Guidance

DSIT Fellowship Cohort 4: current placements

Updated 14 April 2026

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Current DSIT Fellowship placements

You can apply for more than 1 placement. To apply, download and complete the application form found on the main DSIT Fellowship page and send to expertexchange@dsit.gov.uk.

In the DSIT Fellowship Cohort 4 guidance you find out about how the selection process will work.

These are not role descriptions. Fellows are expected to be actively involved in co-designing a mutually beneficial placement with their host team.

Science Ecosystem placements (7)

Advisor on Women in Research

(Reference #1001)

Details

The role sits within the Research & Development (R&D) Reform and Coordination Team, which is responsible for delivering Minister Vallance’s reform ambitions for the R&D system. This includes articulating how the Minister’s agenda across UKRI, universities, and business innovation, comes together to support economic growth and deliver on the government’s broader objectives.

The role will focus on building the evidence base to inform the government’s support for women working in research, which is a top priority for both the DSIT Secretary of State and Minister Vallance. This is not just a serious equality issue, it’s an issue for the quality and impact of UK science, research, and innovation. We know research teams that are more gender diverse produce more novel and higher impact research.

The role will involve strengthening our understanding of:

  • How the issue of gender inequality manifests itself across the UK R&D landscape, including differences between sectors, disciplines and career stages.
  • What the key drivers of these inequalities are, from a lack of childcare support through to sexual harassment and toxic work environments.
  • How effective (or otherwise) specific interventions that have been tried by governments and other employers/funders have been in addressing this long-standing issue – both here in the UK and in other countries.

This will be vital work to ensure the policies we develop to increase government support for women in research are underpinned by a strong evidence base.

We’re looking for someone who has academic research experience working on understanding the drivers of inequalities and the effectiveness of EDI interventions. It would be desirable for applicants to have experience of this specifically in the context of gender equality and/or in the R&D sector.

Expert Fellow in Advanced Materials

(Reference #1002)

Details

The Advanced Materials Policy Team has a broad and exciting policy remit. With the publication of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy designating the sector as a Frontier Industry, it announced a new National Materials Innovation Programme. This £80 million programme will tackle fragmentation across disciplines and sectors, accelerating the domestic translation of critical material innovations into applications which support HMG priorities in healthcare, security, and the transition to net zero. This represents a new national approach to the sector, which will establish networks to bring together stakeholders, streamline infrastructure access, and unlock maximal value from existing investments.

The team sits within the Technology, Strategy and Security team in the Tech Growth and Security Directorate. Its portfolio includes the development, scaling and adoption of emerging technologies, that directly contribute to growth, national security and improve the lives of UK citizens.

Given the breadth and technical nature of this work there is significant scope for a Fellow to add their expertise and influence the future of advanced materials in the UK, especially in areas including but not limited to improving the R&D ecosystem, access to finance to set up and scale companies, and understanding the skills needs and opportunities. We would work with you to scope a project that jointly meets your expertise and interests alongside our policy objectives. The desirable background would include expertise in the advanced materials ecosystem (academic or industrial) or an aligned area, and ability to support policymaking through engagement, analysis, and formulation of policy recommendations (with support from the policy team).

Engineering Biology R&D Landscape Fellow

(Reference #1003)

Details

Engineering biology (EB) has been identified in the Industrial Strategy as a frontier technology. This is an exciting time to be involved in policy making for engineering biology in the UK, with £644 million investment publicly committed to the sector up to 2029/30. The DSIT Engineering Biology Team is looking for experts from both scientific and technical as well as innovation policy backgrounds to complement our team.

For this fellowship on R&D, we are looking for candidates interested in helping us characterise the UK’s landscape for early-stage innovation. The specific remit of your project will depend on work objectives at the particular moment you join us. However, you can expect to:

  • Map in qualitative as well as quantitative terms R&D strengths, weaknesses and opportunities across the UK
  • Identify the most exciting trends that will transform how engineering biology is carried out
  • Spot how engineering biology R&D, if applied creatively, could transform existing sectors
  • Understand the pipeline of how these ideas could be commercialised
  • Support delivery of the National EB Programme, a £196 million investment into the ecosystem

Your work will complement our existing and ongoing analysis of engineering biology firms in the UK.

In this role, you will need to be entrepreneurial in scoping and launching the project in a fast-paced context. You will be drawing on your own detailed knowledge and contacts across the UK’s engineering biology ecosystem, and beyond. A background in science and innovation policy will be helpful. We are not concerned about career stage. You will need to develop close working relationships inside DSIT and with UK Research and Innovation.

Quantum Regulatory Engagement Fellow

(Reference #1004)

Details

The Office for Quantum is the team responsible for driving the implementation of the National Quantum Strategy, working across government, to transform the UK into a quantum-enabled economy. We are looking for an experienced individual to join us as a Regulatory Engagement Fellow.

Quantum technologies are advancing quickly, creating new opportunities across computing, sensing, timing, navigation, and communications. Government has set out a clear regulatory approach that ensures innovation is supported while risks are managed proportionately. Translating this approach into practice is now essential for building a thriving commercial environment, supporting adoption, and ensuring the UK remains an attractive place to develop and deploy quantum technologies.

