Posted: 08/04/2025
AJO: # 30155
The NSF Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Interactions (IAIFI, pronounced /aɪ-faɪ/) is one of the inaugural NSF AI research institutes. IAIFI is enabling physics discoveries and advancing foundational AI through the development of novel AI approaches that incorporate first principles, best practices, and domain knowledge from fundamental physics. AI is transforming many aspects of society, including the ways that scientists pursue groundbreaking discoveries.
To facilitate these advances, IAIFI seeks a talented and interdisciplinary group of early-career researchers to join the IAIFI Fellowship program. IAIFI Fellows spark interdisciplinary, multi-investigator, multi-subfield collaborations across theoretical physics, experimental physics, astrophysics, and foundational AI. These collaborations generate new ideas and approaches in both physics and AI, abstract physics challenges to inform cutting-edge AI tools, and foster a common language across disciplines. Our program aims to appoint new postdoctoral IAIFI Fellows each academic year for a three-year fellowship term.
Offers for this position are contingent on funding availability. However, other related opportunities may be available through IAIFI faculty, and applicants may opt in to share materials with faculty for these opportunities.
Fellows are selected through an annual application process. Applicants should have, or expect to receive by September 1, 2026, a PhD in Physics, Statistics, Computer Science, or a related field. Complete applications must include:
The deadline to receive all materials (including reference letters) is October 8, 2025.
Fellows have substantial freedom in choosing their research focus. Each fellow will work with two IAIFI mentors—one from Physics and one from AI—to guide their research and evaluate progress. Applicants will be asked to identify IAIFI faculty who align with their research goals. IAIFI is committed to building a vibrant intellectual community and strongly encourages applications from all interested researchers. Inquiries can be directed to iaifi-fellows@mit.edu. FAQs are available at iaifi.org/fellows.html#faq.
IAIFI is a joint NSF-funded venture between MIT, Harvard, Northeastern, and Tufts. Fellows are encouraged to collaborate with all IAIFI members and are provided workspace at MIT. They may also affiliate with and access workspace at any of the four Boston-area IAIFI universities.
Any other materials requested in the position description
Apply at AcademicJobsOnline.org
IAIFI Website
Email: iaifi-fellows@mit.edu
MIT is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin.
