Theoretical and Computational Biology Research Fellow

About the Position

Position Type: Fully Remote 
Duration: 1 year, with possibility of renewal contingent upon funding

We are seeking postdoctoral fellows to research theoretical foundations for biology from a computational perspective. Our work stems from the premise that the complexity we observe in living systems—development, evolution, adaptation—can arise from simple rules. Using minimal models of genotypes resulting in complex phenotypes, we investigate why and how biological evolution works and what general principles govern life, beyond the details of any particular biochemistry or genetics.

Our approach treats biological questions as fundamentally computational ones: What kinds of rules produce life-like behavior? Why and how does evolution find solutions to complex problems? What is inevitable about biological organization, and what is contingent? We primarily use discrete dynamical systems, such as graph/string rewriting rules and cellular automata—not to simulate specific organisms, but to understand the deep structure underlying the phenomenon of life. 

Research Directions

The group's work spans several interconnected areas:

• Minimal models of evolution: Studying how simple rule-based systems give rise to adaptation, complexity, and the structural features we associate with life
• Computational constraints on evolution: Investigating how properties like computational irreducibility shape what evolution can and cannot achieve, and what this means for predictability in biological systems.
• Origins and nature of biological complexity: Understanding what makes biological organization fundamentally distinct from non-biological complexity, drawing on concepts from philosophy, mathematics, physics, and computation.
• General principles of living systems: Searching for laws or regularities that hold across organisms and environments—statements about life that don't depend on specific genes, species, or biochemical details.

There is substantial room for fellows to develop their own lines of inquiry. In general, we are looking for people driven by fundamental questions, not just particular applications.

Qualifications

Required

• Ph.D. (or expected by start date) in a relevant field—this could be in biology, physics, mathematics, computer science, complex systems, philosophy, or any discipline where you've engaged seriously with foundational biological questions
• Strong computational skills and comfort with programming. Desired experience with the Wolfram Language, or willingness to make it the primary research tool
• Demonstrated ability to think independently about theoretical problems
• Genuine interest in the kind of work described here
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States to work from a U.S. location. International consultants must have the required authorization to work in their country of residence.

Application Materials

Please submit:

1. Cover letter (1 page max) explaining your interest in our research program and how your background and qualifications prepares you for it
2. CV (2 pages max) including publications, preprints, computational projects, and technical skills
3. Code sample or computational project (optional but encouraged)—a link to a GitHub repository, computational notebook, or similar work that demonstrates your computational approaches
4. Three references with contact information, including people who can speak to your computational abilities and research approaches. They will be contacted only after the first screening round

We’ll be reviewing applications on a rolling basis (starting March, 2026), until the positions are filled.

About Wolfram Institute

The Wolfram Institute for Computational Foundations of Science is a nonprofit research organization for the computational approach to fundamental science. Our goal is to develop research programs that are theoretically sound and computationally operable in areas including, but not limited to, physics, mathematics, philosophy/logic, biology, cognitive science/artificial intelligence and economics. Wolfram Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.