The Office for Quantum is seeking a Fellow to help drive this next phase of work. The Fellow will support delivery of key regulatory commitments, including the Quantum Regulators’ Forum – the UK’s cross-regulator mechanism for upskilling, knowledge sharing, and regulatory engagement on quantum technologies. They will work with regulators, industry, and researchers to map regulatory challenges across emerging quantum use cases and help design a coherent regulatory engagement pathway. The role will involve embedding regulatory insight across Office for Quantum workstreams.

The ideal candidate will have experience in technology innovation and adoption, and may come from regulatory, academic, or industrial backgrounds. Expertise in quantum technologies is not required but is desirable. The exact scope will be shaped with the successful candidate.

Engineering Biology Sector Infrastructure Fellow

(Reference #1005)

Details

Engineering biology (EB) has been identified in the Industrial Strategy as a frontier technology. This is an exciting time to be involved in policy making for engineering biology in the UK, with £644 million investment publicly committed to the sector up to 2029/30. The DSIT Engineering Biology Team is looking for experts from both scientific and technical as well as innovation policy backgrounds to complement our team.

For this fellowship supporting our infrastructure work, we are looking for candidates interested in helping us understand how to ensure UK SMEs can access the technical and commercial capabilities they need to grow in the UK. The specific remit of your project will depend on work objectives at the particular moment you join us. However, you can expect to:

  • Help build and test models for future infrastructure, looking beyond existing models in the UK at other sectors and internationally
  • Develop a nuanced understanding of how sustainable infrastructure supporting scale-up can be achieved
  • Support the delivery of the EB Infrastructure Programme, a £184 million intervention to unlock the potential of the UK’s EB ecosystem

In this role, you will need to be entrepreneurial in scoping and launching the project in a fast-paced context. A background in innovation policy will be very valuable, particularly knowledge of the commercial pressures and incentives that scaling technology firms must navigate. We are not concerned about career stage. If possible, you will be drawing on your own detailed knowledge and contacts across the UK’s engineering biology ecosystem, and beyond. You will need to develop close working relationships inside DSIT and with UK Research and Innovation.

Social and Behavioural Dimensions of Novel Technology Fellow

(Reference #1006)

Details

The Government Office for Science (GO‑Science) provides strategic scientific advice to the Prime Minister and Cabinet, supporting high-quality, evidence-informed policymaking across government. The Social and Behavioural Science (SBS) Team sits within GO-Science, working to ensure that societal, behavioural, and ethical considerations are embedded in decisions about emerging technologies and innovation.

We are seeking a social scientist or interdisciplinary researcher to join the SBS Team as an Expert Fellow. The role is well suited to mid- to late‑career researchers from academic or applied research backgrounds, including (but not limited to) science and technology studies (STS), anthropology, psychology, sociology, or closely related interdisciplinary fields. We particularly welcome applicants with experience of applying social science methods and theoretical frameworks in policy, regulatory, or real‑world decision-making contexts.

The Fellow will contribute their expertise across a range of policy-relevant activities. Indicative outputs may include:

  • Developing socio-technical assessments of emerging technologies for different policy customers across government, tailored to specific decision-making contexts.
  • Contributing to ad hoc policy work where relevant expertise is required. This may include supporting policy teams to test underlying assumptions through constructive challenge, convening or participating in expert workshops, or developing proof-of-concept case studies that demonstrate the value of socio-technical approaches in policy development.
  • Producing guidance for policy teams on how to account for societal and behavioural dimensions of novel technologies, including consideration of how the deployment of particular technologies may differentially affect groups or segments of society.

In addition, Fellows are encouraged to propose and develop a self-directed project aligned with their expertise and interests, which will contribute to the wider GO‑Science work programme.

Pandemic Science Advice Fellow

(Reference #1007)

Details

The National Security and Resilience team, in the Government Office for Science, enables the Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) and SAGE to provide scientific advice for COBR meetings attended by the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

During a pandemic, Cabinet ministers regularly join COBR meetings to make the most critical strategic decisions. They need policy officials to produce advice, reflecting the best-available science. This often requires officials to interpret advice on complicated scientific issues, and they may not have a scientific background.

We seek a Fellow to develop a product, or suite of products, to improve scientific understanding across government, both in advance of and at the outset of the next pandemic. This is a high impact role with real scope to shape the work by clarifying the scope and aims, identifying the most effective format (e.g. written guidance, a rapid briefing product, or a training/teach in), and the range of threats and questions to include.

The output(s) will translate complex science into clear, usable explanations of key principles and terminology (e.g. core epidemiological measures and growth dynamics, common behavioural considerations, and possible strategic options), with signposting to deeper material where needed. It will also be bespoke to government needs, i.e. explaining what these principles mean for decision-makers in practical terms. Producing this will involve working closely with policy teams to understand user needs, drawing on literature and government expertise, and engaging specialist stakeholders to sense-check and strengthen the content.

We welcome applicants at any career stage with scientific knowledge relevant to pandemics, strong judgement on what is most decision-relevant, and exceptional ability to communicate science to nonspecialists across the disciplines that inform pandemic response.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) placements (8)

AI for Science Fellow

(Reference #2001)

Details

AI is set to revolutionise scientific research – do you want to help shape this future?

AI for science is the integration of AI into scientific research. It encompasses narrow tools like Alphafold, general purpose tools that assist in tasks like hypothesis generation, as well as autonomous laboratory infrastructure.

The UK’s AI for Science Strategy aims to shape this transformation and maintain UK scientific leadership.

