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Mathematics & Physical Sciences

Scientific Software Research Faculty Award

Policies and
Procedures
Open
Application Deadline
Important Dates
  • LOI Deadline (by 12 p.m. EST)
  • LOI Notification
  • Rolling Full Proposal Deadline (by 12 p.m. EST)
Apply Now
Important Dates
  • LOI Deadline (by 12 p.m. EST)
  • LOI Notification
  • Rolling Full Proposal Deadline (by 12 p.m. EST)
Contact Info

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 September 2025–September 2026. The foundation strongly encourages scientists from disadvantaged backgrounds or underrepresented groups to apply.

Please note that in the event of budgetary or other considerations, The Simons Foundation, Inc. reserves the right to refer an application to The Simons Foundation International, Ltd. (SFI) for consideration and funding, in which case SFI’s grant policies would apply.

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 (e.g., “clinical professor,” “professor of practice” or “research professor,” the titles and roles depending on the university) 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.

Level and Duration of 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.

Allowable Expenses

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.

Eligibility

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.

Number of Awards:

At full capacity of the program, the foundation expects to support an average of 6 new fellows each year.

Application Process

SSRF awards are granted through a two-stage process. The first stage (“LOI”) is a competitive process in which applications are reviewed by a committee of scientific domain and software experts. SSRF awardees are selected based on this first stage application. Upon selection, the host institution must hire the awardee within 12 months into a research professor or equivalent position (described above) and allowed to have PI status on grants. The second stage will commence when the awardee is hired and able to receive grant funding at the host institution. The second stage (“Full Proposal”) is non-competitive: the awardee and host institution must affirm that the position meets the eligibility criteria outlined above. The host institution must submit a complete budget, including applicable salary and fringe benefit funds, and the awardee must submit a budget justification.

How to Apply

First Stage:

Letters of Intent (LOIs) must be completed electronically and submitted via the Simon Award Manager (SAM) by December 5, 2024, at 12 p.m. (noon) EST. Please refer to the How to Apply tab instructions for further details.

Notifications of the status of the LOI will be sent by March 31, 2025.

Second Stage

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 March 31, 2026, at 12 p.m. (noon) EST. Applications should be submitted as soon as the SSR faculty hiring has been completed. Please see the How to Apply tab instructions for further information.

Awards can begin no earlier than September 1, 2025, and no later than September 1, 2026.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Many of the greatest ideas and discoveries come from a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds and experiences. The Simons Foundation is committed to grantmaking that inspires and supports greater diversity and inclusiveness by cultivating a funding environment that ensures representation of all identities and differences and equitable access to information and resources for all applicants and grantees.

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, except when identifying from a disadvantaged background or underrepresented group is an eligibility requirement of the request for application (RFA).
 

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Apply Now
Important Dates
  • LOI Deadline (by 12 p.m. EST)
  • LOI Notification
  • Rolling Full Proposal Deadline (by 12 p.m. EST)
Contact Info

The deadline to submit applications is December 5, 2024, at 12 p.m. (noon) EST. Late applications will not be accepted. Applications must be submitted via the Simons Award Manager (SAM), https://sam.simonsfoundation.org/. Please click on the Funding Opportunities icon. Applications should be started and submitted under the applicant’s own account in the Simons Award Manager (SAM). For the Scientific Software Research Faculty Award application, please click on Create Application and then on Begin Application. After creating an application, navigate to the Applications in Progress section on your homepage to access the in-progress application.

Informational videos on submitting applications in SAM can be found here.

LOI and proposal attachments should be single-spaced and in a common typeface and font size no smaller than 10 points. Margins must be at least half an inch in all directions.

Please note that in the event of budgetary or other considerations, The Simons Foundation, Inc. reserves the right to refer an application to The Simons Foundation International, Ltd. (SFI) for consideration and funding, in which case SFI’s grant policies would apply.

Please complete the application as follows:

Stage 1 – LOI:

  1. Proposal Tab:
    1. Applicant Details & Personal Data: Enter required fields (including title, department and academic rank). Please note that the institution in the LOI application should reflect the applicant’s current institution.
    2. Academic Degrees: Add/modify degrees (required).
    3. Application Details: Enter the title of the LOI application.
    4. Enter name of host institution.
    5. Proposal – Upload required files as follows:
      1. Research Statement (two-page limit, including references and figures, which can be embedded within the text): Must outline the scientific background and motivation of the applicant’s research program.

      2. Scientific Vision Statement (four-page limit, including references and figures, which can be embedded within the text): Must describe the scientific vision of the research program and a plan for future research and software development. The statement should include a roadmap and software sustainability plan that outlines (1) new functionality development (to enable new scientific directions or questions), (2) work that will enhance the openness, reusability or access to the software and (3) work that will improve the sustainability of the project by implementing or supporting best practices for software sustainability (for example, by substantially developing or improving documentation and educational materials, working on testing and continuous integration systems, establishing contributor/maintainer mentorship programs or running workshops to train new users and developers).

      3. Host Institution Letter of Support (must use provided template): Must be co-signed by the department chair and dean at the host/future institution and which must describe the type of position and provide an affirmation of eligibility requirements. In particular, the letter must confirm principal investigator (PI) status for the applicant at the institution, specify that the fractional teaching load will be at or less than 50 percent time, and assure that the faculty position is not term-limited. The letter must clearly affirm that, if the applicant is funded/awarded, the university and department will commit a clinical faculty line to the awardee.

