The Johns Hopkins University Data Science and AI Institute (DSAI) is accepting applications for an interdisciplinary postdoctoral fellowship with a planned fall 2027 start. The deadline is Friday, 11 December 2026. Research may address the foundations of data science and artificial intelligence, applications in scientific and humanistic disciplines, or questions of technology governance and ethics. The institute intends a two-year programme, starting with a one-year appointment and conditional renewal.
Application status: Johns Hopkins announced this call on 9 November 2026. The university identifies 11 December 2026 as the deadline and links to Interfolio position 196237. Check the application’s final submission time in the official Interfolio system.
Johns Hopkins DSAI Postdoctoral Fellowship: Programme Overview
Johns Hopkins’ Data Science and AI Institute has called for postdoctoral researchers from diverse academic backgrounds to advance research in data science and AI. The institute’s stated remit covers new methods, cross-disciplinary applications and assessment of technological implications. The opportunity is therefore broader than a position focused solely on conventional machine-learning model development.
Fellows join an interdisciplinary research cohort, work with faculty and collaborators and contribute to research, teaching-related initiatives, policy activities and outreach. Research may connect the Homewood and East Baltimore campuses, the Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, and university colleagues in Washington, D.C. These are collaboration possibilities, not a guarantee of a position at any particular campus.
| Host | Johns Hopkins University — Data Science and AI Institute, Maryland, USA |
|---|---|
| Programme | DSAI Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, fall 2027 cohort |
| Application deadline | Friday, 11 December 2026 |
| Start | Fall 2027; individual appointment date not specified |
| Duration | Intended two years with initial one-year appointment |
| Research scope | Foundational AI/data science; interdisciplinary applications; AI ethics, policy and governance |
| Salary | Competitive per official programme page; a syndicated full posting reports US$63,480–100,000/year, requiring Interfolio confirmation |
| Official application | Interfolio position 196237 |
Deadline, Application Status and Fall 2027 Start
The institute opened this application cycle on 9 November 2026, with a 11 December 2026 deadline. Fellows are expected to join in fall 2027. The official programme description does not give a common interview date, selection-notification date or exact start day.
A syndicated reproduction of the full university job posting lists a cutoff of 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on 11 December. The official Interfolio page is interactive and was not independently readable in full during preparation of this guide. Verify the cutoff shown to logged-in applicants, and make arrangements for documents and referee letters well ahead of the final day.
Research Fields: AI Foundations, Science, Health, Humanities and Governance
The fellowship welcomes researchers whose projects advance AI/data science techniques or investigate how those techniques are applied and governed. Relevant areas expressly mentioned by Johns Hopkins include science, health, medicine, humanities, engineering, policy, governance, democracy and ethics.
| Research direction | Possible preparation and fit |
|---|---|
| Data science and AI foundations | Statistical learning, algorithms, computational methods, responsible model development or theory, where aligned with a DSAI research group. |
| Scientific and engineering AI | Computational science, model-based research, scientific imaging, engineering systems and analysis of experimental or simulation data. |
| Health and medicine | Biomedical data, medical imaging, clinical AI, public-health modelling and applications requiring careful data governance. |
| Humanities and social sciences | Empirical or theoretical work on society, communication, history, institutions and the impacts of AI on human activity. |
| Governance, democracy and ethics | Accountability, fairness, law and regulation, public policy, responsible use and technology assessment. |
The examples in this table are application-positioning guidance, not a list of guaranteed research projects, supervisors or open laboratories. Candidates should align their research agenda with the institute rather than assume that every topic automatically has an available host.
Eligibility: Is a PhD in Computer Science Required?
The institute’s official public announcement actively seeks disciplinary diversity. A reproduction of the full job listing states that fellows must hold a PhD in a related field. Accordingly, applicants in areas such as engineering, medicine, public health, philosophy or the social sciences may be relevant if they can demonstrate a substantial AI/data-science research connection.
