Institute for Defense Analyses

Fellowship ID: IDA-CCRLFELLOWSHIP [#18808]
Fellowship Title: IDA Postdoctoral Fellowship (CCRL)
Fellowship Type: Postdoctoral
Fellowship Location: San Diego, California 22311, United States [map] sort by distance
Application Deadline: finished (2021/10/28, finished 2022/08/06, listed until 2022/01/31)
Fellowship Description:    

*** this fellowship has been closed and new applications are no longer accepted. ***

* this map is a best-effort approximation. Open in Google Maps directly.

The Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), Center for Communications Research, La Jolla (CCRL), invites applications for the IDA Postdoctoral Fellowship, to be followed by an appointment as a Research Staff Member.

The IDA Postdoctoral Fellowship program has the purpose of providing funding for fellows from historically underrepresented backgrounds who wish to pursue careers in research to benefit national security. We seek to recruit and support highly qualified scientists with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives arising from differences including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, country of origin, gender, age, religion, language, abilities/disabilities, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socioeconomic status. As part of their application, the applicant should submit a short personal statement describing how their diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives contribute to their academic and professional pursuits. Moreover, in light of our broad and varied research scope, we invite applicants from all areas of mathematics, statistics, computer science, or related fields.

About the Postdoctoral Position

The role begins as an IDA Postdoctoral Fellowship, where the applicant will perform independent, applicant-driven research as a visiting scholar at a university of their choice and continue their academic research program, while receiving a competitive salary and benefits from IDA. This appointment is designed to last one year, with a possibility of a second-year term, in order to give the applicant time to obtain a security clearance, which is required in order to become a member of the research staff. As part of their application, the applicant should propose an (academic) host institution for their visiting scholar position and a professional mentor from this institution who will advise the research activities of the applicant.

Upon obtaining the required security clearance and completion of the IDA Postdoctoral Fellowship, the selected applicant will join the CCRL research staff. The start date for this position is flexible, but we anticipate that the successful applicant will begin work in the postdoctoral role by Fall 2022.

About CCR La Jolla and its Research Staff 

We are part of a non-profit corporation, the Institute for Defense Analyses, and our research is done to benefit the National Security Agency. Our working environment feels like a mathematics department at a leading research university, albeit without any students, free of administrative burdens, and with a greater emphasis on collaborative research. The scientific scope is broad and varied, including proving theorems, high-performance implementations of mathematical algorithms, practical machine learning, and sophisticated statistical data analyses. Our staff is enthusiastic about collaboration, multidisciplinary teams, and combining theory and practice. 

We are located in San Diego, California, which offers many attractions including one of the best climates in the US, a wide array of outdoor recreation, renowned arts and culture, family-friendly activities, fine regional cuisine, and outstanding craft beverages. 

 Desired Qualifications
  • PhD in mathematics, statistics, computer science, or related field.
Required Qualifications
  • US citizenship is required.
  • Employment as a research staff member is contingent on obtaining an appropriate security clearance (which CCRL will sponsor). 
 Application Process 
  • Interested individuals should apply via mathjobs.org. Please submit the following materials with your application: an AMS cover sheet;
  • a cover letter;
  • your CV;
  • a discussion of your research, including (i) a brief summary of past research, (ii) a description of your proposed research, and (iii) a proposal for which university you would work at as an IDA Postdoctoral Fellow and who your mentor would be;
  • a statement describing how your diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives contribute to your academic and professional pursuits; and
  • three letters of recommendation (preferred), one of which should be a letter of support from your proposed mentor. Alternatively, a letter of support from your proposed mentor and the names and contact information of two other people who can comment on your research contributions and potential. 
Applications received by November 30, 2021 will receive full consideration. 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commitment

IDA commits to rigor, transparency, and integrity as we move forward to:
  • Promote diversity through recruitment, retention, and career growth
  • Implement and maintain policies and practices that enable the success of all IDA community members in our shared mission
  • Foster a culture of active citizenship within IDA and society more broadly to establish an environment that values each member of the community
  • Engage internal and external stakeholders in a data-driven process of continuous feedback and learning

Application Materials Required:
Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:

Further Info:
https://www.ida.org/ida-ffrdcs/center-for-communications-and-computing
 
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