Postdoctoral Fellowships

Now Accepting Applications

Vanderbilt Data Science (VDS) at Vanderbilt University invites applications for its first cohort of applied deep learning postdoctoral fellows. Fellows will be part of an interdisciplinary Deep Learning Initiative to explore the application of transformers and other models to problems from multiple disciplines. Fellows will serve as collaborators on research projects as part of a team of researchers, data scientists, graduate students studying data science, and undergraduates. Fellows will have access to compute infrastructure including two DGX A100s for model fitting and inference.

Strong candidates will have backgrounds in deep learning and a strong interest in exploring applications of their research in multiple fields. Appropriate interests range from research in model behavior (e.g. bias in models), to model training methodologies, to novel architectures (e.g. scalable attention mechanisms).

Fellows will play an important part in the Deep Learning Initiative and will be part of a strong team of data scientists and data science graduate students. This team will engage with research faculty from multiple domains. The goal is for Fellows to collaborate with faculty within a domain, and to coauthor model-centric research within the domain and in deep learning journals. In addition, Fellows will be part of a community at VDS where we share research, collaborate on problem solving, mentor students, and support reproducible, open research.

The cohort of fellows will also have the opportunity to contribute to the educational mission of VDS by assisting in the creation and instruction of an advanced research-based graduate course involving deep learning.

For more information on these opportunities, feel free to reach out to Dr. Jesse Spencer-Smith, Chief Data Scientist, at jesse.spencer-smith@vanderbilt.edu.

Fellowship Details

Fellowships will begin each year in September and will be renewable for up to three years. Fellows will receive annual salary support of $70,000, a competitive benefits package, and an annual research budget of $10,000 that can be used for travel, equipment, software, or other research expenses.

Eligibility

Candidates should have a PhD or be on track to earn a PhD before they begin their tenure as Vanderbilt Data Science fellows. Successful candidates will have a strong record in deep learning related research and an interest in exploring broader application of their work in varied research domains. Candidates should have an interest in engaging in interdisciplinary work.

Application Procedure

To apply, please submit the following materials to datascience@vanderbilt.edu.

  • A brief cover letter that states the overall goals and motivation for applying (1 page)
  • A curriculum vitae (including a list of publications)
  • A publication list
  • A single document containing a brief statement of past research accomplishments and future research interests (3 pages)
  • Three letters of reference submitted directly by the recommenders

(Please include the applicant’s full name in the subject of all emails.)

Once your recommenders have submitted their letters, you should submit your application.

Application Dates

Application Review Begins: February 15, 2023

Current Status of Position: Accepting Applicants