Department of Defense (DOD) Early Career Awards for Faculty Researchers

Описание: DoD Early Career Awards Overview | AFOSR, ARO, ONR & DARPA Explained by Former Program Manager

In this in-depth video, Julia Barzyk—former US Army Research Office (ARO) Program Manager and founder of Wise Investigator—walks you through the key Department of Defense Early Career Award opportunities:

AFOSR Young Investigator Program (YIP)
ARO Early Career Program (ECP)
ONR Young Investigator Program (YIP)
DARPA Young Faculty Award (YFA)

With 10 years of experience making funding recommendations at ARO and now advising clients who win these awards, Julia offers insights you won’t find in the FOAs.

🔍 In This Video You’ll Learn:

Key differences between the DoD early career programs
What to expect from AFOSR, ARO, ONR, and DARPA
Eligibility requirements and award sizes (from $360K to $750K)
When to submit a white paper or executive summary
The truth about pre-proposals, deadlines, and contacting program officers
Strategic advice on collaborations, chair letters, and CV formatting
How to navigate SETAs at DARPA, and what the Heilmeier Catechism is

Why starting the conversation with your research idea (not “I want a YIP”) is the smarter move

📌 Key Program Highlights:

✅ AFOSR YIP
~$450K over 3 years
Requires a white paper
~30% success rate (48 awards out of 159)

✅ ARO Early Career Program
~$360K over 3 years
Rolling submission (no set deadline)
Funded through core program budgets
Requires a chair letter

✅ ONR YIP
~$750K over 3 years
No white paper required, but PM interaction is key
Highly competitive (~10% success rate)

✅ DARPA YFA
~$500K over 2 years (+ optional 3rd year Director’s Fellowship)
No citizenship or PR requirement
Strongly encouraged to submit an executive summary
Involves regular check-ins with DARPA PMs (mentorship model)

💡 BONUS: Advice You Won’t Hear Elsewhere

What to say (and not say) when reaching out to a PM
Why it’s okay if you’re not eligible for a named award
How core program grants can be just as prestigious
Why your CV and letters deserve more attention
How to use SETAs as a secret weapon at DARPA
The importance of editing and proposal polish

🔗 Useful Links:
🌐 Website: https://www.wiseinvestigator.com/
📰 Newsletter: https://wiseinvestigator.beehiiv.com/
💼 LinkedIn:   / julia-barzyk  
📄 Download the up-to-date comparison table of DoD & other federal early career awards: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a...
🎥 Letters Video:    • What you need to know about the various ty...  
🎓 Free DoD Funding Course: https://stan.store/WiseInvestigator/p...