Currently 10 active tech and infrastructure grants, fellowships and residencies open to applicants in the US. Hand-curated and updated weekly. Almost every entry is funded; a few notable unpaid open calls and festival submissions are included as clearly flagged exceptions. Browse the list below, or use the interactive desk for filtering and shortlisting.
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America On Tech's Tech Flex Leaders Program is open to young people interested in tech who are curious, resourceful, and ready to build something new. No prior tech experience is required. Participants earn an America On Tech certificate and receive a USD 500 stipend for completing the program. WHO IT'S FOR: young people interested in tech; no prior tech experience required. AWARD: USD 500 stipend plus certificate. DEADLINE: 5 July 2026 priority, open until 17 August 2026. TO APPLY: submit the application via the America On Tech program page.
Collider, the New York coworking and convening space for AI safety and other high-impact work, is hiring a Program Manager to design, run and scale the programmes that grow the AI safety talent pipeline and infrastructure in New York. The role owns programmes end to end, from concept to launch to iteration, working with researchers, practitioners, educators, funders and partner organisations. WHAT YOU DO: design and operate fieldbuilding programmes (fellowships, training programmes, workshops, conferences, cohort courses and new formats); own budget, timeline, vendor relationships, participant experience and post-programme evaluation; recruit and coordinate mentors, instructors, advisors and participants, and build the pipelines and selection processes that hold quality as things scale; define and track outcomes with metrics beyond participant satisfaction, and iterate on the evidence; maintain relationships across research labs, university groups, training programmes (MATS, ARENA, BlueDot, SPAR, AI Safety Camp are named), grantmakers and adjacent communities; represent Collider externally; write programme reports, strategy memos, post-mortems and public materials; and work with leadership on which programmes to launch, scale or sunset. REQUIRED: 3+ years of programme or project management, ideally running cohort, fellowship or training programmes; substantive understanding of the AI safety field, its organisations, its main research agendas (alignment, interpretability, evaluations, governance) and its open problems; strong operational instincts; an entrepreneurial, initiative-taking approach to judgement calls about people, partnerships and priorities; and clear written communication. NICE TO HAVE: prior experience at an AI lab, AI safety organisation, university group, training programme or grantmaker; a background in education, talent development or community building; enough ML or alignment literacy to follow a paper's argument; policy literacy on the AI governance landscape; or a background in finance, law or another professional field Collider wants to build pipelines into. PROCESS: apply via the form in the job document by 23 August 2026 (applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and an offer may be made before the deadline, so applying early is advised), then a 15 to 25 minute screening call with hiring partner Impact Ops, an interview with the prospective manager, a paid one-day in-person work trial at the Collider coworking space, and 2 to 3 references. Reports to the Director.
The Horizon Fellowship places technologists, scientists and researchers with emerging-technology expertise into US federal agencies, congressional offices and Washington DC think tanks to work on AI, biotechnology and emerging-technology policy. The 2027 cohort runs three tiers: junior fellows (under three years of experience, no PhD) at a USD 78,000 base for six months; fellows (three or more years of relevant experience, or a PhD) at USD 130,000 for twelve months; and a newly added senior fellow tier (twelve or more years of experience with a leadership background) at USD 190,000 or more for twelve months. All tiers receive a USD 17,000 benefits stipend, a USD 3,000 professional development stipend and up to USD 3,000 in relocation assistance, and all are potentially renewable. The programme year begins with part-time remote training from January to March 2027, followed by matching in April and May and placement from spring or summer 2027 onward. Most offers are expected by the end of November 2026. Placements run up to two years in total: fellows and senior fellows take a one-year term at a federal agency, congressional office or think tank with the option to renew for a second one-year term, potentially on a different institutional track, while junior think tank fellows take a six-month term renewable once. Horizon reports that nearly all finalists across its five cohorts to date have secured a placement at a host organization. WHAT THE FELLOWSHIP INCLUDES: dedicated training on the policy landscape and applied skills such as writing and policy analysis; a tight-knit peer community; introductions to host offices central to US emerging technology policy; and mentorship from senior leaders and the broader Horizon community. ELIGIBILITY: no prior policy experience or specific degree is required, and Horizon explicitly welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds; fellows must reside in the Washington DC area for the placement. WORK AUTHORISATION: applicants need pre-existing work authorisation that does not depend on employer sponsorship. Non-US citizens on E-3, TN or H-1B1 visas may qualify case by case; F-1 OPT during the first year after graduation is acceptable but STEM OPT extensions are not; green card holders are eligible but may face restrictions on executive branch roles. Junior fellows have no specific degree requirement and may apply while finishing college, but are limited to the think tank track. SELECTION PROCESS (September to November 2026): application decision, then a paid work sample of up to 6 hours, a 20-minute screening interview, a 40-minute technical interview and a 25-minute final interview. Applications close 30 August 2026 at 11:59pm Anywhere on Earth.
