants include U.S. universities and colleges, with a focus on supporting university research, collaborations with industry and national laboratories, and training and educating the next generation nuclear workforce. The program will award approximately four grants, each with a project period of up to five years, and an approximate dollar amount of individual awards ranging from $0 to $800,000. Key areas of focus include fuel cycle research and development, reactor concepts research, development, and demonstration, and nuclear energy enabling technologies. • Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FC R&D) • Reactor Concepts Research, Development, and Demonstration (RC RD&D) • Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies (NEET)