Career Center

The Data Science Institute (DSI) at Columbia University invites applications for the 2023 cohort of the DSI Post-Doctoral Fellows Program. This program is to produce next-generation leaders in data science. Fellows will carry out independent and novel research in an environment that fosters multi-disciplinary, collaborative research. We seek fellows who will support DSI's broad mission:

1. Advance the state of the art in data science;

2. Transform all fields, professions, and sectors through the application of data science;

3. Ensure the responsible use of data for the benefit of society.

The Data Science Institute at Columbia University, a world-leading institution in research and education of data science, is positioned to promote "Data for Good": using data to address societal challenges and bringing humanistic perspectives as—not after—new science and technology is invented. At Columbia, data science literally touches every corner of the university. 

The Data Science Institute at Columbia University, started in 2012, is a university-level institute representing over 350 faculty from 18 different schools, institutes, and colleges across campus, along with a robust industrial affiliates program and strong ties with New York City's economic development, including the dynamic and fast-growing start-up community. We are focused on world-class research and training data scientists who go on to be leaders in academia, industry, and government.

Program Goals: For the DSI Post-Doctoral Fellows Program, we seek candidates who are recent Ph.D. graduates and have explicit interests in advancing and/or applying data science to other domains. Prior experience in data science is not required. We are especially looking for candidates with the courage and interest to learn a new field, be part of a select like-minded cohort of fellows, and along with Columbia University DSI members, help define the field of data science for the long-term future. We encourage applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and identities.

In collaboration with other schools, centers, and institutes at Columbia, the Data Science Institute also encourages candidates with specific interests in the following areas. Please indicate the area(s) within your cover letter. 

• The Herbert and Florence Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics seeks fellows who will support our shared mission of improving the understanding of cancer biology, origins, treatment, and prevention through data-driven methods and processes. We are particularly interested in candidates who will further advance core research in statistical and probabilistic modeling. 

• The Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute seeks fellows who are interested in using advanced data science and computational methods to understand how the brain works, from the neuron level to the cognitive level.

• The Neuro Technology Center seeks fellows who will assist in our shared mission to support the development of advanced optical, electrical, and computational technologies for the study of complex neurobiological systems using data-driven methods. We are particularly interested in candidates who will further advance core research in computational neuroscience and its links with machine learning and artificial intelligence.

• The Mailman School of Public Health seeks fellows who will assist in our shared mission to support and amplify health analytics. We are particularly interested in candidates who will further advance core research in the use of advanced data analytics to solve issues pertaining to population-scale health issues and preventive strategies, e.g., modeling climate effects on health, integrative-omics in large populations, impact of social networks on health, and data-streaming from personal monitoring devices.

• The Center on Poverty and Social Policy seeks fellows who will support our shared mission to address the role of social policy in reducing poverty. We are particularly interested in candidates who will further advance core research in understanding trends in historical poverty, economic insecurity, immobility, and inequality, using novel data sources, and data-driven methods.

• The Department of Psychiatry seeks fellows interested in applying data science and cognitive systems to research on mental health, substance use disorders, and neuroscience. Opportunities for scalable data-driven science in psychiatry and clinical neuroscience are growing rapidly, and fellows would help advance the state-of-art in these areas. We are particularly interested in areas such as utilizing large and real-time medical record systems for addressing optimal patient-clinician feedback and treatment decisions; and utilizing multimodal neuroimaging data (including large consortia like the adolescent brain cognitive development [ABCD] study) for discovering underlying brain mechanism and development of psychiatric disorders.

Additional Information: Appointments for the cohort of DSI Fellows start on/around July 1, 2023, with guaranteed funding for two years. In addition to a competitive salary package, DSI Fellows will also be provided with a research expenditure budget of that can be used for conference travel, computing equipment, and/or other research-related costs.

Statement on Racial Equity

The Data Science Institute is committed to racial equity and justice. Research statements should explicitly state that the project will uphold these values, e.g., stating that the methods used to collect and analyze project data and the project outcomes reported are fair, just, and ethical.
 

Minimum Degree Required: For the DSI Post-Doctoral Fellows Program, we seek candidates who are recent Ph.D. graduates and have explicit interests in advancing and/or applying data science to other domains.

Preferred Qualifications: Prior experience in data science is not required. We are especially looking for candidates with the courage and interest to learn a new field, be part of a prestigious cohort of like-minded fellows, and along with Columbia University DSI members, help define the field of data science for the long-term future. We encourage applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and identities.

Required Application Materials

• A cover letter that explains your motivation for applying to this program and indicates your choice of mentors (and special interest area if applicable).
• A curriculum vitae, including a list of publications
• A brief research statement that summarizes current research interests, past accomplishments, and future research goals. It should contain a short proposal for the research activities you plan to do as a DSI Fellow, including a schedule with milestones, and statement and commitment to racial equity.
• Up to three representative research papers.
• Three letters of reference submitted directly by the recommenders

Mentor Selection

Candidates should identify between two and five potential mentors who are current Columbia faculty members, including DSI faculty affiliates. Candidates are welcome to look beyond this list. If you are interested in applying data science to a specific domain, we encourage you to identify mentors from both a foundational area (applied mathematics, computer science, electrical engineering, machine learning, optimization, statistics, etc.) and a domain area. Using your input, the DSI will ensure the best possible match of mentor(s) for you.

Dates and Deadlines

Application Deadline: December 15, 2022.

Candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible. There may be limited space for postdoctoral researchers beyond this deadline, and the DSI may consider applications from exceptional candidates.

If you would like more information, please reach out to Ming Yuan, Associate Director of Research and Education.
 

Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Pay Transparency Disclosure

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training.  The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

About Columbia University

Columbia University is one of the world's most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the university to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.

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