The official overview does not publish a universal age ceiling, post-PhD experience limit, publication count or mandatory computing credential. It also does not confirm a nationality limitation. None of these omissions should be treated as a formal waiver of conditions shown later in the actual Interfolio system.
Degree and immigration checks: A related PhD is specified in the reproduced posting, but timing of degree completion and individual work-authorisation arrangements require confirmation in the official application. The public fellowship page does not guarantee visa sponsorship.
Johns Hopkins DSAI Postdoc Salary, Travel and Research Benefits
Johns Hopkins explicitly offers a competitive salary, an academic travel stipend, mentoring with DSAI faculty and collaborators, computing resources and participation in supported training and research initiatives. The official programme summary does not state a salary band or a fixed personal travel allowance.
A third-party reproduction identifying itself as the full Interfolio job announcement reports a salary range of US$63,480–100,000 annually. This numerical range is not independently confirmed from the machine-readable official university programme page. Applicants should check the figure directly on Interfolio and understand that a reported range does not promise any particular offer.
| Salary | Competitive per Johns Hopkins; reported US$63,480–100,000/year from a syndicated copy, subject to direct confirmation |
|---|---|
| Travel support | Academic travel stipend confirmed; amount not specified in programme summary |
| Research resources | DSAI computing access, faculty mentorship and institute-supported activities |
| Housing and relocation | No universal guarantee or allowance confirmed in the public announcement |
| Insurance and benefits | Subject to appointment terms and university policy; verify directly |
Quoted salary is gross pay, not take-home income. Tax, health insurance, retirement arrangements, relocation and other conditions will depend on the contract and applicable rules.
One-Year Appointment or Two-Year Postdoctoral Fellowship?
Johns Hopkins describes the programme as intended to last two years, beginning in fall 2027. Its initial employment appointment is only one year. A second year is contingent on satisfactory performance and the continuation of funding and relevant research. Applicants should not treat renewal as automatic.
For planning purposes, structure a research agenda with realistic first-year milestones and a longer-term second-year direction. The institute has not published one guaranteed teaching load, uniform remote-work arrangement or extension beyond the intended two-year period.
Required Documents: CV, Cover Letter, Research Statement and References
The public university programme page does not enumerate every required file, but a reproduced copy of the full job advertisement specifies the following. The official Interfolio form must be treated as the final requirement list.
| Document | Preparation and reported requirement |
|---|---|
| Cover letter | Requested in the reproduced job posting; explain the problem you study, core contributions and why DSAI fits. |
| Academic CV | Requested; include education, doctoral research, publications, grants, teaching and relevant methods. |
| Research statement | Requested; one to two pages preferred according to the reproduced position text. |
| Reference letters | Two letters listed in the reproduced posting; confirm whether Interfolio solicits them and when they must arrive. |
Start referee coordination early. A reference invitation does not necessarily mean the letter has been submitted. Likewise, uploading a CV does not complete the application unless Interfolio confirms all required steps.
How to Apply for Johns Hopkins DSAI Postdoctoral Fellowship 2027
- Open the official university fellowship page. Confirm that you are reading the 2027 intake rather than a previous-year announcement.
- Follow the official Interfolio link. The current university announcement directs applicants to posting 196237.
- Review the live posting. Check the PhD eligibility, salary range, referee workflow and final submission time shown in the system.
- Tailor your materials. Prepare a cover letter, CV and research statement grounded in your scholarly work and the institute’s remit.
- Arrange references. If the current form confirms two reference letters, ensure both referees receive sufficient time and the appropriate submission instructions.
- Submit before the deadline. Complete the electronic application by 11 December 2026 and retain submission confirmation.
For programme queries, Johns Hopkins provides ai@jhu.edu. This is an enquiry address, not an alternative submission channel. Avoid emailing sensitive application files outside the official instructions.
