Description
About
The Center for Information Technology Policy Fellows Program is a competitive, fully-funded, in-person program that supports scholars and practitioners in research and policy work tied to the Center’s mission. CITP research falls into the following three areas: Platforms and Digital Infrastructure; Data Science, AI and Society; and Privacy and Security. Fellows accepted into this program conduct research with members of the Center’s community — including faculty, scholars and other fellows — across disciplines, and engage in our public programs, such as workshops and conferences. The program offers three fellowship tracks:
- Postdoctoral track: for people who recently received a Ph.D. or doctorate degree
- Visiting Research scholar/Visiting Professional track: for academics and professionals (e.g., lawyers, journalists, technologists, former government officials, etc.)
- Microsoft Visiting Research Scholar/Visiting Professor track: for academics
Find additional information and compare each track below.
Application Process
We hire for the Fellows Program each year. Applicants may apply for more than one track. Both CITP and Princeton University place high value on in-person collaborations and interactions. As such, candidates are expected to participate in-person at CITP on the Princeton University campus.
CITP’s fellows committee begins reviewing applications mid-December every year. Candidates are encouraged to apply by the start-of-review date, Monday, December 1, 2025, 11:59 p.m. EST, for full consideration. Applications received after that date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.
Three letters of reference must be included in the application materials.
Postdoctoral Track
The postdoctoral track is for people who have recently received or are about to receive a Ph.D. or doctorate degree, and work on understanding and improving the relationship between technology and society. Selected candidates will be appointed at the postdoctoral research associate or more senior research rank. These are typically 12-month appointments, commencing on or about September 1, and can be renewed for a second-year, contingent on performance and funding. Fellows in the postdoctoral track have the option of teaching, subject to sufficient course enrollments and the approval of the Dean of the Faculty.
Most postdocs are matched to a specific faculty adviser. A list of CITP Associated Faculty and the areas in which they are looking for postdocs will be forthcoming below. Please check back periodically as topics and people could be added throughout the hiring process.
Faculty advisers/topics will be listed on the CITP page when they are available.
Candidates are expected to have their Ph.D. on the start date of the appointment. The appointment will not be finalized, and an exact start date will not be set, until the candidate has successfully defended their thesis or provided proof of their doctorate degree. Official proof of Ph.D. should be provided by July 1, 2026.
Visiting Research Scholar / Visiting Professionals Track
The Visiting Professional track is for professionals who hold an advanced degree — such as a M.A., Ph.D. or J.D. — and must be on leave from their full-time job. This includes professors on sabbaticals or journalists on leave from their newsrooms. This fellowship appointment is roughly nine months long and will begin on or about September 1. However, CITP does offer some flexibility between May 1 and October 1. The primary appointment will be at the rank of “Visiting Research Scholar” or “Visiting Professional Specialist” depending on experience. This position is in-person at CITP on the Princeton University campus.
In addition to a current curriculum vitae, research statement, and cover letter describing your background, interest in the program, and salary requirements, applicants to the Visiting Professionals track should provide a breakdown of all of the sources of financial support you will receive during the fellowship. This includes sabbatical funding or financial support from your home institution. Upon hire, written proof of employment, leave dates, and salary must be provided by the candidate’s home institution for the appointment period while at CITP.
Microsoft Visiting Research Scholar / Visiting Professor Track
The Microsoft Visiting Research Scholar/Visiting Professor track is for visiting academics who are nationally or internationally recognized experts in technology policy. Appointments are typically for a term of up to nine months with an expected start date in September. The Microsoft Visiting Research Scholar/Visiting Professor must hold a Ph.D. or J.D. and must be on leave from their home institution. This position is in-person at CITP on the Princeton University campus.
The Microsoft Visiting Research Scholar/Visiting Professor is expected to collaborate and contribute to CITP’s mission in at least one of the following ways:
- Teach one course related to their research during their nine-month term, subject to sufficient enrollment and with the approval of the Dean of the Faculty.
- Envision and lead a conference or a series of workshops during their time at CITP.
- Collaborate with existing faculty members on research and jointly mentor students or CITP’s emerging scholars.
Please include a proposal in your cover letter elaborating on how you plan to contribute to CITP during your term. For example, if you are proposing to teach, please include details about potential topics you are willing to teach (provide a sample syllabus and reading list). If you are proposing to develop a conference or workshop series, please include a proposal describing the series, potential speakers, audience, and output of the conference. Finally, if you are proposing to collaborate on research with existing faculty members, please describe the joint project and potential mentorship opportunities associated with the project.
The Microsoft Visiting Professor track will carry the title of Microsoft Visiting (Assistant/Associate) Professor in the semester of teaching. Their primary appointment will be at the rank of “Visiting Research Scholar” or “Visiting Professional Specialist,” depending on experience. Typically, there will be one Microsoft Visiting Professor per year.
In addition to a current curriculum vitae, research statement, and cover letter describing your background, interest in the program, and salary requirements, applicants to the Visiting Professionals track should provide a breakdown of all of the sources of financial support you will receive during the fellowship. This includes sabbatical funding or financial support from your home institution.
Upon hire, written proof of current employment, leave dates. and salary must be provided by candidate’s home institution for the appointment period while at CITP.
Requirements
Please visit our website for each individual track's specific requirements.
