Postdoctoral Fellow, Open Call

About the role

The fellowship positions you as the primary architect of an independent research program centered on computational theories of intelligence. You will own the end to end trajectory of a project, from theoretical formulation to experimental validation and final dissemination. You are expected to drive deep inquiry into reasoning, learning, and decision-making by constructing and testing novel computational models. The role requires you to act as a bridge between abstract mathematical principles and scalable software implementations. You will translate foundational insights into tools that expand the scope and speed of problem-solving across disciplines. Collaboration is intrinsic, as you work side by side with both Basis research scientists and external academic partners. Ultimately, you will shape the research agenda that defines the future of intelligence science at the institute.

Key facts

What you'll do

Formulate original research questions that define the mathematical structure of intelligence and its computational limits.

Design and implement software architectures that instantiate theoretical models of learning, reasoning, and decision-making.

Conduct rigorous experiments to test hypotheses about intelligent behavior in both artificial and biological systems.

Analyze complex datasets to extract principles that inform the development of more general and robust algorithms.

Translate abstract theoretical constructs into executable code that demonstrates scalability and empirical validity.

Author and co-author research papers for submission to top tier conferences and peer reviewed journals in cognitive science and AI.

Present findings at leading academic conferences to engage with the broader scientific community and gather critical feedback.

Synthesize insights from collaboration to produce open source tools and libraries that external researchers can adopt and extend.

Mentor junior researchers by guiding their project design, debugging methodologies, and interpretation of results.

Contribute to cross functional workshops that align the institute's research vision with practical problem domains.

Evaluate existing benchmarks and devise new evaluation protocols that better capture nuanced aspects of intelligence.

Engage with engineering teams to ensure that theoretical advances are integrated into reliable and maintainable software stacks.

Champion rigorous scientific practices that emphasize reproducibility, transparency, and open inquiry.

Identify funding opportunities and draft grant proposals that extend the scope and impact of the research agenda.

Build a professional network that connects academic institutions, industry labs, and independent research communities.

Requirements

You hold a PhD in computer science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, computational neuroscience, cognitive science, or a related field.

You have a demonstrated track record in scientific research, evidenced through publications, technical reports, or impactful software projects.

You are prepared to relocate to the New York City or Boston areas for the duration of the fellowship.

You are committed to a full time engagement spanning one to two years from the designated start date.

You possess strong theoretical foundations in mathematics, including linear algebra, calculus, probability, and optimization.

You have substantial programming experience in Python and familiarity with modern machine learning frameworks.

You can communicate complex ideas clearly in written and verbal form to both technical and interdisciplinary audiences.

You are able to work independently with minimal supervision while thriving in a collaborative team environment.

Practical notes

Application components include a cover letter, your CV, and a research proposal of up to three pages. The cover letter must describe your PhD research, list at least three potential PI mentors outside of Basis, and disclose any preexisting relationships with those mentors. The research proposal should outline your planned research direction without exceeding the specified page limit. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and immediate start is possible for qualified candidates. The fellowship is limited to in person work in the New York City and Boston areas. This role is full time with a fixed duration of one to two years. The compensation is competitive with leading postdoctoral fellowships.