Research Statement Advice for an Interdisciplinary AI Fellowship
Explain a research question rather than a general ambition
Open with the scientific, social or methodological problem that your work addresses. Connect it to a specific DSAI aim: foundations, domain-specific application or critical evaluation of AI. Avoid presenting a generic interest in artificial intelligence as sufficient project fit.
Separate past evidence from proposed work
State what you actually accomplished during your PhD, which methods and datasets you used, and which results are published, accepted or still in progress. Identify your contribution to collaborative work. A well-scoped proposal should distinguish established expertise from skills you hope to develop.
Show feasible collaboration and outcomes
Identify the kind of complementary expertise that would improve your research and explain possible first-year outcomes. Do not assert that a particular Johns Hopkins professor has agreed to supervise you without documented agreement. If the official form retains the reported one- to two-page preference, write a concise statement that prioritises evidence and fit.
International Applicants and US Work Authorisation
The public fellowship announcement does not state that applicants must be US citizens, but it also does not publish a universal immigration-sponsorship promise. Overseas researchers should confirm eligibility, the appropriate appointment classification and any required immigration steps with Johns Hopkins before relying on an assumption of sponsorship.
Prepare accurate doctoral records, official academic documents and referee contact details. Do not book travel or make relocation commitments without formal appointment and immigration instructions. Any employment benefits and relocation costs need written confirmation.
What Is Known About Selection and the Postdoctoral Community?
Johns Hopkins seeks a disciplinary mix and expects fellows to contribute to research, education, policy and outreach in its AI community. It identifies mentoring and broad collaboration as programme benefits but does not publish one selection scorecard, fixed interview schedule, number of positions for the 2027 cohort or named host allocation on its public overview.
Applicants can prepare to explain their principal research contribution, problem choice, feasibility, ethical implications where relevant and fit with DSAI. Such preparation does not imply these are confirmed formal interview stages.
Final Application Checklist for 11 December
- Confirm the correct 2027 DSAI Postdoctoral Fellowship listing and Interfolio ID 196237.
- Verify that your PhD qualification and completion timetable meet the live position requirements.
- Prepare a focused cover letter, current CV and research statement.
- Confirm how many letters Interfolio requires and check their actual status.
- Verify the final deadline and its time zone within the official application interface.
- Clarify the salary range, contract and immigration arrangements where necessary.
- Save submission confirmation; contact the university for programme questions rather than using third-party application forms.
Johns Hopkins AI and Data Science Postdoc Fellowship: FAQs
Is the DSAI 2027 fellowship open?
Yes. The call was announced on 9 November 2026 and has an official application deadline of 11 December 2026.
When does the appointment begin?
Johns Hopkins expects fellows to start in fall 2027. The institute has not announced one exact start date for all fellows.
Is a computer science PhD necessary?
No computer-science-only restriction appears on the institute overview. A reproduced full posting states that a PhD in a related field is required; research fit matters.
What is the annual salary?
The university confirms competitive pay. A reproduction of the full job posting reports US$63,480–100,000/year; verify this directly in Interfolio.
Is it a guaranteed two-year contract?
No. It begins with a one-year appointment and conditional second-year renewal based on performance, funding and relevant research.
What documents are needed?
The reproduced full job listing names a cover letter, CV, research statement (one to two pages preferred) and two reference letters. Check the Interfolio form.
Can international PhD holders apply?
The public overview does not state a citizenship restriction, but immigration sponsorship and individual eligibility must be confirmed with Johns Hopkins.
Where do I submit the application?
Use the university-linked Interfolio position 196237, not an email or external recruitment mirror.
Official Johns Hopkins Programme and Application Links
The programme page provides the university’s description, deadline, start date and confirmed benefits. Interfolio is the official application platform and should control all live eligibility, document and salary details if these differ from third-party reproductions.
CareerAidHub is an independent research-careers information service. Johns Hopkins determines final eligibility, deadlines, selection, compensation and appointment terms. Reported full-posting details should be confirmed on Interfolio.
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