Human Rights Watch is hiring an AI Strategy and Solutions Lead into its Operations Department to build the foundation for responsible AI adoption across the organisation. The role deliberately sits between strategy and execution: assessing organisational readiness, mapping partnerships and governance, and also prototyping and shipping working systems. THE WORK, in four strands. (1) STRATEGY AND READINESS: with the CIO and the Information Security and Technology (IST) leadership team, build an AI strategy covering data foundation requirements, infrastructure gaps and organisational readiness; assess current state and shape a roadmap balancing quick wins against long-term capacity; research what peer nonprofit, humanitarian and human rights organisations are doing and find collaboration openings. (2) FLAGSHIP SOLUTIONS: work with departments to find high-impact use cases, translate business needs into technical approaches, build and deploy AI/ML solutions with measurable value (time saved, efficiency, better outcomes), using the Microsoft AI ecosystem (Copilot Studio, Azure AI, Power Platform) among other tools, and oversee consultants and vendors to extend delivery capacity. (3) ADOPTION AND CAPACITY: balance onboarding staff onto AI tools against building custom solutions where they amplify the organisation's strengths; write training material pitched at different work areas and skill levels covering prompting and responsible use; support working groups and communities of practice; produce playbooks and guides for non-technical staff. (4) GOVERNANCE: partner with IST leadership on risk assessment frameworks, align solutions with security, infrastructure and architecture requirements, contribute to AI policy development and its operationalisation, set standards for evaluating proofs of concept and MVPs, and engage business units so outcomes are co-owned; all of it balanced against data quality, security and resource constraints and HRW's mission as a human rights organisation. WHO THEY WANT: a bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience in computer science, data science, information systems, mathematics, AI/ML implementation or a related technical field; a minimum of seven years' relevant experience including two to three years on AI and two to three years implementing AI/ML in production; experience contributing to technology strategy and assessing organisational readiness for new technology; strong Python and ML library/framework skills; hands-on predictive modelling, data science and statistical analysis; experience with low-code/no-code AI platforms such as Copilot Studio or Power Platform; a track record of scoping and delivering under resource constraints; a grasp of both generative AI and traditional ML; and the ability to explain technical concepts plainly to mixed audiences, engage stakeholders and lead technology adoption as an internal partner to business teams. PREFERRED: nonprofit, humanitarian or human rights experience; data privacy, security and ethical AI knowledge; familiarity with responsible AI frameworks and governance models; vendor and consultant management; and a background in politically sensitive or high-risk environments. APPLY: through the HRW job portal with a cover letter and CV, preferably as PDFs, by 30 August 2026. Only complete applications are reviewed and only shortlisted candidates are contacted; no calls or email enquiries. HRW states that it does not discriminate on the basis of disability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or criminal record.
