The Jefferson Science Fellowships (JSF) are managed at the U.S. Department of State by the Office of the Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary (STAS) and administered by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). The JSF is a mutually beneficial, public-private partnership between the U.S. Government and academic institutions that brings tenured professors to work at the U.S. Department of State for one year. Fellows provide the U.S. Department of State access to scientific and technical expertise and the opportunity to leverage the broad scientific and professional networks in academia. In turn, the Fellow's academic institution benefits from the insights in foreign policy and diplomacy gained by their senior faculty. Fellows may remain available as consultants to their host offices or bureaus after returning to their academic institutions.

Areas of Expertise

Fellows bring a broad range of scientific and technical expertise in areas such as physics, chemistry, information technology, life sciences, engineering, environment, agriculture, health, and social sciences. Applicants from a broad array of backgrounds and diversity of geographic, disciplinary, gender and ethnic perspectives, underrepresented groups, and underrepresented disciplines are also strongly encouraged to apply. Below is a list of some areas of expertise that align with overarching priorities of the Administration, the Secretary, and core focus areas in the Department. These are not designed to disqualify potential applicants outside of these areas but rather to highlight the expertise in greatest need to support current priorities.

• Advanced Telecommunications
• Arms Control and Non-Proliferation
• Climate, Environment, and Energy
• Critical Minerals
• Cyberspace Issues
• Disinformation/Misinformation
• Economics
• Emerging Technologies (AI, quantum, biotechnology, digital policy)
• Global Food Security
• Global Health Security
• Humanitarian Assistance/Migration (includes human rights, countering violent extremism)
• Psychology/Behavioral Science
• Science Communication

Placement at State

Applicant finalists go through a mutual selection process before being matched in agency host offices in functional and regional bureaus. Below is a list of the prior host offices at the U.S. Department of State where Jefferson Science Fellows have been placed. The specific offices requesting to host a Fellow vary each year so not all of these opportunities will be available for placement. An organizational chart of U.S. Department of State bureaus and offices can be found here.

Website: https://www.usaid.gov

Mission: On behalf of the American people, we promote and demonstrate democratic values abroad, and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world. In support of America's foreign policy, the U.S. Agency for International Development leads the U.S. Government's international development and disaster assistance through partnerships and investments that save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, and help people emerge from humanitarian crises and progress beyond assistance. More about USAID’s mission and values can be found here.

Background: President John. F. Kennedy created the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) by executive order in 1961 to lead the U.S. government’s international development and humanitarian efforts. Learn more about USAID’s history here.

USAID is the world's premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID's work advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity, demonstrates American generosity, and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience.

Our objective is to support partners to become self-reliant and capable of leading their own development journeys. We make progress toward this by reducing the reach of conflict, preventing the spread of pandemic disease, and counteracting the drivers of violence, instability, transnational crime and other security threats. We promote American prosperity through investments that expand markets for U.S. exports; create a level playing field for U.S. businesses; and support more stable, resilient, and democratic societies. We stand with people when disaster strikes or crisis emerges as the world leader in humanitarian assistance.

U.S. foreign assistance has always had the twofold purpose of furthering America's interests while improving lives in the developing world. USAID carries out U.S. foreign policy by promoting broad-scale human progress at the same time it expands stable, free societies, creates markets and trade partners for the United States, and fosters good will abroad.

USAID works in over 100 countries to:

• Promote Global Health
• Support Global Stability
• Provide Humanitarian Assistance
• Catalyze Innovation and Partnership
• Empower Women and Girls

Organizational Chart: The current organizational chart for USAID can be found here. A limited number of Fellows can be hosted by USAID each year, so opportunities for placement will not be available in all operating units. While USAID has many overseas offices, the Jefferson Science Fellowship is a Washington-DC based fellowship, with the possibility of domestic and international travel.

Working at USAID: USAID benefits from the innovative ideas, energy, and state-of-the-art technical knowledge Fellows bring. Fellows add to the diversity of the workforce by offering a broad set of expertise that complements USAID’s existing staff profile. Fellowship participants enhance their knowledge of government and global issues and obtain valuable professional experience that enriches their careers and the academic institutions to which they return.