This includes:

  • Developing a data landscape to facilitate ground-breaking research.
  • Providing researchers with compute at scale.
  • Building interdisciplinary research communities.
  • Capitalising on developments in autonomous laboratory infrastructure and general-purpose and specialist AI science tools.
  • Delivering the Strategy’s first mission to develop trial-ready drugs within 100 days by 2030.

Fellows are highly valued colleagues in our collaborative team. Their work is diverse and integral, including:

  • Developing new policy ideas, surfacing opportunities and challenging our assumptions.
  • Analysing technical proposals.
  • Use government’s connections and levers to deliver work they are passionate and knowledgeable about.
  • Collaborating with stakeholders across academia, industry and civil society.

A current Fellow’s feedback is that the team is ambitious, open-minded and passionate. They highlight the unique opportunity to work on working on cutting edge projects close to their research interests, and the potential to ‘influence academia and research at scale’.

The ideal candidate should have:

  • A science background with experience in leveraging AI to accelerate scientific research;
  • A broad view on the current challenges in using AI to accelerate scientific discovery across the UK R&D ecosystem;
  • Practical experience in either industry and/or academia in this field.

(Reference #2002)

Details

Copyright is a significant constraint to competitive general purpose AI training in the UK and could act as a barrier to wider AI development and adoption. In March, the Secretary of State for DSIT committed to finding a solution driven by our shared principles and values - protecting the UK’s position as a creative powerhouse while unlocking the extraordinary potential of AI-driven innovation to grow the economy and improve British lives. The report to Parliament set out that one area where further work is needed is to understand how advances in AI could impact the application of copyright law, particularly as the use of autonomous agents becomes more widespread. We are now looking for an expert in AI to advise the Copyright team on advances in AI such that their implications for Copyright can be considered.

This is an excellent time to be working on AI Copyright. The Secretary of State has confirmed that at this stage the government no longer has a preferred option on AI Copyright and that we reject any suggestion that we must choose between the Creative Industries and AI. We will take time to get this right, and your expertise will help to inform innovative policy making at this critical juncture.

You will be joining the friendly and collaborative AI Copyright team which sits within the AI Adoption and Preparedness Directorate. We work very closely with the Intellectual Property Office and DCMS, and your expertise will help to inform policy development across the teams.

Essential criteria:

  • A background in AI, including frontier AI
  • Expertise in data curation
  • Able to work collaboratively across teams

Desirable criteria:

  • Legal training or understanding of copyright law

ACreative Industries Adviser - Copyright Policy

(Reference #2003)

Details

Our creative industries are the best in the world, and part of what makes us proud to be British. They are one of our greatest exports, connect us to one another, and help us to shape and define our national story. Artificial Intelligence is the technological revolution of our times. It is a key national strength, and crucial to our future prosperity.  

In March the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology published a major report on copyright and AI. In this report, she commits to finding a solution to copyright that protects the UK’s position as a creative powerhouse while unlocking the extraordinary potential of AI-driven innovation to grow the economy and improve British lives. 

We are looking for an expert in the Creative Industries to advise the DSIT Copyright team and the Secretary of State. It is important that we take time to get this right and your expertise will help to inform key decisions at this critical juncture. 

You will be joining the friendly and collaborative AI Copyright team which sits within the AI Adoption and Preparedness Directorate. We work very closely with the Intellectual Property Office and DCMS, and your expertise will help to inform policy development across the teams.

Essential criteria:

  • A strong understanding of and experience working in the Creative Industries, including with independent and smaller creative organisations
  • Able to work collaboratively across teams

Desirable criteria:

  • An understanding of copyright law and how it interacts with the creative economy

AI Labour Market Impacts Fellow

(Reference #2004)

Details

The AI and the Future of Work Unit is a cross-government function based in DSIT. Its objective is to ensure the UK is prepared for the impacts of artificial intelligence on the labour market—maximising the opportunities for growth and productivity while supporting workers through periods of technological change. The Unit builds evidence, develops policy options, and coordinates action across government to ensure timely, proportionate responses as AI capabilities and adoption evolve. 

The role will sit at the intersection of research and policy design and will focus on developing evidence to inform policy solutions to address priority questions on how AI is reshaping work, jobs and skills. The postholder would be expected to lead or contribute to a range of policy relevant research and analysis, working closely with analysts, economists and policy teams in DSIT, AI Security Institute & across government.

The exact focus of the work would be for subsequent agreement but could include:

  • designing and conducting qualitative research with workers in highly exposed occupations e.g. understanding how jobs are changing, what support they’re receiving), how they’re adapting etc
  • developing firm-level case studies on AI adoption decisions e.g., what’s driving the pace and pattern of deployment, how are firms managing workforce transitions, the role of sector/firm size
  • analysing emerging evidence on AI-driven productivity gains and their implications for job quality, wages and firm behaviour;
  • assessing which occupations, sectors or regions may face earlier or more acute disruption as AI systems move from augmentation to automation;
  • strengthening the UK’s real-time monitoring of AI adoption and labour market signals, drawing on administrative data and novel research methods.

This placement would suit an expert with a strong interest in applied research and policy impact, and a desire to shape the UK’s response to one of the most significant labour market transitions in a generation.

Data Classification: Natural Language Processing Expert

(Reference #2005)

Details

The Government Office for Science (GO‑Science) puts excellent science and evidence at the heart of government decision‑making. As part of this mission, our Data Classification team is developing innovative methods to classify and understand very large research, patent and business datasets- work that directly informs strategic decisions on emerging technologies.

