How it works

• Basis Postdoctoral Fellows are jointly mentored and funded by Basis and partner PIs at academic institutions. Fellows split their time between Basis and the academic PI’s lab, functioning like a jointly advised postdoctoral position.
  • Established partner PIs include: Nada Amin (Harvard), Kevin Ellis (Cornell), Armando Solar-Lezama (MIT), Youssef Marzouk (MIT), and Tom Silver (Princeton).
• Each Fellow is paired with a Basis mentor selected to align with the Fellow’s research program and goals.
  • Possible Basis mentors include: Emily Mackevicius, Zenna Tavares, Eli Bingham, Matt Levine, and others.
• Fellows are integral members of Basis, participating in group meetings, events, on-sites, and other activities, and making contributions to the core technology through their work.
• The fellowship is time-limited, spanning 1 to 2 years.
• This structure offers a distinctive research environment that blends the strengths of academia and industry. Fellows have the autonomy to shape their own research agendas while benefiting from mentorship, collaboration, and resources from both settings.
• There are two pathways into the Fellowship: joining an existing project or proposing a new research direction through our open call.
  • Existing projects: Fellows are jointly employed with an established partner PI. Some roles have a single designated PI; others offer a choice from a curated shortlist. Open positions are listed on our job board.
  • Open call: Applicants may propose a new research direction through the Open Call on our job board, and are encouraged to suggest potential PI mentors (including academics not listed as established partner PIs). If selected, Fellows will work with Basis to establish a new academic collaboration.

Who We’re Looking For

• Researchers holding a PhD in technical areas such as statistics, programming languages, machine learning, computational neuroscience, cognitive science, physics, or mathematics.

• Individuals with a demonstrated track record in scientific research, which can be evidenced through publications, technical reports, or impactful software projects.

Core Responsibilities

• Conduct independent and collaborative research within the thematic areas of Basis, focusing on computational theories of intelligence.

• Disseminate research findings through academic publications and presentations at leading conferences.

• Actively engage in knowledge transfer within Basis and with external partners, converting research into actionable insights and algorithms.

• Provide mentorship to junior team members and contribute to the scientific discourse at Basis through seminars, workshops, and collaborative projects.

Role Details

• FT/PT: This is a full-time, time-bound fellowship lasting between 1 to 2 years.

• Location: Limited to the New York City and Cambridge, MA areas; this is an in-person position.

• Salary: Competitive salary.

FAQs

1. How is this fellowship different from a Research Scientist position at Basis?

Differences

• Duration: The fellowship is time-limited, usually spanning 1 to 2 years, unlike the Research Scientist roles which are permanent positions.
• Academic Collaboration: Fellows will have co-mentorship from academic PIs.
• Emphasis on Publication: Fellows are expected to publish their research, aligning more closely with traditional academic roles.

Similarities

• Contributions to Core Technology: Like Research Scientists, fellows are expected to contribute code to Basis core technology. Basis will support Postdoctoral scientists without extensive software engineering experience to develop these skills.
• Research Funds: Fellows will have access to an annual allocation of research funds to be used for research expenses, skill development, conference attendance, and more.
• Integration with the Basis community: Fellows will participate in Basis events, on-sites, and other activities, and may collaborate on other Basis projects.

2. What happens after the fellowship?

• Postdoctoral Fellows may be offered a full-time Research Scientist position at Basis, contingent upon performance and organizational needs.

3. Should I apply to the open call position, or to an established project position?

• Applicants may apply to both, if desired.
• Established project calls do not require submission of a Research Plan, as they are positioned within an existing Basis research area and are already internally and/or externally funded.
• Established project calls are likely to move faster, for the same reasons.

How to Apply

Check Careers for active roles.

Information for PIs

If you are interested in becoming a partner PI and co-advising a Fellow, please reach out for more details: contact@basis.ai.

We ask that partner PIs:

• Participate in scoping projects and establishing desiderata for candidates.
• Advertise the joint position on their individual / and group website, and participate in reviewing and interviewing applicants.
• Provide formal support and access to University resources to Fellows. The details of this support may be position-specific.