Fellow in Residence

Schmidt Sciences is a nonprofit organization founded in 2024 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt that works to accelerate scientific knowledge and breakthroughs with the most promising, advanced tools to support a thriving planet. The organization prioritizes research in areas poised for impact including AI and advanced computing, astrophysics, biosciences, climate, and space—as well as supporting researchers in a variety of disciplines through its science systems program.

Summary

Schmidt Sciences invites recent PhD graduates in AI and computer science to apply for a 12-18 month fellows-in-residence program, with the possibility of extension to 24 months. Fellows would split their time between supporting the AI Institute’s grantmaking efforts and conducting independent research. Up to three fellows will be hired in 2027. 

Review of applications will commence on December 15, 2026, and priority review will be given to applications submitted by this date.

For this cohort, we are most interested in hiring experts in the following domains:

• Trustworthy AI and alignment

• AI interpretability

• Multi-agent systems

• AI for scientific discovery

• AI’s impact on the labor market, knowledge production, and metascience

About the AI Institute

The AI & Advanced Computing Institute at Schmidt Sciences supports fundamental research in artificial intelligence (AI), the application of AI and data science across a wide variety of disciplines, and the creation of high-impact research platforms that can speed discovery.

About the Fellows-in-Residence Program 

The goal of this fellowship is to allow early career AI researchers a flexible environment in which to pursue specific research projects while contributing to the work of the AI Institute at Schmidt Sciences. Fellows would split their time, roughly equally, between independent research and grantmaking work for the AI Institute as directed.

Fellows will indicate interest in specific areas of AI research as part of their application. Schmidt Sciences relies on domain experts to support grant decisions throughout all stages of review of external funding proposals. Fellows will directly engage with external proposals as well as assist with recruiting external reviewers for evaluating proposals.

This role involves significant autonomy and strategic thinking. Fellows will be expected to articulate arguments for what areas of AI research merit more philanthropic support, and they will contribute directly to Schmidt Sciences’ funding efforts.