Group Leader

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

The Simons Foundation is a private foundation established in 1994 in New York City by Jim and Marilyn Simons. With an annual grants and programs budget of $450 million, the foundation’s mission is to advance the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences.

The foundation pursues its mission through its grant-making division, comprising programs in Mathematics and Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Outreach and Education, and autism research, and through its internal research division, the Flatiron Institute.

The Mathematics and Physical Sciences program supports work in mathematics, theoretical computer science and theoretical physics. The Life Sciences program works to advance basic research in life sciences, with, among other efforts, large grant programs in ocean ecology and in the origins of life.

The Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) is a campaign that aims to improve the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of autism by funding innovative research of the highest quality and relevance. SFARI also supports the editorially independent autism research news site Spectrum.

In 2016, the foundation launched the Flatiron Institute (FI), a multidisciplinary institute whose mission is to advance scientific research through computational methods, including data analysis, modeling and simulation. The FI hosts scientists and collaborating expert programmers who work to create, deploy and support new state-of-the-art computational methods.

Outreach and Education supports and promotes scientific literacy in society generally. Specifically, the program supports the nonprofit Math for America and the independent science news site, Quanta Magazine. This program’s Science Sandbox initiative seeks to unlock scientific thinking in all people, so that science becomes a more integral part of culture.

CENTER FOR COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE (CCN) OVERVIEW

CCN aims to develop theories, models, and computational methods that deepen our knowledge of brain function — both in health and in disease. CCN takes a “systems" neuroscience approach, building models that are motivated by fundamental principles, that are constrained by properties of neural circuits and responses, and that provide insights into perception, cognition and behavior. This cross-disciplinary approach not only leads to the design of new model-driven scientific experiments, but also encapsulates current functional descriptions of the brain that can spur the development of new engineered computational systems, especially in the realm of machine learning.  

CCN’s current research groups include Computational Vision led by Eero Simoncelli, Neural Circuits and Algorithms led by Mitya Chklovskii, Statistical Analysis of Neural Data led by Alex Williams, and Information Processing in Neural Networks led by Yuhai Tu. We are planning to expand the number of research groups in the near term. CCN scientists are encouraged to collaborate across research groups within the center and the wider Flatiron Institute. 

POSITION SUMMARY

The Group Leader will direct a research group working on the development and use of computational methods in neuroscience, specifically using machine learning methods to develop novel analysis approaches to large and complex neuroscience data sets. The Group Leader will be responsible for hiring, supervising and mentoring the research scientists, associate research scientists and fellows in the group. Members of the group may also include data scientists, software engineers and/or research analysts. The Group Leader should contribute toward CCN’s goals of excellence in scholarship, dissemination of knowledge and development of a diverse scientific workforce. The position is based at the Simons Foundation in New York City.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct and appropriately disseminate research in computational and quantitative neuroscience
• Establish a research group in an area relevant to the center
• Hire, mentor and supervise the research of group members and visitors
• Participate in the intellectual direction of the center, including assisting in the selection and review of research staff as well as the planning and organization of workshops, conferences and seminar.
• Engage with researchers in the region, as well as nationally and internationally, to maximize the scientific contributions to the field.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Ph.D. in applied mathematics, biostatistics, computational biology, computer science, engineering, physics, or related disciplines.

Experience

• Postgraduate research experience (typically 2 to 6 years) in computational neuroscience, or related field of interest to the CCN
• A record of excellence in scientific publication
• Ability to do original and outstanding research in neuroscience
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work independently as well as in a collaborative team environment.

REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS

• CV
• Research statement describing plans for research program for the research group. The statement should describe both the group’s planned research program over the next three to five years and plans for operating the research group.
• Three (3) names of people who can be consulted for confidential references.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• The full-time annual compensation for this position is $245,000
• In addition to competitive salaries, the Simons Foundation provides employees with an outstanding benefits package.

Deadline

Applications are considered on a rolling basis until positions are filled.

Our Commitment to Expanding Pathways to Science & Opportunities for All:
Many of the greatest ideas and discoveries come from a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds, and experiences. The Simons Foundation is committed to advancing basic science and mathematics to benefit humankind and expand our collective understanding of our world. As part of our mission, we support partners, programs, and initiatives that seek to broaden the scientific community and open pathways to science and mathematics careers.

The Simons Foundation provides equal opportunities to all applicants without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, pregnancy, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category under federal, state, and local law. #LI-DNI