We are seeking a Natural Language Processing (NLP) expert to join our data classification team on placement. The team is moving beyond traditional keyword‑based approaches, which rely on expert-built taxonomies, towards semantic methods that capture meaning, context and the emergence of new topics. Your expertise will help us understand the strengths, limitations, and real‑world performance of these methods and shape our next generation of analytical tools.

The work involves grappling with messy, highly imbalanced datasets; diagnosing and mitigating bias in training and evaluation data; and distinguishing genuine semantic signals from artefacts. You’ll help us assess issues such as over/ under‑retrieval, topic drift, and spurious similarity. 

This placement would suit someone with strong academic grounding and hands‑on experience in information retrieval, text mining, or applied machine learning across publications, patents or business data. You will have the opportunity to shape classification approaches used across government, collaborate with analysts and policy teams, and inform the evidence base for high‑profile technology and innovation decisions.

If you want to work on meaningful, challenging NLP problems with real policy impact, we’d love to hear from you!

Frontier AI Fellow

(Reference #2006)

Details

This Fellowship will support the Government Office for Science (GO-Science) and the Government Chief Scientific Adviser to develop independent, evidence-based advice on emerging developments in Artificial Intelligence and its implications.

The Fellow will help GO-Science formulate our position on technical trajectories and their policy implications, informing the implementation of government’s AI Opportunity Action Plan and preparedness for AI-related risk.

The Frontier AI Fellow can expect to be involved in projects across the following areas:

  • AI Capability advice: Provide evidence-based advice on current and emerging AI capabilities and convergence with other domains, helping government understand technical trajectories, uncertainties and their practical implications.
  • AI-related opportunities: Advise on AI-related opportunities for science, society and government, codifying the risks and advising on mitigations and controls required for safe, responsible and speedy deployment across the public sector and economy.
  • Strengthen government preparedness: Support GO-Science’s contribution to cross-government policy work, led by the AI Security Institute, on risk and resilience to mitigate some of AI’s potential negative impacts.
  • AI in GO-Science: Work with GO-Science colleagues to embed AI into our work and operations, helping mainstream its use in analysis, horizon scanning, evidence synthesis, and briefing activities in rigorous, responsible and rapid ways.

AI Compute Technical Expert

(Reference #2007)

Details

The AI Research Programme is delivering a step‑change in the UK’s public AI compute capability through the expansion of the AI Research Resource (AIRR)—a national AI infrastructure programme supporting researchers, innovators and the public sector. The government has committed up to £2 billion between now and 2030 to build a modern public compute ecosystem, building on the delivery of two new AI supercomputers that form the first phase of the AI Research Resource. We will deliver a modern public research compute ecosystem providing a diverse range of resources to support the full research lifecycle, including compute, data, software, and skills. We will deliver a stable and resilient research platform, through a pipeline of investments that provide confidence, certainty and the capabilities that researchers need.

We are seeking an AI Compute Technical Expert to join the programme through the DSIT Fellowship. The role will provide hands‑on technical insight to shape how advanced AI compute is specified, integrated and operated across the AIRR portfolio. Working closely with policy, commercial and delivery colleagues, the postholder will help ensure that system design choices, procurement approaches and operational models reflect real‑world technical constraints and emerging trends in AI hardware, software and infrastructure.

The role sits within the AI Research Resource team, a multidisciplinary team spanning policy, delivery and commercial. The team works at pace, engaging closely with academia, industry and international partners to deliver complex compute programmes while remaining focused on user needs and long‑term sustainability.

We are looking for someone with deep, practical experience of AI compute or high‑performance computing environments, credibility with technical stakeholders, and the ability to translate complex technical detail into clear, actionable advice for non‑specialists. The ideal candidate will be collaborative, curious and motivated by public impact, with a strong interest in applying their expertise to national‑scale research infrastructure challenges.

AI Innovation and Regulatory Reform Fellow

(Reference #2008)

Details

The AI Innovation Policy team is looking for support to develop and deliver new policies to promote AI innovation and support the UK in adopting AI successfully and safely.

This includes the delivery of the AI Growth Lab. This is a proposal for a cross-economy sandbox that would oversee the deployment of AI-enabled products and services that current regulation hinders. We have recently completed a Call for Evidence (further details linked here: https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/ai-growth-lab/ai-growth-lab) and are now working towards delivering the policy, including preparing legislation.

The team is also responsible for developing and delivering policies to unlock AI innovation at the application layer. This includes considering how we can address multiple barriers to innovation, provide targeted support in priority sectors and make the UK an attractive place for AI companies.

We are looking for experts in innovation policy, in applied AI or in regulation who can support in the development of innovation policies for AI, and in understanding how regulation will need to adapt to AI. The role will involve developing evidence-based policy recommendations, extensive stakeholder engagement inside and outside of Whitehall, and supporting the delivery of the AI Growth Lab.

Data placements (4)

Senior AI Engineer

(Reference #3001)

Details

The data.gov.uk team in the National Data Library is leading the transformation of the UK’s data portal to become a leading modern home to UK public data. After years of under-investment, the platform is being rebuilt through a phased, test-and-learn approach: starting with a curated collection of high-value datasets and APIs, a new data manual for the public sector, and modern discovery foundations. Our longer-term ambition is to make data.gov.uk the single front door to public sector data — open, licensed and eventually restricted — with AI-enabled discovery and data improvement and scalable access at its core.

