Postdoctoral Fellow, Open Call

About The Fellowship

Basis offers postdoctoral fellowships for highly qualified researchers to deepen their expertise in computational theories of intelligence. Fellows work closely with Basis Research Scientists and partnering Principal Investigators (PIs) from academic institutions.

About Basis

Basis is a nonprofit applied AI research organization with two goals: understanding and building intelligence, and advancing society's ability to solve intractable problems. It builds a new technological foundation inspired by human reasoning and creates a new kind of collaborative organization prioritizing human values.

How it works

• Fellows are jointly mentored and funded by Basis and partner PIs at academic institutions.
• Fellows split their time between Basis and the academic PI’s lab, functioning like a jointly advised postdoctoral position.
• Each Fellow is paired with a Basis mentor selected to align with the Fellow’s research program and goals.
• This structure offers a distinctive research environment blending academia and industry strengths.
• There are two pathways into the Fellowship: joining an existing project or proposing a new research direction through the open call.

Who we're looking for

• Researchers with a PhD in computer science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, computational neuroscience, cognitive science, or related fields.
• Demonstrated track record in scientific research, evidenced through publications, technical reports, or impactful software projects.

Core Responsibilities

• Conduct independent and collaborative research within the thematic areas of Basis, focusing on computational theories of intelligence.
• Disseminate research findings through academic publications and presentations at leading conferences.
• Actively engage in knowledge transfer within Basis and with external partners, converting research into actionable insights and algorithms.
• Provide mentorship to junior team members and contribute to the scientific discourse at Basis through seminars, workshops, and collaborative projects.

Role Details

• Full-time: 1 to 2 years.
• Location: New York City and Boston areas (in-person).
• Salary: Competitive with leading postdoctoral fellowships.
• Start date: Applications reviewed on a rolling basis; immediate start possible.

Application Components

• A cover letter (no more than 2 pages): Brief description of your PhD research and past accomplishments, a list of at least three potential PI mentors, and your CVA research proposal (no more than 3 pages).

FAQs

• How is this fellowship different from a Research Scientist position at Basis?
• Differences:
• Duration: Fellowship is time-limited, usually 1 to 2 years.
• Academic Collaboration: Fellows have co-mentorship from academic PIs.
• Emphasis on Publication: Fellows are expected to publish their research.
• Similarities:
• Contributions to Core Technology: Fellows contribute code to Basis core technology.
• Basis supports fellows without extensive software engineering experience to develop these skills.
• Research Funds: Fellows have access to an annual allocation of research funds ($5,000).
• Integration with the Basis community: Fellows participate in Basis events, on-sites, and other activities, and may collaborate on other Basis projects.
• What happens after the fellowship?
• Postdoctoral Fellows may be offered a full-time Research Scientist position at Basis, contingent upon performance and organizational needs.

Questions

• Can I apply without suggesting a potential PI mentor?
• Should I apply to the open call position or an established team position?

Non-Discrimination Notice

Basis Research Institute provides equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or genetics and prohibits discrimination based on all protected characteristics.

Privacy Notice

By submitting your application, you grant Basis permission to use your materials for both hiring evaluation and recruitment-related research and development purposes. Your information may be processed in different countries, including the US. You retain copyright while providing Basis a license to use these materials for the stated purposes. Read our full Global Data Privacy Notice here.

Compensation Range

$100K