AI Fellow

• Department Administrative Group
  Information Technology
• Location Flint, Michigan, or remote

The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation invites researchers in AI and computer science to apply for a six-to-12-month fellowship program. Partnering with the Foundation’s chief technology officer and the Information Technology team, the AI fellow will design, build and document AI-enabled workflows, tools and agents alongside program and administrative teams across the Foundation. The fellowship extends the Foundation’s internal AI capability and is intended to produce durable improvements that will remain in place after the fellowship ends.

Fellows are given the resources, autonomy and access to real-world operational data needed to pursue ambitious projects — with the goal of producing work that influences how a global $4.4billion philanthropic foundation operates at scale.

The goal of this fellowship is to allow early-career AI researchers a flexible environment in which to pursue specific research projects while helping to build the Foundation’s AI infrastructure and capabilities.

Working with IT staff and Foundation leaders, the fellow identifies workflows suited to AI-enabled improvement, then designs, builds, tests and documents the AI-assisted tools, workflows and agents needed to support them, using the Foundation’s approved platforms. Clear, maintainable documentation is central to the role, so that workflows can be operated and adapted. Alongside this project work, the fellow provides hands‑on training and knowledge transfer to Foundation staff, and tracks and reports on the adoption, usage and impact of what has been built.

Progress is reviewed through regular check‑ins with a supervisor, as well as formal reviews at the midpoint of the fellowship and prior to its conclusion, culminating in a final presentation of work and outcomes to Foundation leadership. Throughout, the fellow is expected to surface risks, obstacles or scope changes early and adjust plans in consultation with their mentor and IT leadership.

Fellows propose initial project concepts as part of their application for the fellowship. Project concepts will be refined at the beginning of the fellowship with support from Foundation leaders. Fellows must be able to complete their projects during their fellowship. Projects must align with the Foundation’s goals and priorities.

Each fellow will have access to several valuable opportunities and resources over the course of their fellowship:

• Opportunity to apply for up to $20,000 of compute credits and API credits over the course of the fellowship.
• Opportunity to apply for up to $20,000 in funding for targeted convenings, travel, workshops, working sessions, etc. to advance exploration in various AI project areas.
• Access to more than 100 years of the Foundation’s grantmaking data, representing over $4billion in cumulative giving.

Each fellowship will be six months long, with the opportunity to extend up to 12months, with flexibility around start and end dates to accommodate academic commitments and other needs.

Fellows may be remote or work in the Foundation’s headquarters in Flint, Michigan. Paid travel will be provided to remote fellows to participate in‑person consultations and check‑ins at the Flint office.

Fellows may be permitted to keep their existing academic appointments, as long as they do not conflict with either institution’s policies (e.g., conflict of interest policies).

The ideal fellow thinks like a researcher but builds like an engineer — someone who can investigate how a new AI capability works, then translate that understanding into a tool or workflow that Foundation staff can use. Graduate…