Through a fellowship at USAID, Fellows gain practical work experience in humanitarian assistance, economic and social development, and other technical sectors; the opportunity to engage directly in solving the most challenging and critical development issues of our time; and exposure to a broad network of development institutions and actors. While the specific projects vary by operating unit, staff at USAID work on activities such as project design; monitoring and evaluation; procurement (awarding grants and contracts); program management; technical oversight; building partnerships; planning, executing, and attending events; and reporting and communicating our work.

USAID Bureaus: The following bureaus at USAID are among those that have offered assignments in the past to Jefferson Science Fellows or who have expressed interest in hosting future Jefferson Science Fellows. Note that not all offices are always able to host a fellow every year and new offices participate in the program for the first time every cycle.

• Bureau for Africa
• Bureau for Asia
• Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation (DDI)
• Bureau for Europe and Eurasia (E&E)
• Bureau for Global Health
• Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA)
• Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)
• Bureau for the Middle East
• Bureau for Policy, Planning, and Learning
• Bureau for Resilience and Food Security

• A U.S. citizen
• A scientist (life, physical, and/or social), engineer, or physician
• Tenured or similarly ranked faculty at a U.S. academic institution
• Able to confirm or secure an active Memorandum of Understanding between their academic institution and the National Academy of Sciences
• Not knowingly hindered from obtaining a U.S. government security clearance (more information below under Security Clearance)

Applicants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Stature, recognition, and experience in national and international sciences (life, physical, and/or social), engineering, or medicine
• Ability to:
  • rapidly and accurately understand scientific advancements both within and outside primary disciplines
  • effectively integrate technical knowledge into policy documents and discussions
  • articulate science and technology to the non-specialist/general public
  • work collaboratively and effectively in a team-based environment
  • adapt to a changing porfolio of responsibilities
  • benefit themselves and their academic institution from the fellowship
• Related skills and experience that may enable an applicant to be successful as a Fellow 

Awardees will be required to apply for a security clearance at the level needed for their host office placement. Failure to obtain the needed level of clearance may result in withdrawal of the fellowship offer.

The security clearance process will be initiated by the host office soon after a placement is offered. Since the clearance process generally takes several months, awardees will be expected to take immediate action to complete all required forms and fingerprinting.

Significant delays in gaining clearance are possible, and, very rarely, clearance may not be granted. More information on the security clearance process and information on common reasons for delays can be found below.

• U.S. State Department's "All About Security Clearances"
• OPM’s General Questions and Answers About OPM Background Investigations
• ClearanceJobs.com Frequently Asked Questions

The Jefferson Science Fellowships (JSF) are a collaborative effort between the U.S. academic community and the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The financial and institutional support for the fellowship is shared between these partners. The terms of the fellowships include:

• Placement in a host office that is based on a mutual selection process considering the needs of the U.S. Department of State, USAID, and the identified preferences of the finalist.
• The 12-month fellowship year is scheduled to begin in mid-August. Individual start dates may vary due to security clearance timelines.
• A Fellow’s academic institution must hold an active agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) with the National Academy of Sciences acknowledging institutional support for the Fellow.
• A Fellow's academic institution is expected to maintain salary, benefits, rights, and privileges of their academic position during the fellowship.
• A Fellow from outside the Washington, DC metro area will be eligible for reimbursement of select local living expenses in the Washington, DC metro area up to a fixed amount for no more than a 12-month period (approximately $55,000). Fellows already located in the Washington, DC metro area are not eligible to claim reimbursement for local expenses.
• A Fellow must design and deliver a lecture as a part of the JSF Distinguished Lecture Series.
• A Fellow must complete a final report at the end of their fellowship to summarize accomplishments, benefits of the fellowship, future plans, and recommendations.
• A Fellow can request host office approved travel and training. Some placements may have dedicated funding for Fellows to undertake approved travel and training.
• A Fellow is expected to return to their academic institution after the fellowship but may be asked to remain available for future collaboration with the U.S. government.

