Make your research
travel further

Your R&D is shaped around you. We start from your PhD research and background, and together we find where it meets AI. That becomes the focus of your fellowship. We then look for client opportunities where your work can be applied, so you can test your ideas in the field with large clients.

Yes. Many projects involve close collaboration with external partners, including nonprofits, government agencies, research institutes, foundations, and private-sector organizations. The level of interaction varies by project.

Once you're onboarded to your project, a typical week includes one or two internal team meetings alongside independent research, literature reviews, analysis, writing, and collaboration with your project team. Some projects also include regular meetings or presentations with partner organizations.

The fellowship runs 16 weeks, at 37.5 hours per week, 9 AM-5 PM EST.

We typically run three fellowship cohorts each year:

• Early September - Mid December
• Mid January - End of April
• Early May - Mid August

We prefer fellows to start with one of these cohorts so they can engage with and learn alongside their peers throughout the program. However, we understand that individual circumstances vary, and we're happy to consider exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

Most fellows have joined us on-site, which makes for a better experience. It isn't a hard requirement - if you're a strong fit and can't relocate, say so in your application.

Yes, and it's deliberate. Timelines flex with project realities, but the structure holds.

No. Fellows are funded externally, usually through their home programme, a research grant, or a fellowship or award. We can only accept applicants who have funding in place for the full placement, and we're happy to provide letters or documentation to support a funding application.

The fellowship is designed as a full-time commitment, so we ask fellows to give it their full attention for the 16 weeks. It's an ambitious program, and fellows aim to produce three papers, which takes real, dedicated time. Many fellows stay connected to their home institution, joining lab meetings or keeping up with smaller commitments, and that's absolutely fine. What doesn't work well is splitting time evenly with dissertation writing, so we encourage you to choose a start date when you can give the fellowship your full attention. We're happy to plan around teaching, fieldwork, and defence dates to help find that window.

Research conducted during the fellowship is the intellectual property of The Decision Lab. As an applied research firm, we need ownership of the work we lead. At the same time, we're a highly collaborative team and are very open to partnering with your home institution or lab, whether that means involving your supervisor, co-authoring with colleagues, or building on shared research interests. Authorship is based on contribution, so if you lead a project, you'll be credited as first author. We're happy to talk through publication, affiliation, or IP questions in more detail during the interview process.

The fellowship gives you the chance to do cutting-edge research at the intersection of behavioral science and AI, one of the most promising and fast-moving areas in the field. What makes it unique is how quickly that research meets the real world. Within the same 16 weeks, you'll develop new ideas and apply them on a real project with large clients. Few programs bridge research and application this directly. Along the way, you'll also:

• Build expertise in applying AI to behavioral science questions, a skill set that's in growing demand in both academia and industry.
• Gain consulting experience working with large clients across sectors.
• Produce research outputs, including publications, that show both academic rigor and real-world impact.
• Work alongside and learn from senior researchers and consultants at The Decision Lab.

While the fellowship is a fixed-term position, we always enjoy continuing to work with fellows who are a strong mutual fit. Although there's no guarantee of a permanent role, exceptional performance during the fellowship is certainly recognized and may lead to future opportunities.