Postdoctoral Fellow– Social and Decision Neuroscience (Caltech, Pasadena CA USA)

Jan 8, 2026 | Job Postings, Postdoctoral Students

Chen Center Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate in Social & Decision Neuroscience

The T&C Chen Center for Social and Decision Neuroscience (SDN) at Caltech is delighted to announce a call for applications for one or more Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associates (“Postdocs”) to start in spring/summer 2026. Background information about the Center is here.

Purpose: Postdocs will begin their pursuit of highly adventurous scientific programs supervised by a principal investigator (PI) Faculty Affiliate of the Chen SDN Center. This appointment will include some discretionary funds for travel and equipment, including fMRI scanning time. Postdocs and their supervising PIs are expected to have a clear understanding of mutual expectations about scientific management in their collaboration.

Postdocs at Caltech are included in the Postdoctoral Scholars bargaining unit represented by UAW 2478. The initial Postdoc appointment will run for two years, unless a shorter term is mutually agreeable. The annual salary for this position through September 20, 2026, will be $72,723. As of October 1, 2026, it will increase to $75,268. Learn about the Caltech benefits available to postdocs here.

Scope: The SDN Center Affiliates investigate foundational questions about social and decision neuroscience, with an eye toward translation and potential application. Our work typically combines computational modelling, in which numerical functions represent hypothesized activity of biological processes. The hypothesized numerical activity is then tested by behavior and a wide variety of biometric and neural measures (including eyetracking, EEG, fMRI, lesion patients, TMS and tDCS). The goal is to understand how the brain and body encode computations that cause behavior. The conviction in SDN is that biological understanding is also necessary to understand how to improve human decision making, including phenotyping disorders and inventing potential therapeutics. Recently, SDN research also extends the interest in mechanisms of neural computation to tests of such theories using only behavioral data, including large online subject pools. The SDN focus and infrastructure only supports human subject research, although we are appreciative of evidence from non-human animals. Postdocs will have a lot of opportunities to learn about non-human research going on at Caltech.

The deadline for applications is February 15, 2026. The start date for this position is flexible (we prefer May-August 2026).

Process: Applications will be judged by scientific merit, the fit of the proposed research topics with ongoing activity at Caltech (and with potential PIs), and adherence to all the principles described in this call.

Preferences:

  • Some preference will be given to:
    • Candidates who are interested in human social and decision neuroscience;
    • Candidates who intend to continue in academic science as Assistant Professors (or equivalent positions) after completion of the Postdoc;
  • Candidates who are current Postdocs at Caltech, or graduating soon with Caltech PhDs, will not be considered.

Applications should be emailed to and must include:

  1. Current curriculum vitae (CV).
  2. Names of 2 scientists who can, if asked, write letters, or speak with us, to inform us of the candidate’s abilities and the quality of their match with Caltech. Please do not send letters; just tell us the two names from whom we can expect letters or information if your application moves to our short list.
  3. 3-page description of a research program (including any figures and references, 1-inch margins and 12-point font).
  4. Ranked list of 1-3 Chen SDN Faculty Affiliates [Affiliate list]. Include a brief (maximum 200 words for each Affiliate) rationale for why matching with that Affiliate would best suit your research goals. Do not contact these PIs until you have gotten correspondence from us asking you to do so (if you make it to our short list).
  5. All submissions will be reviewed by the SDN Center Director and a small number of Caltech SDN Faculty Affiliates.
  6. After that initial screening (starting February 15, 2026), a short list of candidates will be asked to interview via Zoom and to supply reference-name letters or other useful information.

Submission deadline is February 15, 2026.

As one of the largest employers in Pasadena, CA, Caltech is committed to providing comprehensive benefits to eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Our benefits package includes competitive compensation, health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement savings plans, generous paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick time, parental leave, bereavement, etc.), tuition reimbursement, and more. Learn more about our benefits and staff perks.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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