The LATITUDE Artist in Residence program (started in 2013) is a one-month production residency where 8-10 artists are granted full access to LATITUDE's facilities and community to develop their practice. Its focus is supporting artists who want to use LATITUDE's printing and scanning services to expand their practice, regardless of medium or experience; past residents include photographers, painters, performance artists, new media artists, and sculptors. WHAT RESIDENTS RECEIVE: a $1,000 printing stipend, unlimited scanning, a personal studio with a calibrated workstation and 24/7 access, training and guidance on tech from staff, an organised public event to present new work, and lifetime free lab access. LATITUDE does not offer a housing stipend but will help schedule studio visits during the month. PUBLIC PROGRAMMING: during the residency each artist puts on one community programming event (past examples include panel discussions, artist talks, performances, workshops, and critiques; a gallery space is available for curation) and is asked to act as a mentor to the community, sharing insights and creative methods. WHO SHOULD APPLY: artists interested in production, education, and tech experimentation; no prior printing experience, art education, or media specificity is required, though professionalism and communication are expected. 2027 PANEL COMMITTEE: Yechen Zhao, B. Ingrid Olson, Teri Carson. TIMELINE: applications open 1 August 2026 (free before 16 August, a $20 donation thereafter) and close 1 September 2026 at 12pm (noon) CST; the selection committee reviews in September, meets to decide finalists in October, and acceptances are sent early November 2026. Apply at latitudechicago.org/artist-in-residence.
The AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships place scientists and engineers inside US federal agencies, congressional offices and the judicial branch for a year of hands-on policymaking, contributing technical knowledge and analytical skills to the federal policy process. AI, data and computing policy placements are among the largest tracks, and AAAS runs a dedicated AI legislative branch cohort that places AI experts in congressional offices at GS-12 Step 10 on the DC locality scale. ELIGIBILITY: US citizens holding a PhD or equivalent doctoral degree in any science or engineering field, or a master's degree in engineering plus three years of post-degree professional experience; some tracks accept a bachelor's plus five years. Relevant expertise includes AI, machine learning, computer science, robotics and data science. Fellows must reside in DC, Maryland or northern Virginia during the fellowship year. TIMELINE: the application portal opens 1 August 2026 and closes 1 November 2026 at 11:59pm ET, with eligibility notification in late November, interview notification January to February 2027, semi-finalist interviews in March, placement offers by early May, and the fellowship year running 1 September 2027 to 31 August 2028. Apply through fellowshipapp.aaas.org.
ACLS Digital Justice Grants fund digital projects in the humanities and interpretive social sciences that critically engage with the interests and histories of people of colour and other historically marginalised communities, including Black, Latinx, Indigenous, disabled and LGBTQ+ communities. The programme's stated aims are to diversify the digital domain, advance justice and equity in digital scholarly practice, and contribute to public understanding of racial and social justice issues, with an explicit interest in scholars working with under-utilised or understudied source materials and those at institutions with less infrastructure for digital work. TWO TRACKS, one deadline: SEED GRANTS of USD 10,000 to 25,000 for projects in the start-up or prototyping phase, covering planning, prototyping and methodology testing; and DEVELOPMENT GRANTS of USD 50,000 to 100,000 for projects that have moved past proof of concept and can show preliminary work and evidence of engagement. ELIGIBILITY: at least one principal investigator must be a scholar in the humanities or interpretive social sciences, and awarded funds must be administered by a US institution of higher education. WHAT IS NOT FUNDED: creative works such as novels or films, textbooks, straightforward translations, purely pedagogical projects, and institutional indirect costs. Note that outputs are expected to be made as widely available as intellectual property allows, ideally under the most liberal open-source or Creative Commons licence. TIMING: applications go through the ACLS online fellowship and grant administration system (ofa.acls.org) by 3 November 2026 at 17:00 ET; grant terms begin between 1 July and 31 December 2027 and run 12 to 18 months. The programme is funded by the Mellon Foundation.
