BRAIN Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Bold Research Advancement In Neuroscience (BRAIN) postdoctoral fellowship is a two-year opportunity for incoming postdoctoral researchers to build their careers at UVA through a personalized mentorship committee, targeted professional development resources, and financial support. 

Applications are accepted & reviewed on a rolling basis. 

Postdoctoral researcher candidates must apply for this program during the recruitment process, prior to being hired at UVA. Please consult the FAQs for more information. 

The BRAIN fellowship includes: 

• Two-year award

• Additional salary support per year

• Research & professional development funds

• Targeted professional development resources to prepare for independent scientific careers in neuroscience

• Exceptional, collaborative training environment

• Personalized mentorship committee

Postdoctoral researchers who are currently being recruited for an existing, neuroscience-related postdoctoral researcher position at UVA are eligible to apply if they have received their doctoral degree within 12 months of the time of application to the BRAIN postdoctoral fellowship. 

Mentors must agree to continue paying the postdoc at the negotiated rate after the two-year fellowship expires.

Additional details may be found below in the Frequently Asked Questions document linked below. 

We are committed to diversity, equity, & inclusion. Women, minorities, veterans and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are current UVA postdocs eligible to apply? 

A: No. Although internal, currently UVA-employed postdocs were initially eligible to apply in 2023, subsequent cycles are restricted to external postdoc recruits. 

Q: What are the eligibility requirements for external postdoc recruits? 

A: Postdocs who are currently applying to or being recruited for an existing neuroscience-related postdoctoral researcher position at UVA are eligible to apply if they have received their doctoral degree ≤ 12 months from the time of application to the BRAIN postdoctoral fellowship. 

Q: What are the steps in the application process? 

A: 

Step 1: UVA PIs who are interested in recruiting a new postdoc for their lab should follow the normal departmental process for posting a position for hire. 

Step 2: Prospective postdoc should apply for a position at UVA. The position should be neuroscience-related to be eligible. 

Step 3: The postdoc recruit and mentor must apply to the BRAIN fellowship during the recruitment process. See more details below and contact us with additional questions. 

Step 4: Apply for the BRAIN postdoctoral fellowship program. The application is comprised of four required components prepared by the postdoctoral applicant and their mentor. 

1. Applicant Biosketch
2. Mentor Biosketch - must include trainee record and UVA neuroscience research community engagement record (e.g., NGP directorship, serving on review committee, etc.)
3. Mentoring Statement - the mentoring plan should be written by the mentor specific to the applicant, similar to what would be submitted for an NIH F or K award. 
4. K99 Plan - must include Specific Aims (1 page) and proposed timeline for submission of a K99 or other proposed grants (up to 1 additional page)

Step 5: If selected both for the postdoc position and the BRAIN postdoctoral fellowship, the Brain Institute will coordinate to provide language for the offer letter and access to the additional funds after hire. 

Q: How will applications be reviewed and postdoctoral fellows selected? 

A: Applications will be reviewed by a small, multidisciplinary committee on a rolling basis. In some cases, candidates who pass the initial committee review may be asked to interview with Brain Institute leadership and/or members of the review committee during the recruitment process. For selected postdocs, the Brain Institute will work with the designated department to coordinate offer letters and financial set up. 

Q: What are the expectations of BRAIN postdoctoral fellows, if selected? 

A: BRAIN fellows are required to participate in professional development workshops, meet regularly with a mentorship committee, submit an annual report to the Brain Institute, and write F32s, K99s, or similar grants. These requirements are detailed in the award letter. 

Q: Are BRAIN postdocs required to pursue a specific career path? 

A: The BRAIN postdoctoral fellowship is designed to support UVA postdocs in neuroscience who are committed to pursuing a career in academia. While we recognize the value of all scientific careers, the goal of this program is to encourage and promote the future of excellent neuroscience faculty at this institution and others. 

Q: What are the expectations of the BRAIN postdoctoral mentors? 

A: Mentors of selected postdocs must be committed to the training and development of the selected postdoc and agree to continue to pay the postdoc at the elevated salary rate after the BRAIN fellowship expires (2 years). 

Q: How much are the research and professional development funds provided by the BRAIN fellowship? Are there any restrictions on how these funds may be used?

A: The BRAIN fellowship provides $5,000/year in research and professional development funds. These may be used to purchase research supplies (including laptops or other technology used for research projects), cover travel and conference expenses, enroll in professional development or continuing education courses, etc. Expenses must be approved by the faculty mentor.

Q: What is the additional salary support provided by the BRAIN fellowship? And can it be used to support a portion of the departmental base salary?

A: No, the hiring PI/mentor is expected to fully support the departmental base salary offer for the position during the fellowship period. If awarded, $20,000/year in additional salary support will be provided by the BRAIN fellowship. This salary support is expected to be paid in addition to the base salary to strengthen the offer and recruit the most competitive postdoctoral candidates. Mentors must also agree to continue paying the postdoc at the elevated rate after the two-year fellowship expires.