Kempner Institute Research Fellow

Kempner Institute for the Study of Natural and Artificial Intelligence; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Office space

Compute resources

Engineering support

Job summary

The Kempner Institute for the Study of Natural and Artificial Intelligence at Harvard University invites applications for Kempner Institute Fellows who will begin their appointments in September 2027.

Fellows join a dynamic, interdisciplinary community to advance foundations and methodologies in AI/ML, with access to world-class facilities and support, for up to three years.

Qualifications

• PhD earned between Sep 1, 2024 and Sep 1, 2027.
• Demonstrated ability to work across disciplines and collaborate with diverse teams.
• Strong research record in AI or ML with potential for impact.

Responsibilities

• Conduct innovative AI/ML research advancing natural and artificial intelligence.
• Collaborate across Harvard and Kempner Institute disciplines to propose new directions.
• Present work and future plans to the community during interviews and seminars.

Skills

Interdisciplinary collaboration

AI/ML research

Academic excellence

Education

PhD in a relevant field

Tools

High-Performance Computing

Python/ML frameworks

Job description

The Kempner Institute at Harvard University seeks applicants for Kempner Institute Fellows who will begin their appointments in September 2027.

The Kempner Institute is a community of scholars, who work across boundaries and fields to advance our understanding of intelligence, broadly speaking. Kempner Institute Fellows will join a dynamic community to learn, collaborate, and discover. They will seek to fundamentally and radically advance our understanding of Natural and Artificial Intelligence.

We seek candidates with demonstrated ability and creativity who study one or more of the following areas:

• Foundations of intelligence, including mathematical and computational models of intelligence, cognitive theories of intelligence, and the neurobiological basis of intelligence.
• Research and development of new AI or ML methodologies or models from an engineering perspective, as well as scientific studies focused on understanding deep learning. This includes the development of novel applications of artificial intelligence, covering areas such as LLMs, generative AI models, computational biology, and the analysis of high-dimensional neural and behavioral data.

The Fellowship is intended for early-stage scientists and will provide them with opportunities for intellectual growth in a highly interdisciplinary and collaborative environment. The Institute encourages scholars to work between fields and laboratories, with support from preeminent experts at the Institute and at Harvard, more generally. Furthermore, Fellows will have access to world-class computational facilities.

Fellows will be appointed for a term of up to 3 years. They will receive salary and research support, office space, compute resources and engineering support. They will benefit from a wide and deeply engaged community of scientists, as well as access to the breadth of resources and facilities available to members of Harvard University.

Fellows must have received their PhD no earlier than September 1, 2024 and no later than September 1, 2027.

Candidates will be invited in mid-November to give a presentation on both past and proposed work. Following the presentation candidates will interview with Kempner Institute community members. Presentations and interviews will be virtual. Presentations will be held on:

• Thursday, November 12, 2026 from 12:00pm - 3:00pmEST
• Friday, November 13, 2026 from 12:00pm - 3:00pmEST
• Thursday, November 19, 2026 from 10:00am - 1:00pmEST
• Friday, November 20, 2026 from 1:00pm - 4:00pmEST

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes.

Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, sex, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.