We are seeking a Fellow to help us experiment rigorously with AI and identify opportunities to enhance delivery and user experience with AI on the platform. This could include AI-assisted search and summarisation, metadata enrichment, quality assessment, synthetic data approaches, model-context protocols for AI agents, or tooling that improves publishing workflows and data interoperability. The role is intentionally broad: we want someone who can shape the experimentation agenda, design and evaluate pilots, and connect cutting-edge research with real public infrastructure constraints.

The Fellow will influence product direction, technical architecture and responsible AI practice within the National Data Library, helping us move at pace from hypothesis to evidence. The role will remain impactful even if start dates shift; our roadmap explicitly builds in experimentation over multiple phases.

We are looking for an academic with expertise in AI, data systems, information retrieval, or trustworthy machine learning, ideally with experience translating research into deployed systems. Links into academic and research data and engineering networks are desirable. The role is adaptable: we expect the Fellow to shape its focus, build collaborations, and leave a durable capability within the team.

Data Fellow - Replacing Animals in Science

(Reference #3002)

Details

The Office for Life Sciences (OLS) is a joint unit between DHSC, DSIT and DBT. Within OLS, the Preclinical Research team leads cross-government work to support the development, validation and uptake of innovative approaches that reduce, refine or replace the use of animals in research. We work at the intersection of policy, science, regulation and delivery, coordinating activity across departments, regulators, industry and academia to accelerate responsible adoption of alternatives. This is an exciting opportunity to work on a high Ministerial priority area at a pivotal time for the UK. The advent of AI and its application to large datasets, the development of organoid and new cellular models, and advances in genomics and proteomics offer real opportunities of rapid change. 

We are seeking a Fellow to lead delivery of the data commitments in the ‘Replacing Animals in Science Strategy’ (November 2025).  Backed by £75m, the Strategy commits us to phase out animal testing and accelerate the development, validation and uptake of alternatives, from advanced in-vitro systems and organ-on-chip platforms to AI-enabled modelling. A core focus of this role is to provide strategic data expertise to shape practical and proportionate data policy, to unlock the potential of existing and emerging datasets. This will include establishing data-sharing frameworks to enable equitable access to relevant public and private data sources; strengthening data curation, standards and quality control; and developing regulatory guidance to support data-driven and AI informed decision-making. 

There is significant scope to shape the role in line with your expertise and interests.

  • We welcome mid-to-late career candidates with experience in:
  • Data-driven research, preferably in biological or medical research
  • AI development and deployment
  • Working with industry and academic institutions
  • Working in toxicology would be welcome

The role offers the opportunity to shape national policy and build the data foundations needed to accelerate the transition to non-animal approaches.

International Data Flows Fellow

(Reference #3003)

Details

The ability for data to flow internationally underpins large parts of the UK economy, as well as the ability of organisations to conduct trailblazing research and innovative development of products. To date, it has been challenging to fully quantify the value of data flows due to their ubiquitous nature.

This role is designed for an ambitious individual to support the work of the team developing the legal mechanisms for data, with models for assessing the impact of current and future interventions in international flows.

The role is focused on generating a closer understanding of the business, public sector, and academic impacts of international data, and comes with broad scope and autonomy for the placement holder. This could entail economic analysis, systems evaluation, and aspects like behavioural research and social value measurements.

Public Sector Data Opportunities Fellow

(Reference #3004)

Details

Public sector data can drive better public services, innovation and economic growth. DSIT is exploring how this valuable resource can be harnessed to benefit people and the economy, including, where appropriate, generating returns that can be reinvested in public priorities.

The Fellow will be part of a team shaping and testing approaches that could help public sector bodies to more fully realise the potential of the data that they hold. This may include exploring different models that bring direct and indirect returns to citizens, facilitating responsible and mutually beneficial partnerships with data users across the economy, and different methods to connect those interested in using public sector data with those that hold relevant data assets. The role will require the Fellow to surface insights that can inform future policy and delivery, based on examination of how costs, risks and benefits are shared when public sector data is used by third parties.

We are keen to hear from individuals who can bring relevant experience, innovative approaches, fresh ideas, and parallel experience from other sectors. Relevant areas of expertise may include, but are not limited to:

  • Data and organisational transformation in the public sector
  • Commercial models for data or knowledge assets
  • Public‑private partnerships
  • Organisations that adopt and use public sector data

We will shape the specific role around the Fellow’s expertise, interests and networks, and expect the successful candidate to help define priorities, bring new perspectives, and influence how government approaches value creation from data.

Life Science Specialist

(Reference #3005)

Details

Economics placements (4)

Economic Productivity Data Fellow

(Reference #4001)

Details

The Data Policy Analysis Team works to provide evidence on the role of data across the economy in boosting productivity and growth so that this can feed into broader policy decisions about data use in both the public and private sectors. We know that data use in businesses spans the economy, but that there is also a productive “data-driven sector”. A cornerstone of our work is the flagship business data use and productivity study, which is exploring these connections at both the macro and firm-level.

We are looking for an experienced econometrician who has worked in the area of applied economics, econometrics and economic productivity to join us, working alongside the existing team, to lead on driving this work forward, providing critical insights and developing the analysis further. We currently have a macro model, developed by LUISS university, to help explain the impact of data investment on the economy, but need to further develop our understanding of the links at the firm-level. We have two waves of a longitudinal business survey, with a third wave of data being collected Winter 2026/27.

