Scientific Software Research Faculty Award Grant

Scientific Software Research Faculty Award Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Simons Foundation Inc.
Amount: US $50,000
Last Updated: February 18, 2026

Summary

The Simons Foundation's Scientific Software Research Faculty Award supports faculty positions focusing on scientific software development in mathematics and physics. It aims to enhance research capabilities by providing five years of salary support and a $50,000 yearly research allowance. Awardees must have a Ph.D. and demonstrate leadership in scientific software. This initiative addresses the career limitations faced by software experts and encourages applications from underrepresented groups.

Overview

NOTE: The second stage will commence when the awardee is hired and able to receive grant funding at the host institution.  Host institutions for approved first-stage (LOI) applicants will be required to submit a full proposal, which will be due on a rolling basis no later than the stated Full Proposal deadline. Scientific Software Research Faculty Award The Simons Foundation’s Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS) division invites applications for its Scientific Software Research Faculty Award (SSRF Award) in the MPS program for faculty appointments to start between the specified date range. Rationale Scientific software is a critical component of research, enabling scientists to analyze and reduce data, perform simulations, automate tasks, and produce and visualize results. As such, the development and maintenance of broadly-applicable scientific software has become an increasingly important intellectual endeavor. While scientific software experts are crucial members of research ventures, their career prospects beyond postdoctoral-level positions are limited. The Simons Foundation invites applications for funding to support new research professor positions in existing academic departments (the “host institutions”) to be filled by scientific software-focused researchers. The SSRF Award will support researchers who have a strong track record of leadership in scientific software development. The aim of this program is to stimulate the development and maintenance of core scientific software infrastructure in academic environments through creating a new, long-term, faculty-level career path. Funding A Scientific Software Fellowship provides five years of 50 percent salary support of the awardee’s academic-year salary and fringe benefits, whether normally paid over 9 or 12 months, along with a yearly $50,000 research allowance for the awardee, as well as indirect costs for the host institution (limited to 20 percent of the modified total direct costs, see Simons Foundation Policies). The host university is expected to provide the other 50 percent of salary support for teaching work through existing department channels. This funding is potentially renewable. At full capacity of the program, the foundation expects to support an average of 6 new fellows each year.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applicants must have a Ph.D. (or equivalent degree) in mathematics, astronomy or theoretical physics and have played a leading role in developing or maintaining scientific software in one or more of these fields. Awards may be hosted at any public or private Ph.D.-granting institution in the United States. There are no citizenship or country requirements to apply.Awardees must be hired into clinical professor, professor of practice or equivalent-level positions in a mathematics, astronomy or physics department such that a maximum of 50 percent of their time is dedicated to teaching and/or supporting computational efforts within the department.The position need not be tenure track but must not be term limited. Awardees must be allowed to have principal investigator (PI) status on grants.As part of the program obligations, awardees will be invited and expected to attend an annual meeting held at and paid by the Simons Foundation.The $50,000 allowance provided to the awardee may be used at the awardee’s discretion to support expenses in the following categories:General research expenses Salary support and related benefits, including tuition support, for staff/research scientists and postdoctoral, graduate and/or undergraduate research assistants. Scientific domestic or international travel by the awardee and their students Small equipment, supplies and other expenses, such as computers, computer support, publication expenses, stationery, books and membership fees. Expenses related to travel or hosting scientific visitors and collaborators. Workshop development and organization.

Ineligibility

A person in an existing research faculty position or who will be promoted into one before the LOI deadline is not eligible to apply.