The American Sunlight Project works to ensure that citizens have access to trustworthy sources to inform the choices they make in their daily lives. It is looking for a Free Expression Fellow to produce its regular newsletter on censorship, helping readers stay informed on a rapidly evolving US political landscape. RESPONSIBILITIES: compile and write 'Last Week in Censorship', a clear and engaging newsletter-style roundup of platform policy changes, censorship news and regulatory developments that erode American democracy; and, in support of the organisation's censorship tracker, compile instances from the weekly briefing into a database. IDEAL CANDIDATE: motivated to document instances of democratic backsliding in the United States and happy to take on a part-time nonprofit commitment in service of that goal. The posting explicitly welcomes students, retirees and people looking to moonlight for a good cause. REQUIRED: U.S. citizenship or legal residency; exceptional writing skills with a strong command of tone, clarity and synthesis; and knowledge of U.S. politics and social media. DESIRABLE: experience in research, journalism, public policy or a related field. STRONG PLUS: familiarity with tech policy, internet culture, free expression issues and/or platform governance. Familiarity with Substack is a plus but not required. TERMS: roughly 5 to 8 hours per week, fully remote with flexible scheduling, starting as soon as possible and running through December 2026 with possible extension pending funding, for a USD 2,500 honorarium. APPLY by emailing your CV, a short cover note of a couple of paragraphs explaining your interest, and a writing sample (preferably on a tech or policy topic) to benjamin@americansunlight.org with 'Fellow Application' in the subject line. No closing date is stated.
A research role on Microsoft's AI Red Team, an interdisciplinary group of researchers, red teamers and engineers working to understand and reduce security risks in Microsoft's AI systems, with impact across the Phi series, Bing Copilot, Security Copilot, GitHub Copilot, Office Copilot, Windows Copilot and Azure OpenAI. The brief is agent security: how autonomous, tool-using and multi-agent systems fail, and what principled methods can evaluate and improve them. RESPONSIBILITIES: formulate and investigate research questions at the intersection of cybersecurity and agentic AI behaviour, covering security risks, failure modes and adversarial behaviour; design rigorous experiments, evaluations and benchmarks for autonomous, tool-using and multi-agent systems; develop research insights, methodologies and mitigations; and work with product teams to turn findings into practical security improvements. REQUIRED: a Bachelor's in statistics, econometrics, computer science, electrical or computer engineering or a related field plus 2+ years of related research experience, OR a Master's plus 1+ year, OR a Doctorate, OR equivalent experience. Candidates must be able to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check on hire and every two years after. PREFERRED: demonstrated research output in AI security, adversarial machine learning, agentic systems or LLM evaluation (publications, preprints, technical reports, talks, open-source tools or research artifacts); experience designing experiments, evaluations, benchmarks or methodologies for security-relevant behaviour in AI systems; comfort in an interdisciplinary team; and the ability to connect findings to practical security guidance for shipped products. Posted 29 July 2026 (job number 200045204); open for a minimum of 5 days and then until filled, so apply early. Background on the team's approach: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2023/08/07/microsoft-ai-red-team-building-future-of-safer-ai/
The Responsible AI team inside Microsoft's CoreAI Platform and Tools organisation is hiring at two levels (Applied Scientist II and Senior Applied Scientist) to build the RAI service components used across Microsoft's AI products by hundreds of millions of people. RESPONSIBILITIES: supervised fine-tuning of LLMs including reinforcement learning from human feedback, with thorough evaluation; working with the tech lead on the design and implementation of agent adversarial evaluations and safety mitigations so that agent creators can identify risks and apply safeguards; and collaborating with the RAI engineering team to ship those mitigations at scale, refine them against operational performance and resolve end-to-end issues. REQUIRED: a Bachelor's in computer science, computational linguistics or a related field plus 2+ years of related experience, OR a Master's plus 1+ year, OR a Doctorate, OR equivalent experience. Candidates must pass the Microsoft Cloud background check on hire and every two years after. PREFERRED: a Master's plus 6+ years or a Doctorate plus 3+ years; 2 to 3+ years owning feature design, model development, evaluation and deployment; strong machine learning background especially NLP and deep learning; language model training and evaluation experience; Responsible AI research experience; Python and C# with PyTorch and Triton; large-scale data processing; unit testing, TDD and DevOps practice; platform and API design, debugging and data analysis; full-stack (client to service) development is a plus. Posted 10 July 2026 (job number 200017828); open for a minimum of 5 days and then until filled.