Deadline: February 28, 2026
Applications are open for the Council on Foreign Relations (CfR) Technologist-in-Residence Fellowship 2026-2027. The Technologist-in-Residence Fellowship, sponsored by the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation, seeks to enhance the knowledge, broaden the expertise, and enrich the perspectives of early- and mid-career technologists by providing them with a substantive opportunity to research and discuss issues at the intersection of technology and foreign policy or national security.
Technologists in residence are expected to spend their time at the CFR producing policy-oriented research and analysis that explores the connections between emerging technologies and foreign policy and national security. The program is intended to be a transformational experience with the goal of promoting enduring professional networks and interdisciplinary knowledge-sharing among technologists and CFR experts and members, thereby increasing mutual understanding of the linkages between emerging technology and foreign policy and national security.
Benefits
- The fellowship runs for ten months, starting in September 2024. The program pays a salary at the rate of $136,500 for ten months for full-time employment. Payment will be made on a biweekly schedule. The technologist in residence will be a CFR employee and be eligible for CFR employment benefits, subject to provisions specified by contract, law, or policy.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. The Council on Foreign Relations does not sponsor applicants for employment visas.
- Applicants must be early-career or mid-career professionals.
- Applicants must have a strong record of professional achievement in the technology sector and a demonstrated interest in the field of foreign policy.
- Applicants must hold at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
Strong preference is given to applicants currently working at a private-sector technology company. A PhD is not required for university-based applicants, though successful candidates from academia typically hold an advanced degree. The program does not fund pre- or postdoctoral research, work toward a degree, or the completion of projects on which substantial progress had been made before the fellowship begins.
Selection Process
Selection for the technologist in residence is based on the following criteria:
- professional experience in the technology sector
- a demonstrated interest in foreign policy
- merits and feasibility of a proposal on some aspect of the connection between emerging technology and U.S. foreign policy or national security
- the contribution the fellowship will make to the applicant’s career development
The selection process is highly competitive. A selection committee reviews all applicants. CFR awards one fellowship each year. Strong preference is given to candidates who have never received a CFR fellowship.
Application
To apply you will need to submit the following:
- Basic biographical, educational, and employment information
- Proposal that includes intended research project relating to some issue at the intersection between emerging technology and U.S. foreign policy or national, and impact on professional development
- Two letters of support
For more information, visit CFR Fellowship.
