Early-career scientists preparing to move from mentored research positions into tenure-track faculty roles can apply for the 2027 Simons Foundation Fellows-to-Faculty Award. The programme centres on a three-year US$600,000 faculty research award and can also provide up to two years of optional postdoctoral support.
Overview
The award is offered through the Simons Foundation’s Autism and Neuroscience division. Applicants propose a future independent research programme aligned with the mission of the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative, the Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain, or the Simons Collaboration on Ecological Neuroscience.
The programme is intended for researchers who are ready to enter the faculty job market during the upcoming academic cycle.
Benefits
- Faculty Research Award: Selected fellows can receive US$200,000 per year for three years, inclusive of 20 percent indirect costs.
- Optional Postdoctoral Support: Fellows may receive US$110,000 per year for up to two years before starting a faculty position.
- Postdoctoral Components: The optional annual support includes an US$85,000 stipend, US$10,000 career-development allowance, and US$15,000 health and benefits allowance.
- Mentorship: Fellows receive mentoring, peer support, and access to a community of Simons Foundation investigators.
Eligibility
- Degree: Applicants must hold a PhD, MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent doctoral degree.
- Current Position: Applicants must be in a non-independent mentored research training position.
- Faculty Timing: Applicants should be ready to seek tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions during the upcoming academic job cycle.
- Current Awards: Applicants must not hold substantial principal-investigator federal funding or overlapping career-development awards that support the same transition.
- Citizenship: There is no citizenship requirement.
- Resubmissions: Applicants may apply to the Fellows-to-Faculty programme for a maximum of two years.
How to Apply
- Deadline: Applications close January 13, 2027 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Scientific Area: Applicants may apply to SFARI, SCPAB, SCENE, or more than one area using separate tailored applications.
- Application System: Applications are submitted through the Simons Award Manager.
- Prepare the Proposal: Focus the scientific proposal on the vision and research direction of the future independent laboratory.
- Submit: Complete the full application in the official Simons Award Manager before the deadline.
