DSIT Fellowship

DSIT Fellowship — Cohort 4

Supports technology experts joining DSIT through fellowship placements that pair policy experience with hands-on innovation.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

The DSIT Fellowship Cohort 4 (2026/2027) is an annual secondment programme run by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology that places 25 mid-to-late-career science and technology experts into DSIT policy teams for twelve months, working two to three days per week. The programme operates as a zero-cost secondment for employing organisations: the Fellow's salary continues through their employer, and DSIT reimburses costs to the employer for the duration. There is no direct monetary award to the individual; the value is the embedded policy experience and the employer cost-reimbursement model. Cohort 4 applications closed 6 May 2026; the matching and interview stage runs from mid-May to mid-June 2026, with final selection in late summer 2026 and the cohort starting in autumn 2026.

Eligibility requires that the candidate be employed under an employment contract and on PAYE with their employer, and be directly affiliated with an approved DSIT partner organisation. The programme targets mid-to-late-career professionals who are recognised experts in their field. Placements are available across six thematic areas: Science Ecosystem, Artificial Intelligence, Data, Economics, International, and Horizon Scanning. Universities and research organisations are the typical source employers, though the scheme is open more broadly to any DSIT-approved partner. There are exactly 25 places per cohort, making competition substantial given the profile of candidates typically attracted.

Cohort 5 (2027/2028) is expected to launch around February 2027 based on the annual cycle. Organisations seeking to participate should build familiarity with DSIT's current policy priorities — particularly in AI governance, semiconductor strategy, and data regulation — as placements are matched to team needs. Fellows are expected to contribute genuine subject-matter expertise to live policy questions, not simply observe; the selection process evaluates candidates on the depth of their domain knowledge and their ability to operate effectively in a government policy context. Contact for enquiries is expertexchange@dsit.gov.uk.