Oppenheimer natara United States National Research Council fellowship na California Institute of Technology (Caltech) na September 1927. Bridgman chọkwara ya na Harvard, ya mere, a bịarutere nkwekọrịta nke ọ kewara ya maka afọ agụmakwụkwọ 1927<unk>28 n'etiti Harvard na 1927 na Caltech na 1928. Na Caltech ọ kụrụ ezigbo ọbụbụenyi na Linus Pauling, ha na-ezube ịlụ ọgụ na ọdịdị nke chemical bond, ubi nke Pauling bụ onye ọsụ ụzọ, na Oppenheimer na-enye mgbakọ na mwepụ na Paul na-akọwa nsonaazụ ya.
Ụlọ Akwụkwọ Teknụzụ California