Simons Postdoctoral Fellowships in Plant Biology, USA

Summary

The Simons Foundation’s Life Sciences division is inviting applications for the Simons Postdoctoral Fellowships in Plant Biology. This program supports candidates aiming for careers in basic research focused on fundamental problems in plant biology. The fellowships are designed to attract researchers with diverse expertise, including those already in plant biology looking to acquire new skills, or those from other fields (e.g., engineering, computational modeling, theory, chemistry, synthetic biology, physics) applying their expertise to plant biology.

Designation

Postdoctoral Fellow

Research Area

Plant Biology, including understanding the inner workings of plants at the whole organism level or below. Interdisciplinary approaches involving engineering, computational modeling, theory, chemistry, synthetic biology, and physics are highly encouraged.

Location

United States. Awards can only be issued to U.S. nonprofit research universities or research institutions.

Eligibility/Qualification

• Applicants must have received their Ph.D. or equivalent degree no earlier than three (3) years before the fellowship application deadline (December 3, 2026).
• Applicants who have not yet received their Ph.D. but will have it by the award start date (July 1, 2027, through October 1, 2027) are eligible.
• Both U.S. citizens and foreign applicants are invited to apply.
• The postdoctoral research sponsor(s) cannot be the applicant’s thesis adviser.
• Only one application from a postdoctoral research sponsor will be considered in any given year.
• Simons Foundation (SF) employees, including those from the Flatiron Institute, are not eligible to apply as Principal Investigators (PIs) or receive funding for salary, travel, or other individual expenses.
• If there are two mentors, one of them should be researching plant biology.
• Projects solely focused on algae are not within the scope of this program.

Job Description

These fellowships are intended to support full-time research in fundamental plant biology. Fellows will pursue research projects aimed at understanding the core mechanisms and principles governing plant life. The program encourages interdisciplinary approaches and collaboration with mentors who can provide new skills or facilitate the application of expertise from other scientific fields to plant biology. The fellowship provides financial support for the fellow’s stipend, health insurance, research supplies, equipment, travel, and other research-related expenses.

Funding

• Award Amount: Up to $360,000 USD.
• Award Duration: Three years.
• Award Start Date: First of the month between July 1, 2027, through October 1, 2027.
• Use of Funds:
  • Annual stipend of $85,000.
  • Annual allowance of up to $35,000 for health insurance (for fellow and family), other institutional benefits, research supplies, small equipment (including computers), sequencing costs, attendance at scientific meetings, and other research-related travel.
  • Up to $2,000 of the allowance may be used for relocation of the fellow and family to the host institution, in accordance with institutional policies.
  • No indirect or overhead costs may be charged.
  • Funds from the annual allowance may be reallocated to the annual stipend if required to meet the institution’s minimum salary for postdoctoral fellows.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit a full application electronically via the Simons Award Manager (SAM). The application process includes:

1. Create an Application: Register in SAM (if new) and navigate to the Simons Postdoctoral Fellowships in Plant Biology under “Funding Opportunities” to click “Create Application.”
2. Complete Application Sections:
   • Record Summary: Ensure applicant (Fellow) and host institution details are correct.
   • Proposal Tab: Upload a Proposal Narrative (using the provided template), Fellow Biosketch (NSF- or NIH-style, including publications), Sponsor Biosketch (NSF- or NIH-style, max 5 pages), and Sponsor Other Support.
   • Contacts & Personnel Tab: Add at least one Signing Official and one Financial Officer for the institution, and add your sponsor(s) to Project Personnel.
   • Budget Tab: Complete the budget for Periods 1-3, including stipend, health insurance/benefits, and allocating the remaining allowance to supplies, equipment, travel, services, and other expenses.
   • Abstract & Keywords Tab: Provide a technical abstract and a one-sentence statement on the project’s impact on plant biology.
   • Letter of Reference Tab: Four confidential Letters of Recommendation are required: one from the applicant’s thesis adviser, two from additional research scientists, and one from the postdoctoral research sponsor confirming acceptance and discussing project development. Referees must be invited through SAM and submit their letters by the deadline.
   • Organization Assurances Tab: Indicate any required organizational assurances (IRB, IACUC, biosafety).
3. Check Application Progress: Verify all required information and files are submitted using the “Check Application Progress” button.
4. Institutional Sign-off and Submission: Send the completed application for sign-off to your Signing Official. The Signing Official must electronically sign and submit the application through SAM by the deadline.

For assistance, refer to the SAM Frequently Asked Questions and instructional videos or contact lifs@simonsfoundation.org for general inquiries and samsupport@simonsfoundation.org for technical assistance.

Last Date for Apply

December 3, 2026, 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern time.

Apply Link

Create Application on Simons Award Manager (SAM)