I like the "optional" hands-on challenges he listed for applicants in the jobs page. It may end up filtering out some talented candidates (not wanting to put in this much effort for one application), but it will certainly call out to the tinkerers and hobbyists who would do those tasks for fun anyway.
The challenges are great because it's not just another meaningless programming test. Instead it's "week 1" of the internship, where you learn the background necessary to start work on the project. And even if you don't get the position, all those tasks are useful for a grad student in neuroscience or bioinformatics.
