The Data Science Institute (DSI) at Columbia University invites applications for the 8th cohort of the DSI Postdoctoral Fellows Program for the 2025-2027 cycle. This prestigious two-year program aims to develop the next-generation of leaders in data science and artificial intelligence. Fellows will conduct independent and innovative research within a dynamic environment that fosters multidisciplinary and collaborative efforts. We are looking for exceptional candidates who will advance DSI’s broad mission:

1. Advance the state of the art in data science and artificial intelligence;
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.

DSI is a world-leading institution in data science research and education dedicated to promoting “Data for Good”, leveraging data to address societal challenges while integrating humanistic perspectives with scientific and technological advancements.

Established in 2012, DSI is a university-level institute comprised of over 400 faculty and researchers from 17 schools, institutes, and colleges across Columbia. The Institute features a robust industrial affiliates program and maintains strong connections with New York City’s economic development initiatives, including its dynamic and fast-growing start-up community. Our focus is on conducting world-class research and training data scientists to become leaders in academia, industry, and government.

Appointment and Benefits
DSI Postdoctoral Fellows will begin their initial one-year appointment (of a two-year term) as an Officer of Research on September 1, 2025. Earlier or later start dates may be considered to accommodate the awardee’s and/or mentor’s circumstances. If you have specific preferences regarding start date, please indicate them in your application or at the time an offer is made.

Please note that the University Provost expects all Officers of Research to be present on the Columbia University campus regularly and actively engage in our vibrant in-person community. Remote work arrangements will not be considered for DSI Postdoctoral Fellows.

For foreign nationals, the J-1 Exchange Visitor visa is the most commonly used visa for DSI Postdoctoral Fellows at Columbia University.

The following compensation package is guaranteed for the two-year term, contingent upon satisfactory performance:

-Competitive Salary: $90,000-93,000 annually.
-IT Allowance: Reimbursement for expenses related to computer and equipment needs.
-Research Allowance: Reimbursement for research-related travel, publication fees, professional membership fees, conferences and seminars.
-Housing Option: Choice of a Columbia University Postdoc Housing allocation (subject to availability) or an annual off-campus housing allowance to help off-set the cost of living in NYC.
-Relocation Support: A one-time lump sum payment of $1,500, subject to taxes and withholdings.
-Benefits: Access to Columbia University’s full range of benefits for Officers.

Qualifications
To be eligible for the program, candidates must have received their doctoral degrees within three years prior to the start of the appointment. All doctoral requirements must be completed, and the degree awarded before the start of the appointment. The program welcomes applications from both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens, and we strongly encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and identities to apply.

We are seeking candidates who have explicit interests in advancing and applying data science and artificial intelligence across various domains. While prior experience in data science is not required, we seek candidates who are eager to learn new fields, collaborate with a select cohort of like-minded researchers, and work alongside DSI faculty and researchers to shape the future of data science and artificial intelligence.


Application Instructions
DEADLINE: Priority will be given to candidates who submit completed applications by December 15, 2024. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis through early Spring 2025. While limited spaces may be available after the priority deadline, exceptional late applications may still be considered.

To be eligible for review, candidates must submit all required materials via the Interfolio online application, including:

-Cover Letter: A letter explaining your motivation for applying to this program, including your preferred mentors and any special interest areas, if applicable.
-Curriculum Vitae: A comprehensive CV that includes a list of your publications.
-Research Statement: A detailed research statement (up to five pages, single-spaced) summarizing your current research interests, past accomplishments, and specific goals you aim to achieve during this program. See “Research and Mentor Selection” below for more information.
-Research Papers: A minimum of three representative research papers, which can include working papers.
-Letters of Reference: Three confidential letters of reference from individuals familiar with your work, including your doctoral supervisor, if applicable.

Note: All three letters must be submitted directly by the recommenders for your application to be considered complete. We recommend contacting your referees early in the process to ensure they are aware of the application priority deadline.
Please note that materials submitted via email will not be reviewed or considered.

Research and Mentor Selection
Research statements should provide a comprehensive overview of your current research interests, past accomplishments, and the specific goals you aim to achieve during your time in this program. Additionally, your statement should include a concise proposal outlining your planned research activities as a DSI Postdoctoral Fellow, with a particular emphasis on developing novel artificial science and/or data science tools for advancing specific scientific domains.

We also encourage you to explain how your research will contribute to or enhance the mission of your chosen DSI research center(s) including:

DSI Research Centers:
-Center for Computing Systems for Data-Driven Science
-Cybersecurity
-Data, Media, and Society
-Financial and Business Analytics
-Foundations of Data Science
-Health Analytics
-Sense, Collect and Move Data
-Smart Cities
and/or a Columbia University Collaboration including but not limited to:

-The Columbia Climate School seeks fellows who are interested in the interdisciplinary study of the science, consequences, and human dimensions of climate change. We are particularly interested in the urgent problems of Coastal Resilience, Global Decarbonization, Disaster Resilience, and Food for Humanity. We invite postdoctoral contributions in the basic and translational sciences, as well as in applied policy and direct societal interventions.
-Learning the Earth with Artificial Intelligence and Physics (LEAP) Learning the Earth with Artificial Intelligence and Physics (LEAP) seeks fellows who will contribute to our mission of developing novel machine learning algorithms to harness data from high-fidelity simulations or sparse and noisy observations to improve climate projections. We are particularly interested in candidates who use physical and causal constraints or Bayesian approaches.
-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 approaches. We are particularly interested in candidates who will further advance core research in statistics, machine learning, AI and probabilistic modeling.
-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 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. Specifically we will further advance the usage of data that utilizes scanned receipts and optical recognition software to try to assess the impacts of the recently-enacted expansion of the Child Tax Credit on spending behavior.
-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.
-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 Department of Statistics seeks fellows who will support our shared mission of developing statistical insights into machine learning in the context of emerging challenges such as domain adaptation, representation learning, differential privacy, fairness, causal inference, etc. We are particularly interested in candidates who will expand core statistical methods and theory, as motivated by cutting-edge data science applications with broad societal impacts. Successful candidates are expected to engage and bridge between core faculty from Statistics, and faculty in any of the many departments involved with the Columbia data science center.
-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.

While not mandatory, applicants are encouraged to identify 2-5 potential mentors from one or more DSI research centers or the broader University community. Candidates are not required to have established relationships with prospective mentors and do not need to contact faculty directly prior to submitting their applications. We encourage the Identification of mentors from both a foundational area (applied mathematics, computer science, electrical engineering, machine learning, optimization, statistics, etc.) and specific domain area. Finalists will be paired with mentors by the search committee, with priority given to DSI members and affiliates, facilitating a rich mentorship experience that aligns with the fellows' research interests and goals.

Evaluation Timeline

The search committee will conduct its initial assessment of applicants in mid-to-late January, with first-round decline notifications sent shortly thereafter. Final decisions are anticipated in March 2025, and offer letters will be extended between mid-March and early April. Applicants will have two weeks to consider their offers.

Contact
Please email [email protected] with questions regarding the program or application process.