      4. Applicant Biosketch: A SciENcv or fillable PDF NIH- or NSF-style biosketch. Include information about key software products and contributions in the “products” section of the biosketch.
    6. Indicate the extent to which, if any, generative AI technology was used and how it was used to develop your proposal.
  2. Check Application Progress: Click the Check Application Progress button to check for any missing required information or files. All missing required information will be listed at the top of the screen and must be corrected before the application can be submitted.
  3. Submit Application: When the LOI application is complete, please click on the Submit Application button to submit to the foundation. Please note that you will not be able to submit an application if the deadline has passed.

LOI Approval:

A submitted LOI will appear in the Submitted queue of the Applications in Progress table on your SAM home page. If the LOI is approved, its status changes to In Progress. Click on the record to gain access to the full proposal application.

Stage 2 – Full Proposal:

  1. Proposal Tab:
    1. Applicant Details & Personal Data: Enter required fields. Please note that the institution in the full proposal application should reflect the applicant’s host/future institution.
    2. Academic Degrees: Add/modify degrees (required).
    3. Application Details:
      1. Title: The title of the full proposal application will be the same as in the LOI proposal.
      2. Enter start and end dates. The five-year award can begin no earlier than September 1, 2025, and no later than September 1, 2026.
    4. Proposal: All proposal attachments that were included in the LOI are now available in the Full Proposal application. No changes are required in this section.
    5. Indicate the extent to which, if any, generative AI technology was used and how it was used to develop your proposal.
  2. Contacts & Personnel Tab: Please refer to the instructions provided in SAM to designate the required institutional contacts.
  3. Budget Tab: Click the Edit/Modify button to add a detailed, five-year budget and justification. Please refer to the RFA for funding levels and allowable expenses.
  4. Check Application Progress: Click the Check Application Progress button to check for any missing required information or files. All missing required information will be listed at the top of the screen and must be corrected before the application can be submitted.
  5. Send for Sign-off: When the application is complete, please click on the ‘Send for sign-off button’ to send to your signing official for signature. You will receive a notification when the application is signed.
  6. Submit Application: When the full proposal application is complete and signed, please click on the Submit Application button. Submission of the application acts as affirmation from the awardee and host institution that the applicant’s position meets the eligibility criteria outlined in the RFA. A confirmation page will appear once the application is successfully submitted. Please note that you will not be able to submit an application if the deadline has passed.
Apply Now
Important Dates
  • LOI Deadline (by 12 p.m. EST)
  • LOI Notification
  • Rolling Full Proposal Deadline (by 12 p.m. EST)
Contact Info
  1. What can the award be used for?plus--large

    The Simons Foundation supported time is 50 percent of FTE and should be used primarily for work that is related to scientific software or that supports a research program or group working on scientific software development and maintenance. For example, theoretical work on methods or algorithms relevant to scientific software infrastructure would be in scope, but the funding should not be used to support other, unrelated work.

  2. Are people in existing research faculty positions eligible to apply?plus--large

    The aim of this program is to stimulate the development and maintenance of core scientific software infrastructure in academic environments through the creation of a new, long-term, faculty-level career path in response to this call. A person in an existing research faculty position or who will be promoted into one before the due date and time of the Letter of Intent (LOI) is not eligible to apply. The award only supports those who will be hired into new research positions. A person in an existing faculty position would be eligible only if they were to fill a newly created position in response to this call.

  3. Is computational physical chemistry an eligible field?plus--large

    Yes, computational physical chemistry is eligible.

  4. Is experimental physics an eligible field?plus--large

    No, currently, the program is only open to theoretical physics.

  5. What career level should the candidate be?plus--large

    There is not a career level requirement; the candidate must be able to meet the requirements outlined in the eligibility section of the RFA. Postdocs are eligible candidates.

  6. Are there any requirements for minimum teaching load?plus--large

    There is no minimum requirement in place. However, the intent is for these positions to be seen as an asset to the universities and departments by contributing teaching and computational support.

  7. In practice, how is the policy that the new position must not be term limited enforced? Is it enough for the host institution to support the role as long as supplemental funding through grants can provide the remaining 50 percent salary?plus--large

    The main consideration is that the proposed funding of the position in a given university should not be coming from some other grant or grants but should be university funding.

  8. Is there a limit to the number of applicants per university?plus--large

    No, there is no limit.

  9. How are grant funds awarded?plus--large

    The grant is awarded to the host institution.

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Scientific Software Research Faculty Award Online Application

All applicants for this grant must use our new grants management portal, the Simons Award Manager (SAM), to submit applications.

If you are applying to the Simons Foundation for the first time, please register in SAM before selecting “Create Application.” Instructional videos about using SAM can be found here.

If you have a ProposalCentral (pC ) account, a profile was created for you in SAM using the email address associated with your pC account. Please select “Forgot Password?,” set a new password for your SAM account and then select “Create Application.”

Applications and grants previously submitted in pC will still be managed in pC.

To create a new application, click on the button below. After creating an application, navigate to the “Applications in Progress” section on your homepage to access the in-progress application.

sam Create Application
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