Postdoctoral Innovation Fellows Program: Call for Applications

The JTCII is a partnership between the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and Cornell University, tasked by the City of New York to bring a global perspective to graduate-level research and education with an emphasis on technology transfer, commercialization and entrepreneurship. As a key part of the new Cornell NYC Tech campus, the JTCII aims to nurture and expand the tech eco-system in New York City.

 

Postdoctoral Innovation Fellows will be provided with a stimulating environment within JTCII in which to work on R&D to transform an existing or new technological idea into a product. No less important, the JTCII will provide a crucial interface with the emerging New York City tech eco-system, access to industrial mentors and seasoned entrepreneurs, connections to the local venture capital and legal communities, and close proximity to the market itself. Our expectation is that a successful Fellow will identify a real-world problem requiring a deep technological solution, implement the solution, demonstrate its commercial viability and even obtain venture-capital funding to continue to pursue commercialization. The duration of the program is one year, but successful Fellows may be funded for a second year.

 

Applications are solicited from persons up to three years after their graduation with a PhD in an information- or data-processing discipline relevant to at least one of the following application domains: Connective Media, Healthier Life and the Built Environment (see definitions below.) A Fellow will receive a competitive salary, a budget for R&D expenses, a stimulating work environment and the option to participate in a variety of entrepreneurial training and other activities on campus.

 

To apply, a qualified candidate should submit:

1. CV. In addition to the usual academic content, your CV should contain a listing of title and date of disclosure of inventions for which you are (co-)inventor and research institutes at which you disclosed the inventions; list of disclosures for which patents have been filed; and on which patents you are (co-)inventor; chronological listing of work experiences including organization’s activities and your job title and responsibilities. The CV should include names of three relevant references.

 

2. Research statement (max 3 pages). Describe your current and future research efforts. Focus on the real-world problem you are trying to solve and your approach to solving it. Describe how your research could be applied to solve problems in the domains of Connective Media, Healthier Life and/or the Built Environment, and the possible challenges that may have to be surmounted. Please be as specific as possible.

 

3. Essay (2 pages). Describe your personal background. Share your passion, values and vision in applying your research and describe at least one experience of a problem or situation that you approached creatively.

 

Qualified candidates will be interviewed to determine their fit for the program, including ability to work in a team, passion for applying research to real-world needs, entrepreneurial personality and communication skills. Some preference will be given to applicants with PhD or postdoctoral experience from the Technion or Cornell.

 

Applications and inquiries should be submitted to InnovationFellows@jtcii.org.

 

Applications for Spring 2014 should be submitted by September 15, 2013 and will be considered as they are received. Qualified candidates will be interviewed soon after they apply, and decisions will be made within two weeks of the interview, no later than October 15, 2013. Fellows are expected to start on January 1, 2014.

 

Applications for Fall 2014 should be submitted by April 15, 2014 and will be considered as they are received. Qualified candidates will be interviewed soon after they apply and decisions will be made within two weeks of the interview, no later than May 15, 2014. Fellows are expected to start on September 1, 2014.

 

The JTCII is located on the temporary Cornell NYC Tech campus in Chelsea in New York City.

 

The Innovation Fellowship Program covers entrepreneurial efforts related to the following applications of information processing:

 

Connective Media: Data mining and analysis in structured and unstructured online media repositories and social networks. Machine learning and big data. Media analysis for e-commerce. People-aware and mobile computing. Media-related software.

 

Healthier Life: Medical informatics and healthcare information systems. Data processing in medical devices and instrumentation for diagnosis, treatment and monitoring. Information-based technologies to improve quality of life. Sensor-based systems for home monitoring and remote diagnosis.

 

Built Environment: Comprehensive building design. Building, infrastructure, and urban scale information processing. Transportation systems optimization, operation and management. Sensor- and data-processing for smart buildings.