Questions we would like to resolve include: How is data used within the firm and how do these firms become more sophisticated? Is there a data-driven frontier? If so, what is the impact of that frontier on the rest of the economy (e.g. spillovers)? What specific activities and investment related to data boosts firm productivity (e.g. a combination of skills and investment)?

Innovation and Commercialisation Fellow

(Reference #4002)

Details

The DSIT Economic Security Team plays a central role in delivering the UK’s economic security framework, which recognises that economic strength and national security are mutually reinforcing. A strong, resilient economy is the best guarantee of national security, and the government’s approach is organised around three core objectives: promoting the strength and resilience of the economy, protecting it from risks and threats, and partnering with like‑minded countries to coordinate approaches to shared challenges. DSIT’s position at the heart of the UK’s science and technology landscape means the team is uniquely placed to help secure critical technologies, support growth, and embed economic security principles across UK innovation.

The Fellow will contribute directly to this mission by providing technical insights and analysis that inform our approach to protecting and advancing UK interests. With a significant proportion of UK R&D taking place in the private sector, the successful candidate will map business‑led innovation and commercialisation pathways within the UK’s science and technology sectors. They will work closely with DSIT teams and external industry stakeholders to convene expertise and segment the UK’s innovation landscape through evidence‑based, sector‑specific insights. The findings will help shape proportionate, evidence‑driven approaches that protect the UK’s science and technology strengths while enabling secure and resilient growth.

We are seeking a mid- to late-career industry expert, with experience of network building, R&D (and commercialisation thereof, including IP) knowledge of critical technologies, sector differences and trends. We will co‑design the project with the Fellow, ensuring space for their expertise and interests while adapting to evolving Economic Security Team priorities.

Life Sciences Economics Specialist

(Reference #4003)

Details

The Office for Life Sciences (OLS) works at the interface of policy and science, bringing together government and all aspects of the Life Sciences sector, including both pharmaceutical and medical technology companies.

The government have put life sciences at the centre of their Growth and Health Missions, with OLS focusing on delivering the actions in the Life Sciences Sector Plan and the 10 Year Health Plan, using the drive and ingenuity of the private sector, skill and intellect of UK academia, and scale and expertise of the NHS to make meaningful progress to UK health outcomes and economic growth.

The fellow will join OLS to advise on upcoming negotiations for one of the largest commercial deals in government - our voluntary agreement with the pharmaceutical industry on the pricing of pharmaceuticals. These voluntary agreements are central to ensuring that innovative medicines remain affordable and widely accessible for NHS patients, while also enabling the UK’s world leading life sciences sector to continue to grow.

To support this work, we are seeking an experienced economist with deep expertise in the pharmaceutical sector - particularly in pricing, market access, and investment drivers. They will work to identify priority research questions, including for example how medicines pricing policy can most effectively incentivise investment, and lead on delivering novel analysis to help answer them. This analysis will provide critical evidence to shape future policy development and inform the government’s negotiating position ahead of the next scheme.

UK Tech Investment Landscape Fellow

(Reference #4004)

Details

The Tech Finance Team is integral to DSIT’s mission to ensure the UK’s science and technology sector can access the capital it needs to start, scale and succeed. We are a small, high impact team working across policy development, sponsorship and programme delivery to unlock finance for frontier technologies in partnership with wider government and the UK investment ecosystem.

We shape strategies to strengthen the UK’s technology finance landscape, engaging public finance institutions including the British Business Bank, National Wealth Fund and UKRI alongside pension funds and private investors to address structural barriers to investment. We develop evidence-based interventions that crowd in private capital, expand access to long-term patient finance, and apply an economic security lens to support the resilience of the UK’s critical technologies.

We design and deliver capability building programmes including the Science & Technology Venture Capital Fellowship, supporting future UK deep tech and life science fund managers. We also provide policy sponsorship for the National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF), supporting UK dual use and strategically important technologies for National Security and Defence Customers.

We are seeking a Fellow with a strong investment background who can apply commercial insight to live policy challenges. Ideal candidates will bring experience of the UK investment landscape, insight into barriers to science and technology investment, and an interest in public policy, national priorities and economic security. This placement offers the opportunity to shape how public policy mobilises capital into the UK’s most innovative technology sectors.

The Fellow will shape a work programme with the team that builds on their expertise and supports development. Potential areas of work include:

  • Developing materials and engagement packages to support ministerial engagement with the investment community to raise awareness of the opportunities and benefits of investing in S&T.
  • Leading targeted policy projects on gaps and opportunities in the UK VC ecosystem, for example the role of corporate venture capital or blended finance solutions in supporting science and technology

International placements (4)

Quantum International Fellow

(Reference #5001)

Details

The DSIT Office for Quantum leads delivery of the UK Quantum Strategy, working with partners across government, industry, academia and the international community to ensure the UK plays a leading role in the emerging area of quantum science and technologies.

We are seeking an expert from academia, industry, a national laboratory or a policy/strategy background to help shape the UK’s approach to the international quantum landscape. As global investment and interest in quantum accelerates, questions of sovereignty, resilience, collaboration, standards and regulation are becoming increasingly critical. The Fellow will conduct research and analysis on how countries are positioning themselves, map emerging alliances and areas of geopolitical tension, and examine specific questions such as how the UK should engage securely with middle-power partners.

The role will also explore the risk-benefit trade-offs of international cooperation in quantum technologies, balancing openness and scientific exchange with the need to protect sensitive capabilities and ensure national security. Working closely with the policy team, as well as experts and external stakeholders, the Fellow will have some freedom to shape the direction of the work from day one.

