The Santa Fe Institute (SFI) seeks nominations and applications for resident faculty positions at all academic levels. Full-time appointments are of highest priority, although part-time appointments will be considered. Inquiries regarding sabbatical appointments are welcome.

SFI is a private, nonprofit, research and education center located in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains overlooking Santa Fe, New Mexico. Founded in 1984, SFI is a unique research environment dedicated to the pursuit of general principles of complex systems, pursuing the frontiers of scientific research on questions that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries and that require broad multi-disciplinary collaborations to address successfully. Examples from current work include the physical-chemical origins of life, information processing in biological systems, evolution of human language, underlying regularities in financial markets, scaling relationships in biological and social systems, human behavioral and social dynamics, and properties of networks in nature and society. The Institute serves as a research hub populated by 20-30 resident researchers including faculty, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and visitors, connected to a large off-campus network of external faculty, researchers, and corporate affiliates who regularly visit the Institute for periods of days to months.

Resident faculty positions at SFI are based on renewable 5 year terms. Positions involve no formal teaching and come with generous funds for travel, visitors, meetings and non-laboratory equipment. We seek individuals with excellent academic credentials who are deeply knowledgeable in their own fields, and who are also broad thinkers and recognize that many of the hardest problems we face sit at the boundaries of conventional disciplines. We seek individuals who are likely to topple convention and to break new ground in successfully addressing science’s and society’s most challenging problems.

Candidates should have a Ph.D. with a strong record of excellence, both in depth and breadth. Applications are welcome from candidates in any country. Women and minorities are especially encouraged to apply. Successful foreign applicants must acquire an acceptable visa (usually a J-1) as a condition of employment.

Application Requirements

1. Complete curriculum vitae.

2. Statement of research interests and directions you would hope to pursue at SFI.

3. Four letters of recommendation from scholars who know your work well. (Letters should be uploaded onto the website by their authors, not by the applicant).

4. Copies (in PDF form) of three-five papers, chapters, or monographs you believe best illustrate your suitability for a resident faculty position at SFI. Please email these papers as attachments to

Keep in mind that a concise application package, clearly presenting the ideas grounding your work and how you would benefit from and contribute to SFI's unique environment, will facilitate the careful review of your application by the selection committee.

Online Application: You may submit your materials using our online application form. We strongly encourage you to apply online to expedite your application.

Postal Mail/Courier: Application packages sent via postal mail will also be accepted. Do not bind your application materials in any manner. Include your e-mail address and/or fax number. Mail application materials to:

Resident Faculty Search
Santa Fe Institute
1399 Hyde Park Road
Santa Fe, NM 87501 USA

For further information, please e-mail .

SFI is an equal opportunity employer.