Young Investigator Research Program (YIP)

AFOSR Young Investigator Research Program

Funds early-career investigators in United States defense research through multi-year applied projects.

The Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator Research Program (AFOSR YIP) funds scientists and engineers who have received a PhD or equivalent degree within the last seven years and demonstrate exceptional ability and promise for conducting basic research aligned with Air Force science priorities. AFOSR administers YIP as part of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), with the programme intended to develop a new generation of researchers capable of advancing fundamental science in areas relevant to air and space power. Eligible research topics must address the AFOSR Research Interests listed under BAA FA9550-25-S-0001, covering the four divisions: Engineering and Complex Systems, Information and Networks, Physical Sciences, and Chemistry and Biological Sciences.

Most YIP awards are funded at $150,000 per year for three years, for a total of $450,000. Exceptional proposals are considered individually for higher funding levels or longer durations beyond the standard three-year term. The principal investigator must be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident, and must be employed full-time in a regular position at a U.S. institution of higher education, industrial laboratory, or non-profit research organisation. Researchers at Federally Funded Research and Development Centres (FFRDCs) or DoD laboratories are explicitly ineligible. The programme runs on an annual cycle with solicitations typically announced through the BAA or a separate YIP solicitation on Grants.gov.

To maximise competitiveness, YIP applicants should align their research statement directly with a specific AFOSR program officer's portfolio, as proposals outside the active interests of the four divisions receive lower consideration. Early contact with AFOSR program officers is encouraged before submission. Questions about YIP should be directed to afosryip@us.af.mil (Ellen M. Robinson, (703) 588-8527). The YIP is annual and competitive; successful proposals combine scientific novelty with a credible connection to long-term Air Force relevance, rather than applied development or near-term transition work.