Fellows-to-Faculty – 2027 Request for Applications

The Simons Foundation’s Autism & Neuroscience division offers the program to nurture new talent and to broaden the community of scientists contributing to the basic science missions of our programs. We drive innovation and collaboration by supporting scientists with a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds and experiences.

This request for applications (RFA) is intended for Ph.D.- and/or M.D.-holding scientists currently in mentored research training positions who will seek tenure-track research faculty positions during the upcoming academic job cycle. Applicants must have a scientific vision for their future independent laboratory that advances the mission of the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI), Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB) or Simons Collaboration on Ecological Neuroscience (SCENE).

Informational Webinar

An informational webinar about the Fellows-to-Faculty Award was held on Oct 21, 2026, 1:00 p.m.–2:15 p.m. EDT time on Zoom. Watch the recording.

Scientific Focus

For the 2026 request for applications (RFA), we seek to support early career scientists whose scientific vision for their future independent laboratory contributes to the mission of the following scientific areas:

• Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI), consistent with SFARI scientific perspectives
• Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB), consistent with the SCPAB’s mission
• Simons Collaboration on Ecological Neuroscience (SCENE), consistent with SCENE’s mission.

We seek to enrich the SFARI, SCPAB and SCENE scientific communities with ideas, expertise and perspectives that enhance the pursuit of science relevant to the missions of SFARI, SCPAB and SCENE. We support high-risk, high-reward basic science research with transformative potential. This RFA is open both to applicants with experience in these areas and to those newly applying their expertise to these areas. We highly encourage basic science proposals from scientists with clinical training backgrounds, as well as scientists who bring theory and computational approaches to our mission areas. We welcome both human subject studies and research in other experimental systems or models.

Applicants may submit to SFARI, SCPAB, SCENE or all. If submitting to more than one scientific area, applicants must submit separate applications, tailored to the scientific focus. Please note that this will be the last RFA for SCPAB.

In order to be eligible to apply, applicants must:

• Hold at least one of the following or equivalent: Ph.D., M.D., M.D./Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree;
• Be in a non-independent mentored research training position in a faculty member’s research lab, e.g., postdoctoral position, physician-scientist research fellowship position;
• Not accept a formal offer for a tenure-track faculty position or equivalent before receiving an award notification;
• Not hold substantial federal grant funding as a Principal Investigator (PI), such as an NIH R01, or other PI-level faculty funding (e.g., SFARI Pilot Award);
• Not hold other career development awards that facilitate a transition to an independent research career at the time of application or simultaneously with the Fellows-to-Faculty Award; and
• Not have exceeded the resubmission limit: Applicants are limited to submitting applications to the Fellows-to-Faculty Award for a maximum of two (2) years. Applicants may submit to more than one science area each year. This policy applies to this program and its predecessor Independence Programs: SFARI Bridge to Independence Award, SCGB Transition to Independence Award and SCPAB Transition to Independence Award.

There are no citizenship requirements.

Readiness for Transition to a Faculty Position

This RFA is intended for applicants currently competitive for a faculty job. Most successful applicants will have at least one (1) publication or preprint from their current position.

Fellows are expected to apply to tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions in September 2027 and begin their faculty role during the 2028–2029 academic year.

Simons Foundation (“the Foundation” or “SF”) employees who receive a W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) from the Foundation, including employees of the Flatiron Institute, may not apply as a Principal Investigator (PI) to any SF or Simons Foundation International (“SFI”) Requests for Applications (RFAs) released by the Foundation. PIs and any project personnel listed on the application who will receive funding for salary; travel; support for students, postdocs or research staff; lab equipment, computing time or other individual expenses may not be employees of the Foundation, which includes the Flatiron Institute.

SF and SFI do not provide funding to institutions in China (including institutions in Hong Kong), or to fiscal sponsors or agents of institutions in China or Hong Kong. This includes funding to support subcontracts at institutions in China or Hong Kong or consultants residing or working for institutions in China or Hong Kong.

Each fellow is provided up to five (5) years of financial support, split into a faculty research award over three (3) years, and an optional preceding postdoctoral award for a maximum of two (2) years. Fellows may activate awards at research institutions within or outside of the United States.

• Award Amount:
  • Faculty Research Award: $200,000 USD, inclusive of 20 percent indirect costs (see grant policies), per year, over three (3) years.
  • Optional Postdoctoral Award: $110,000 USD per year, for up to two (2) years.
• Award Duration:
  • Faculty Research Award: This is a three (3) year award. The grant must be activated within the first 12 months of the fellows starting their faculty position.
  • Optional Postdoctoral Award: September 1, 2027, through August 31, 2029. The end date of the Postdoctoral Award is the date the fellow departs from their postdoctoral position, or August 31, 2029, whichever occurs first.
• Use of Funds:
  • Faculty Research Awards: This award is intended as a supplement to a full institution-provided start-up package. Funds may be used for reasonable costs related to the fellow’s proposed scientific research.
  • Optional Postdoctoral Award: The Postdoctoral Award is intended to support the fellow while on the academic job market during their transition to the faculty position. To hold this award, the fellow must be a postdoctoral researcher or hold an equivalent non-independent mentored research training position. Fellows are not required to accept the Postdoctoral Award. The award may be supplemented by other sources of funding. Allowable expenses include:
    • $85,000 USD stipend;
    • $10,000 USD career development allowance; and
    • $15,000 USD health insurance & other benefits allowance.
    • No indirect or overhead costs may be charged to the postdoctoral award.

Applicants must submit a full application via the Simons Award Manager (SAM) by 12:00 p.m. (Noon) Eastern time on January 13, 2027. A detailed “How to Apply” can be found here.

The scope of the application should be similar to that of a faculty job application, including specific research directions, relevance to the scientific mission of the area(s) and demonstration of preparedness for launching an independent laboratory at this time. Applicants should focus their scientific proposal on their plans for their future lab rather than a specific three (3) year project proposal. Postdoctoral research aims or training goals should not be included in the application.

Applications will be reviewed by Simons Foundation scientific staff and an expert review committee. Reviewers evaluate the applicant’s scientific vision for their future lab, their research plan and how clearly they articulate its relevance to SFARI, SCPAB,or SCENE. Reviewers also consider the applicant’s readiness for the academic job market, as well as their potential to contribute to and benefit from the scientific community. Selected finalists will be invited to participate in a virtual interview with a panel of Simons Foundation scientific staff and an expert review committee. See “Timeline” for interview dates.

Please note that in the event of budgetary or other considerations, The Simons Foundation, Inc. (“the Foundation” or “SF”) reserves the right to refer an application to The Simons Foundation International, Ltd. (“SFI”) for consideration and funding. SFI and SF have entered into an agreement pursuant to which SF provides program operations and grant administration services, including payment processing, to SFI. SFI grant recipients are subject to SF Policies and Procedures.

Additional award terms may be included in the official award notification. Grantees are subject to the conditions outlined in their official award notification.

Many of the greatest ideas and discoveries come from a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds and experiences. The Simons Foundation is committed to advancing basic science and mathematics to benefit humankind and to expand our collective understanding of our world. As part of our mission, we support partners, programs and initiatives that seek to broaden the scientific community and open pathways to science and mathematics careers.

The Simons Foundation provides equal opportunities to all applicants for funding without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, pregnancy, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status or any other protected category under federal, state and local law.