AI Institute Fellowship Program

Summary

Schmidt Sciences invites recent PhD graduates in AI and computer science to apply for a 12-18 month fellowship. Reporting to the Executive Director of the AI Institute at Schmidt Sciences, fellows would split their time between supporting the AI Institute (e.g., by exploring new grantmaking programs) and pursuing specific research projects aligned with the Institute’s priorities. Up to three fellows will be hired in 2025.

About Schmidt Sciences

Schmidt Sciences is a philanthropy dedicated to fostering the advancement of science and technology. We approach this by identifying under-supported or unconventional areas of exploration and discovery in order to accelerate and deepen our understanding of the natural world and develop solutions to global issues.

We seek ideas, people, and techniques across disciplines of science and technology to catalyze results for society. Our focus areas include AI and Advanced Computing, Astrophysics and Space, Biosciences, Climate, and Cross-Science programs.

At Schmidt Sciences, we support and develop ideas including talent programs for post-docs, exceptional mid-career polymath researchers, and interdisciplinary fellows; discipline specific virtual institutes on topics ranging from astrophysics to earth systems modeling to artificial intelligence; development of data platforms and scientific software to improve the way scientific research is done; and we explore new avenues to support scientific research that furthers our understanding of the world.

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 fellowship

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 building of the AI Institute at Schmidt Sciences. [1] Fellows would split their time, roughly equally, between project focused work and work for the AI Institute as directed.

Fellows would propose specific projects as part of their application for the fellowship. We would agree on these projects before fellows arrive. Fellows must be able to complete their projects during their fellowship. Projects must align with AI Institute goals and research directions.

• Scoping out a grantmaking program in a particular AI domain of interest to Schmidt Sciences and the fellow (e.g., interpretability, safety, etc.). If mutually agreeable to Schmidt Sciences and the fellows, this could move beyond scoping to launching the program. In areas where Schmidt Sciences has agreed to make the investment before the fellow arrives, that fellow could come to help launch the program and potentially recommend initial grants. 
• Conducting research into a specific AI domain of mutual interest, with the intent of writing and releasing  a technical paper.
• Organizing a series of workshops on a topic of mutual interest to build the research community in that topic. This could also be a series of smaller grants (that they advise on; we’d retain decision rights). 
• Starting or contributing to an important AI open source project.

• Reading and assessing research proposals in multiple areas of AI, including safety, AI and science, AI and economics, etc. 
• Supporting the exploration and design of new AI grantmaking programs, such as in the areas of interpretability, safety, and scientific discovery
• Attending gatherings we organize for our grantees, as well as representing Schmidt Sciences at external conferences 

• AI Institute priorities will evolve with the growth of the Institute and with the rapid evolution of AI. Current priorities include: LLM technical safety, AI and digital humanities, LLM interpretability, the impact of AI on the labor force, measurement of technical LLM capabilities, and more. 

• Opportunity to apply for up to $100,000 of compute credits and API credits over the course of the fellowship. 
• Opportunity to apply for up to $50,000 in funding for targeted convenings, workshops, working sessions, etc. to advance exploration in various AI research areas.
• Opportunity to apply for travel funds to collaborate with others on research projects.
• Opportunity to brief Schmidt Science leadership and our principles on an important AI research topic during their time here, e.g., one briefing for 30 minutes during one of our monthly Eric AI meetings. 
• Access to Schmidt Science’s network of stakeholders in the AI ecosystem.

• Each fellowship will be 12-18 months long, with flexibility around start and end dates to accommodate academic commitments and other needs.

• Fellows will be based at our offices in New York City. Fellows will be permitted to spend a portion of their time at a local university (e.g., three days a week) or to apply to visit the West Coast or Europe for 2-3 weeks for the purposes of collaborating with other researchers. 

• Fellows would report to the Executive Director of the AI Institute at Schmidt Sciences. Each fellow would receive a mentor, who would be an AI Institute team member, and who would assist their onboarding to the organization. 

• Fellows will be permitted to keep their existing academic appointments, as long as those appointments do not conflict with either institution’s policies (e.g., conflict of interest policies). 

• Fellows will be selected on the basis of their academic accomplishments and publications, the relevance of their academic research to the AI Institute’s priorities, and the relevance and quality of their proposed research projects. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

SIF, which operates Schmidt Sciences, is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that proudly pursues and hires a diverse workforce. We do not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion or religious belief, ethnic or national origin, nationality, sex, gender, gender-identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws or prohibited by Company policy. We strive for a healthy and safe workplace and strictly prohibit harassment of any kind.

Salary : $150,000