This placement is ideal for someone who enjoys synthesising complex technical and geopolitical information, can work collaboratively across teams, and is excited by shaping the UK’s long-term position in a strategically important technology area.

Quantum International Security Researcher

(Reference #5002)

Details

The DSIT Office for Quantum leads delivery of the UK Quantum Strategy, working with partners across government, industry, academia and the international community to ensure the UK plays a leading role in the emerging area of quantum science and technologies.

We are seeking an expert from academia, industry, a national laboratory or a policy/strategy background to help shape the UK’s approach to the international quantum landscape. As global investment and interest in quantum accelerates, questions of sovereignty, resilience, collaboration, standards and regulation are becoming increasingly critical. The Fellow will conduct research and analysis on how countries are positioning themselves, map emerging alliances and areas of geopolitical tension, and examine specific questions such as how the UK should engage securely with middle-power partners.

The role will also explore the risk-benefit trade-offs of international cooperation in quantum technologies, balancing openness and scientific exchange with the need to protect sensitive capabilities and ensure national security. Working closely with the policy team, as well as experts and external stakeholders, the Fellow will have some freedom to shape the direction of the work from day one.

This placement is ideal for someone who enjoys synthesising complex technical and geopolitical information, can work collaboratively across teams, and is excited by shaping the UK’s long-term position in a strategically important technology area.

Geopolitics of Technology Fellow

(Reference #5003)

Details

GO-Science’s Technology and Science Insights (TSI) are recruiting a secondee to support them conduct independent and objective assessment of the business of science, technology and innovation, and place that into the context of the UK and international science and technology landscape. We are keen to bolster the expertise we can draw upon, particularly in the geopolitics of technology.

This is an opportunity to be seconded into a dynamic and high performing team in the Government Office for Science (GO-Science), delivering independent, evidence-grounded insights and assessments and projects to the heart of government decision making.

You will play a key role in two main areas of the team’s work:

  • Supporting analysts in the team with subject matter knowledge of the geopolitics of science and technology. You will use your expertise to help spot significant trends and events, and inform customers and counterparts of these through briefings and assessment products.
  • You will collaborate with policy teams to understand their current work and their need for subject-specific insights.

This role is in the Intelligence Assessment team in TSI, which produces assessments on science and technology. The team delivers high quality, high impact assessment to its customers (Ministers, senior decision-makers) and supports cross-government priorities for science and technology policy and strategy development.

Relevant experience:

  • Experience working on the geopolitics of technology at a post-doctorate level, or have equivalent experience from industry or a relevant organisation.
  • Strong understanding of policy issues associated with the geopolitics of technology.
  • Experience and ability to communicate complex international, scientific and/or technical principles in a positive, accessible way to civil service audiences.
  • Strong communication skills and the ability to engage with a wide variety of people.
  • Experience working and influencing across teams both within and external to your organisation.
  • Experience working within science, science policy or foreign policy/international relations roles.

UK-China Science Collaboration Fellow

(Reference #5004)

Details

The DSIT China Engagement Team leads the UK’s science relationship with China. This Government takes a consistent, long‑term and strategic approach to managing the UK’s relations with China. China is a world leader in science and the world’s second‑largest R&D spender. Minister Vallance’s visit to China last year (led by our team) set out specific areas where the UK and China can work together on science and where both countries stand to benefit. Our team is now focused on delivering the commitments made during that visit and supporting the UK R&D sector in managing their collaborations with China.

The Fellow will contribute to strengthening the UK’s approach through two main areas of work. First, they will lead further assessment of the evidence base on the UK–China R&D collaboration landscape. This will involve identifying and tackling evidence gaps and highlighting where further analysis or research is required. The findings will help shape future policy development and ensure decisions on China engagement are grounded in a robust evidence base. Second, the Fellow will support in scoping where the UK R&D sector needs more support to navigate collaborations with China. Working with teams across government and drawing on sector insights, they will identify where researchers require further Government support. This will inform DSIT’s efforts to provide support to the UK research community on managing UK-China research collaborations.

We are seeking an early‑ to mid‑career researcher with experience working with/on China and strong networks across the UK research community. We want to work with the fellow to co-design this project and understand their priorities and views on the project. The project will also need to adapt to evolving priorities in the DSIT China team.

Horizon Scanning placements (6)

Futures and Foresight Expert

(Reference #6001)

Details

GO‑Science’s Futures and Foresight Teams are seeking a futures and foresight expert to join us as a Fellow and strengthen our work across government. The Fellow will work across both teams. The Futures team is the government’s centre of excellence for futures, developing and promoting tools, resources and advice that improve strategic long‑term thinking across departments. The Foresight team delivers big, cross-cutting projects which apply futures tools, supporting policy teams to explore uncertainty.

We are looking for someone with expertise in futures and foresight approaches, ideally scenario generation and use. You will help improve our methodological approaches, solve complex design challenges, and lead or advise on scenario work within projects. A key part of the role will be supporting innovation in how we produce and communicate our insights, including the use of AI and digital technologies to maximise policy impact.

Hands‑on digital or AI skills are desirable but not essential. More important is the ability to convene expertise, generate new ideas, and help teams explore how emerging tools can be used effectively. This role will suit someone who combines methodological rigour with creativity and curiosity, and who can translate futures thinking into clear, practical outputs that inform real policy decisions.

