Simons-Berkeley Postdoctoral Fellowship

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Simons Foundation has provided special funding for five prestigious one- or two-year postdoctoral fellowship positions starting in Fall 2021. This Simons-Berkeley Postdoctoral Fellowship provides postdocs with the ability to collaborate with UC Berkeley faculty as well as the opportunity to participate in Simons Institute programs. As part of the application process, we encourage applicants to identify one or more UC Berkeley faculty members with whom they would like to collaborate.

The Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing is a major international venue for collaborative research in theoretical computer science and related fields. Housed in Calvin Lab, a dedicated building on the UC Berkeley campus, the Institute provides a vibrant and welcoming environment for visiting researchers. Across each academic semester, the activities of the Institute are largely focused on specific research programs, each of which attracts around sixty long-term participants ranging from senior researchers to graduate students. Established in 2012 through a grant from the Simons Foundation, the Institute opened its doors in Fall 2013.

In 2021-22, the Institute will host four research programs, on the following topics: in Fall 2021, Computational Complexity of Statistical Inference, and Geometric Methods in Optimization and Sampling and in Spring 2022, Causality and Learning and Games. 

The Institute invites applications for five Simons-Berkeley Postdoctoral Fellowships for one- or two-year periods commencing Fall 2021. Simons-Berkeley Postdoctoral Fellowships are intended for exceptional young scientists (no more than five years from the award of their PhD at the start of academic year 2021–22).

Please note that to qualify for this program applicants may not have more than five years of postdoctoral experience, nor have previously held a tenure-track professorial appointment, including assistant professor, associate professor, or professor. 

Salaries and benefits are competitive, and assistance with visas and housing will be provided.

The Institute particularly encourages applications from women and minority candidates.

Application Instructions

The application process is closed.