Join the Kording Lab

For the time being, the Kording lab is not hiring.

We are always looking for talented and passionate individuals who want to push the boundaries of neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and causality research. Our lab thrives on interdisciplinary collaboration and bold thinking.

Visiting Scholars

We welcome visiting students and scholars who can contribute to ongoing projects. Visits must be at least 6 months and are unpaid. Visitors should:

• Have their own funding
• Propose a specific project aligned with lab interests
• Bring complementary expertise that enriches the lab

How to Apply

For all positions:

1. Email Konrad directly at kording@upenn.edu with:
   • CV including publications and presentations
   • Brief statement (1-2 pages) describing:
     • Your research interests and background
     • Why you want to join the Kording Lab specifically
     • Your career goals
   • Names and contact information for 2-3 references
   • For postdocs: 1-2 representative publications

2. Subject line format: “[Position Type] Application - [Your Name]”

3. Timeline: We review applications on a rolling basis. For graduate students, follow program-specific deadlines.

What Makes a Strong Candidate

Beyond technical skills, we value:

• Intellectual curiosity - Willingness to explore unconventional ideas
• Collaborative spirit - Ability to work in interdisciplinary teams
• Open science commitment - Enthusiasm for sharing code, data, and knowledge
• Growth mindset - Eagerness to learn new methods and fields
• Communication skills - Ability to explain complex ideas clearly

Life in the Lab

Culture:

• Collaborative, not competitive atmosphere
• Regular lab meetings, journal clubs, and social events
• Strong emphasis on work-life balance
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Location:

• Based at University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia
• Part of vibrant neuroscience and AI communities
• Lab members expected in office 4 days/week (see Internal page for members)

Resources:

• Access to high-performance computing clusters
• Funding for conferences and training
• Connections to industry and clinical partners
• Part of Penn’s world-class research ecosystem

Diversity Statement

The Kording Lab is committed to building a diverse and inclusive research environment. We strongly encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, particularly those from groups historically underrepresented in computational neuroscience and AI. We believe diverse perspectives strengthen science and actively work to create an environment where everyone can thrive.

Questions?

• General inquiries: kording@upenn.edu
• Administrative questions: Thomas McDonald (taomcd@seas.upenn.edu)
• Current lab members: See our People page to connect with current students and postdocs

Recent Alumni Placements

Our trainees have gone on to excellent positions:

• Faculty: MIT, McGill, Georgia Tech, University of Pittsburgh, Mount Holyoke, and more
• Industry: Google DeepMind, Meta, Apple, and leading biotech companies
• Clinical: Combining research with medical practice

See our Alumni list for details.

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“The best time to join was yesterday. The second best time is now.” - Lab wisdom

Ready to help us understand intelligence and build the future of neuroscience? We look forward to hearing from you!