Receiving a Jefferson Science Fellowship (JSF) is considered a significant honor, both for the individual and for their academic institution. The fellowship is structured as a partnership between the U.S. academic community and the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development, designed to meet the challenges of science and technology in foreign policy and international development.

To formalize the respective responsibilities of that partnership, an MOU must be executed between the applicant's academic institution and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). The MOU stipulates the conditions of the fellowship for the Fellow, the academic institution, and NAS.

For Applicants

An active MOU is required for an applicant to be considered as a finalist in the annual competition. It is ultimately the responsibility of the applicant to ensure there is an active MOU in place before the JSF selection process begins. NAS staff can provide guidance, but applicants must initiate and ensure their institution completes the process of signing and submitting the MOU to jsf@nas.edu. It is recommended that applicants begin the process as early as possible.

Applicants should e-mail jsf@nas.edu to determine if their institution currently holds an active MOU, to request a copy of the MOU template if their institution, or to confirm any other details of a current MOU. Academic institutions that do not currently hold an MOU with NAS and would like to initiate one should also contact jsf@nas.edu. Fully executed MOUs will be returned to the institution via e-mail and/or postal mail after the MOU submission deadline.

An MOU can be completed well in advance of the application period.

NAS considers a signed MOU, once executed, active for future applicants from that academic institution.¹ However, it is strongly recommended that each applicant discuss their situation with their academic institution prior to applying to the fellowship to confirm institutional support for their specific situation.

By signing the MOU, an academic institution agrees to continue to pay a Fellow's salary and benefits and retain all rights and privileges associated with the Fellow's academic position. 

For Academic Institutions

Academic institutions that do not currently hold an MOU with NAS and would like to initiate one should contact jsf@nas.edu to initiate the process.

By signing the MOU, an institution agrees to continue to pay a Fellow’s salary and benefits and retain all rights and privileges associated with a Fellow’s academic position. It is strongly recommended that specific details of this agreement be discussed between the institution and the faculty member applying for the fellowship in advance.

An academic institution with an active MOU is strongly encouraged to notify faculty of the opportunity to apply for the JSF. While any internal nomination process would need to be coordinated by the academic institution, recruiting materials can be provided upon request. Institutions should contact jsf@nas.edu with their specific needs.

¹The current MOU format was used beginning in the 2016 competition for MOUs executed no earlier than August 2015. If you are unsure about whether a past MOU is still active, please contact jsf@nas.edu.to confirm. We regret that we will not be able to accept outdated MOUs for current competitions.

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• On the Survey page, select the response that best describes how you discovered the Jefferson Science Fellowships. Please enter additional details if a text box is populated for your selected response. You may select Other and enter a response if it is not listed.
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• Complete all the required fields in the Applicant Profile section.
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• Select up to three areas that best describe your field of expertise. You may select Other and enter a response if an area is not listed.

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• Enter the contact information for at least three letter writers who will submit letters of recommendation on your behalf. Downloadable letter writer instructions can be found under Fellowship Resources. 
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• Enter the contact information for the letter writer who will submit a letter on your behalf. Downloadable letter writer instructions can be found under Fellowship Resources. 
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Q: I am interested in applying for this fellowship. How can I determine if I am competitive?

A: Prospective applicants can refer to biographies and profiles of current and past Jefferson Science Fellows to compare qualifications. While academic stature is an important consideration in selection, other factors such as those listed in the Fellowship Criteria are of equal importance. In the application, candidates will be asked to articulate an important issue in science, technology, engineering, and medicine that impacts foreign policy and/or international development to demonstrate how their experience and knowledge could be used to inform decision-making.

Q: I am interested in applying, or a colleague is interested in applying, but we do not know if our university holds a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Academy of Sciences. How can we determine this?

A: Prospective applicants or academic institutions can e-mail jsf@nas.edu to inquire about the status of an active MOU. A response should be received within a few days.