About the opportunity
The Fellows-to-Faculty Award program is designed to nurture new talent and broaden the scientific community contributing to the basic science missions of the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI), the Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB), and the Simons Collaboration on Ecological Neuroscience (SCENE). This program supports Ph.D. or M.D. scientists currently in mentored research training positions who are preparing to seek tenure-track faculty roles. The award provides a $600,000 faculty research grant over three years, with an optional two-year postdoctoral award to support the transition period. Fellows benefit from a community of investigators, mentoring, and peer support as they launch their independent laboratories.
Funding and benefits
- Faculty Research Award: $200,000 USD per year for three years (inclusive of 20% indirect costs).
- Optional Postdoctoral Award: $110,000 USD per year for up to two years (includes $85,000 stipend, $10,000 career development allowance, and $15,000 for health insurance and benefits).
- Access to a community of investigators, mentoring, and peer support.
- Facilitation of transition into tenure-track faculty positions.
Who can apply?
- Hold a Ph.D., M.D., M.D./Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree.
- Currently in a non-independent mentored research training position (e.g., postdoctoral researcher).
- Must not have accepted a formal tenure-track faculty offer before award notification.
- Must not hold substantial federal grant funding as a Principal Investigator (e.g., NIH R01) or other PI-level faculty funding.
- Must not hold other career development awards facilitating transition to independence.
- Limited to a maximum of two years of application submissions to this program and its predecessors.
- No citizenship requirements.
Required documents
- Scientific proposal detailing plans for a future independent laboratory.
- Documentation of research vision and relevance to SFARI, SCPAB, or SCENE missions.
- Evidence of readiness for the academic job market (e.g., publications or preprints).
When to apply
- Application opens: October 13, 2026.
- Informational webinar: October 21, 2026.
- Application submission deadline: January 13, 2027, 12:00 p.m. ET.
- Interview dates: May 14, 2027 (SCPAB), May 26, 2027 (SCENE), June 14–16, 2027 (SFARI).
- Award start date: September 1, 2027.
How to apply
- Register for the informational webinar if desired.
- Prepare a proposal focused on future laboratory plans rather than a specific three-year project.
- Submit the full application via the Simons Award Manager (SAM) portal by the deadline.
- Participate in a virtual interview if selected as a finalist.
Additional information
- Applicants may submit to SFARI, SCPAB, SCENE, or all three; separate applications are required for each.
- This is the final RFA for the SCPAB program.
- Fellows are expected to apply for tenure-track positions in September 2027 and begin in the 2028–2029 academic year.
- Simons Foundation employees are ineligible to apply.
- Funding is not provided to institutions in China or Hong Kong.
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- Postdoctoral researchers or physician-scientists currently preparing for the upcoming academic job cycle.
- Scientists with a clear, transformative vision for an independent laboratory in autism, neuroscience, plasticity, or ecological neuroscience.
- Researchers who bring interdisciplinary, computational, or theoretical approaches to basic science missions.
- Candidates who have at least one publication or preprint from their current position demonstrating research productivity.
What should you think carefully about?
- The application requires a forward-looking proposal for an independent lab, which differs from standard project-based grant applications.
- The award is intended to supplement an institution-provided start-up package, not replace it.
- Applicants must be prepared to enter the tenure-track job market in September 2027.
- The program has a strict two-year resubmission limit, so applicants should ensure their application is highly polished before submission.
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This program is an excellent bridge for researchers aiming to secure a tenure-track faculty position. By providing both a transitionary postdoctoral stipend and a substantial faculty research grant, it reduces the financial pressure during the job search and provides immediate resources upon starting a new lab. It is ideal for those who want to align their independent research career with the specific scientific missions of the Simons Foundation's neuroscience and ecology initiatives.
Our take
This is a premier opportunity for high-potential early-career scientists in the specified fields. Those who are actively preparing for the academic job market and have a strong, innovative research vision should prioritize this application. It is less suitable for those who are not yet ready to apply for tenure-track positions or whose research does not align with the specific missions of SFARI, SCPAB, or SCENE.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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