DSI Postdoctoral Scholars

Timeline:

• The next Postdoctoral Scholar search will open in fall 2024.

Eligibility:

If you have any questions about your eligibility, please feel free to send an email to data-science@uchicago.edu.

• Completion of all requirements for a Ph.D. required at the time of appointment.
• Applicants may only submit one application.
• We welcome applications from researchers who are using data science to advance the state of the art in their respective field (e.g., humanities, social sciences, natural and physical sciences).
• Postdoctoral scholars will be expected to be active participants in the DSI at UChicago, and may be requested to take on leadership roles in one or more of the DSI initiatives (e.g. supporting the AI+Science Summer School program or engaging colleagues for speaker series events).

Application Materials:

• Curriculum vitae;
• Summary of the candidate’s current research (250 words);
• Research statement that outlines research goals and significance, research plan, and motivation for seeking a postdoctoral appointment at UChicago (maximum of 3 pages);
  • If you have indicated interest in one of the research initiatives, please include information about how your research and vision matches with the stated goals and foci of the selected initiative.
• 1-2 representative publications or manuscripts;
• Names and contact information for at least two and up to five references (the application is complete only when two letters of reference have been submitted, so please contact referees early in the application process). Referees will be provided with a link to the submission portal;
• Names of potential UChicago faculty mentors (maximum 3);
• (Optional) Indicate interest in any of the DSI Research Initiatives (AI+Science, Data & Democracy, and Internet Equity);
• (Optional) Applicants may include a letter of collaboration from a UChicago faculty mentor who has agreed to mentor the applicant if the scholar is accepted into the program. Please use the following template for the letter:
  • “If Dr. [insert full name of applicant] is accepted as a Data Science Institute Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of Chicago, it is my intent to act as a mentor on a project of mutual interest.”

Evaluation Criteria:

Proposals will be reviewed by the DSI Postdoctoral Committee using the following factors:

• Research Potential and Alignment: Applicant displays overall potential for research excellence, demonstrated by research statement, academic progress, publications to date, endorsements from faculty recommenders, long-term career goals, and relevance of research plan to DSI’s research initiatives and projects.
• Data Science Background: Experience or coursework in computer science, statistics, data science, AI, or a related field.
• Impact: Applicant’s research evinces approaches, methods or theories that advance research innovation in interdisciplinary or foundational approaches in data science, or real world challenges.

Contact:

For questions about this application, please contact data-science@uchicago.edu.

What you’ll do:  

• Independent Research: Scholars will have the freedom to pursue their own research interests with a majority of their time spent working on scholar-driven research projects and no teaching responsibilities.
• Joint Research with Mentor: Scholars will help lead and execute collaborative work on cutting-edge research projects with mentors in their academic field and area of interest.
• Professional Development: Scholars will gain training and experience with: required mentoring and outreach through our Summer Lab and Clinic programs (required three quarters annually); communicating your research to a broad audience; engaging with the media and external stakeholders; and applying for and securing funding.