Futures and Foresight Expert

(Reference #6002)

Details

GO-Science’s Technology and Science Insights (TSI) are recruiting a secondee to support them conduct independent and objective assessment of the business of science, technology and innovation, and place that into the context of the UK and international science and technology (S&T) landscape. We are keen to bolster the expertise we can draw upon, particularly in the field of space science and technology.

You will play a key role in two main areas of our team’s work:

  • Supporting analysts in the team with subject matter knowledge of space, space science and technology developments and where applicable broader space-policy issues. You will use your expertise to help spot significant trends and events, and inform customers and counterparts of these through briefings and assessment products.
  • You will collaborate with policy teams to understand their current work and their need for subject-specific insights.

This role is in the Intelligence Assessment team in TSI, which produces assessments on science and technology. The team delivers high quality, high impact assessment to its customers (Ministers, senior decision-makers) and supports cross-government priorities for science and technology policy and strategy development.

We would love to hear from you if you have:

  • Experience working on space at a post-doctorate level or have equivalent experience from industry or a relevant research organisation.
  • Strong understanding of policy issues associated with the space domain.
  • Experience and ability to communicate complex scientific and technical principles in a positive, accessible way to civil service audiences.
  • Strong written and oral communication skills and the ability to engage with a wide variety of people.
  • Experience of working and influencing across teams both within and external to your organisation.
  • Experience working within science, science policy or policy impact roles.

Emerging Technology Fellow in Drones and Autonomous Systems

(Reference #6003)

Details

The Government Office for Science Emerging Technologies team sits within the Technology Insights, Future & Foresight (TIFF) directorate. The team uses Technology Horizon Scanning and Technology Assessments to help Government anticipate and mitigate tech surprise.

Our Horizon Scanning capability looks to detect and identify important technology developments and associated threats while our Technology Assessments look to understand and assess the opportunities, risks and threats from emerging technologies.

There is an opportunity for an expert with interests in drones, autonomous systems or related fields to join the team to carry out technology assessment of the opportunities, risks and threats from these technologies. They will also be able to support our horizon scanning in these areas.

Government Science Capability Fellow

(Reference #6004)

Details

The Science Network, Systems and Capability Team supports the Government Chief Scientific Advisor (GCSA) in her vision for a more scientific civil service and a unified approach to science systems across government. A fellowship in the team will offer researchers an excellent opportunity to understand how science systems across government work and use their knowledge of academia to help shape and improve academic engagement across government. 

We’re looking for someone, from any academic field, who has an interest in the structures and systems needed to support science advice in government. The fellowship will also offer regular exposure to Chief Scientific Advisers (CSAs) through the CSA Network Team and the GCSA. They would have the opportunity to present findings at a senior level programme board and produce briefings for the GCSA.

The Fellow will work with us and shape key pieces of work and projects within the team to improve science capability in the civil service, working collaboratively with colleagues across government. This may include: 

  • Working with our teams to understand and quantify the impact that science advice and investment in R&D has in government and in society.
  • Using their lived experience to help support our work on academic engagement.  Some of the mechanisms we advise on include Areas of Research Interests (ARIs), Science Advisory Councils and Committees and Colleges of Experts.

Looking across the range of our regular, high level, cross departmental meetings (e.g. Chairs of Science Advisory Councils, weekly CSA meetings and other CSA network meetings) to identify new ways to improve how science is used and embedded across government

Engineering Biology Talent Landscape Fellow

(Reference #6005)

Details

Engineering biology (EB) has been identified in the Industrial Strategy as a frontier technology. This is an exciting time to be involved in policy making for engineering biology in the UK, with £644 million investment publicly committed to the sector up to 2029/30. The DSIT Engineering Biology Team is looking for experts from both scientific and technical as well as innovation policy backgrounds to complement our team.

For this fellowship supporting our talent and skills work, we are looking for candidates interested in helping us learn how to build sustainable pipelines of scientific, technical and entrepreneurial talent. The specific remit of your project will depend on work objectives at the particular moment you join us. However, you can expect to:

  • Map existing talent and skills with relevance to EB across the UK
  • Understand future pipelines of these skills
  • Identify impactful approaches to building such pipeline, looking internationally and at other technology sectors
  • Support delivery of the National EB Programme, a £196 million investment into the ecosystem

In this role, you will need to be entrepreneurial in scoping and launching the project in a fast-paced context. A background in innovation policy will be very valuable, in particular knowledge of ‘what works’ for building talent and skills in science and technology. If possible, you will be drawing on your own detailed knowledge and contacts across the UK’s engineering biology ecosystem, and beyond. We are not concerned about career stage. You will need to develop close working relationships inside DSIT and with UK Research and Innovation.

System Approaches to Tech Horizon Scanning Fellow

(Reference #6006)

Details

The Government Office for Science Emerging Technologies team sits within the Technology Insights, Future & Foresight (TIFF) directorate. The team uses Technology Horizon Scanning and Technology Assessments to help Government anticipate and mitigate tech surprise.

Our Horizon Scanning capability looks to detect and identify important technology developments and associated threats while our Technology Assessments look to understand and assess the opportunities, risks and threats from emerging technologies.

There is an opportunity for an expert with wide ranging technology interests to join the team to carry out horizon scanning and to cohere multiples strands of horizon scanning inputs and signals to help provide an overarching view of future technologies across multiple time horizons.

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