Janelia Competition Announcement

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute is pleased to announce an international competition to identify scientist(s) to develop and lead a new research area at the Janelia Research Campus. The chosen research area will be supported for 15 years with a total budget of approximately $250 million. The selected Research Head/Senior Group Leader will assemble a research team that will include up to 4 additional Senior Group Leaders and 8-10 early career Group Leaders.

We seek proposals that aim to address major unsolved problems within or across disciplines relevant to the life sciences. We favor proposals that are difficult to pursue in traditional academic or biotech settings and take full advantage of the collaborative research environment at Janelia, where teams of tool-builders, biologists, and theorists work together to overcome conceptual, technical, and computational barriers. HHMI welcomes a diverse applicant pool.

SUMMARY OF COMPETITION PROCESS

Pre-Proposal

The two-page Pre-Proposal describes the proposed research area and the scientific problem, the expected output and impact of the research area, and the candidate’s leadership, mentoring and collaboration experiences and philosophy.  We encourage applications even if a move to Janelia is not fully certain at this time.  Due date: Jun 3, 2019

Selection of Semi-Finalists

An advisory board (composed of scientists from universities, privateinstitutions and industry from around the world) will review pre-proposals and advise HHMI leadership in selecting semi-finalists. Summer, 2019

Think-Tank Phase (Optional)

Semi-Finalists will have the opportunity to arrange “think tank” workshops at Janelia to further explore their ideas, refine their proposals, and identify potential partners and collaborators. This think tank also will give Semi-Finalists a chance to meet Janelia scientists, staff, resources and technologies and see how they might interface with their proposal.

Full Proposals

Semi-Finalists will submit a 12-page Full Proposal that provides more detail about the proposed research area, including timing for acquiring/developing required personnel, equipment and/or facilities, as well as a description of how the new research area will leverage Janelia’s tool and theory development and broad scientific support. Due date: January 2020 (exact date announced in July 2019)

Janelia Symposium Mar 17-19, 2020

Semi-Finalists attend a symposium at Janelia to present proposals and participate in interviews with members of the advisory board and HHMI leadership.  Advisory board makes recommendations to HHMI leadership.  If more than one finalist is recommended, a re-visit to Janelia may be requested to meet with community members and HHMI leadership.

New Research Area at Janelia

HHMI leadership selects and announces the new research area (Spring or Summer, 2020).