Postdoctoral Scholars Program
The Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind (KIBM) has announced the 2026-27 KIBM Postdoctoral Scholars Program cohort. Applications for the 2027-28 fellowship period will open November 17, 2026.
The KIBM Postdoctoral Scholars Program provides both financial support and networking opportunities for exceptional postdoctoral scholars at UC San Diego and The Salk Institute to pursue innovative research in neuroscience. The award will be $60,000 for a 12-month period and is renewable for a second year contingent on good progress and the faculty mentor's continued sponsorship. Scholars will participate in meetings and present their work at the KIBM annual spring symposium.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must hold a Ph.D. degree.
- Open to US citizens and non-US citizens.
- This program is only open to those who currently hold a full-time postdoctoral position in the field of neuroscience at UC San Diego or The Salk Institute.
- The applicant must have a minimum of six months of postdoctoral experience working in the laboratory of their sponsor at the time of application but no more than four years of cumulative postdoctoral training (including appointments at other institutions) by the time of award activation. Please consult with your department HR contact to confirm the maximum allowable duration of your postdoctoral appointment based on institutional guidelines.
- The award cannot be held concurrently with a fellowship that supports salary (or stipend) and benefits.
- To request an exception to any of the above criteria, please email kibm@ucsd.edu by January 08, 2027.
How to Apply on InfoReady
- UC San Diego postdocs should log into InfoReady via the UC San Diego Login button with their Active Directory credentials in order to access the application. Please note that this is considered an internal proposal for UC San Diego applicants so there is no need to route the application to UCSD’s Office of Contracts and Grants via Kuali Research.
- Salk postdocs should log into InfoReady under the Login for Other Users section to access the application. Salk postdocs who do not already have an InfoReady account can click on the Register button to create one.
- Both UC and Salk applicants must select a location within their InfoReady profile in order to edit the application fields.
Application Information and Materials
- Full Program Guidelines and Instructions [PDF]
- Biosketch Template [Word doc]
Online Application Form via InfoReady
The online submission portal for the 2027-28 Postdoctoral Scholars Program will open on November 17, 2026.
Reference Letters
Please review the Full Program Guidelines and Instructions for details on the reference letter requirements. After the postdoc submits their application online, referees will receive an email with instructions on how to submit their letter in support of the applicant. Reference letters are due on Monday, January 25, 2027 by 11:59pm PT.
Postdoc Scholars Program Cohorts
The KIBM Postdoctoral Scholars Program supports exceptional postdocs at UC San Diego and Salk Institute to pursue innovative research in neuroscience.
Post-Award Resources
Fund managers and awardees can access the Postdoctoral Scholars Program Post-Award Resources below to view award terms and conditions.