We are seeking passionate post-doctoral or senior PhD researchers to join our team as Teaching Assistants (TAs) for the upcoming Simons Computational Neuroscience Imbizo, a deeply immersive summer school held in Noordhoek, Cape Town, South Africa.
Please apply by clicking the button below:
Apply for TA Position Here(Please note: You must be signed into a valid Google account to proceed with the application and upload your CV).
Application Requirements
Before you begin your application, please ensure you have the following ready:
- A brief CV: 2-4 pages maximum, uploaded as a PDF.
- A motivational statement: A short text (max 600 words) outlining your scientific interests and background, why you would be a good fit, and your preferred topics for teaching tutorials and supervising student projects.
- Reference details: The name and contact information of one referee. (Note: Your referee will automatically receive an email prompt once you submit. Please inform them to check also their spam emails).
Important Dates:
- Applications Close: 1st September 2026 at 20:00 UTC
- Imbizo Dates: 27th August - 16th September 2027
About the Imbizo
The school hosts 27-28 students for approximately three weeks of intensive lectures, tutorials, projects, and forging new friendships. All this takes place on Noordhoek beach, nestled between the mountain and the ocean, a truly spectacular location.
The Imbizo is a special experience. Students are totally immersed in academic, social, touristic, and cultural activities, which has historically resulted in previous cohorts of students and TAs becoming very close, both personally and scientifically. This is fantastic, as a major goal of the Imbizo project is to help young African researchers grow their academic peer and friend groups.
The Role of a TA
Academic Responsibilities:
- Design and run one afternoon tutorial during the first week of the school. Each TA will teach a different topic, chosen collaboratively among the TA team and the Academic Directors, to provide students with broad exposure to methods in computational neuroscience.
- Supervise a group of approximately 5 students for their project work during the last two weeks of the school.
- Assist the organizing committee in processing student applications in early 2027.
Social Responsibilities: TAs are integral to the daily life of the school. In addition to academic support, you will be expected to foster good social interactions, spark academic discussions, and help ‘shy’ students meet faculty. TAs act as the ‘social glue’ of the Imbizo, helping to notice and support students who may be feeling ill, having difficulties fitting in, or struggling with the workload.
To fulfill these roles, TAs are required to attend all school meals and activities.
What We Provide
We cover direct, economy-class flights to Cape Town, as well as all board and lodging for the duration of the school.
(A separate call for student applications will follow in January 2027. Please reach out (info@imbizo.africa) if you have any questions!)
#imbizo2027
Bluesky: @imbizo.bsky.social
Twitter / X: @CompNeuroImbizo