Now in its second year, the NSIN fellowship connects top tech talent with key policy makers in the DoD and Congress

In 2020, the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN), a program office within the U.S. Department of Defense, launched a unique Technology and National Security Fellowship that embeds STEM talent in the offices of key decision makers throughout the U.S. Department of Defense and United States Congress. The deadline to apply for this year’s fellowship is April 15.

The Technology and National Security Fellowship places early and mid-career technologists in paid, yearlong fellowships within offices at the Pentagon or Capitol Hill to help advise on critical issues that intersect national security and technology. The fellowship application launched on March 1, and is open to any U.S. citizen throughout the country who has earned an undergraduate or graduate degree in the STEM disciplines. The second-year cohort will embed in their assigned offices from August 2021 to August 2022.

The Technology and National Security Fellowship is meant to address a technological knowledge gap that the offices of most top-level policymakers face. Participants can possess a diverse skill set ranging from software development to policy research.

In Congress, Fellows will be placed in the Member offices or embedded within committee staff of one of the four relevant defense committees across both chambers of Congress. Fellows assigned to the Pentagon will be placed in the offices of senior defense officials in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, or in the offices of senior leaders throughout the Military Services. Once selected, Fellows will be placed in an office that best fits their unique skill sets.


2021 Cohort Important Dates

  • Participant Recruitment: 01 Mar - 15 Apr 2021
  • Interviews and Matching: Apr-May 2021
  • Launch: Sept 2021

Interested applicants may apply no later than April 15, 2021, by visiting: https://www.nsin.us/tnsf.

For more information, or to learn how to host a TNSF Fellow, email tnsf@nsin.us.


About NSIN

The NSIN mission is to “build networks of innovators that generate new solutions to national security problems.” NSIN is headquartered in Arlington, VA, and has regional offices in 11 commercial innovation hubs throughout the United States. Through its headquarters, regional hubs, and embedded university partnerships, NSIN builds a national network of innovators and delivers programming that solves real-world, DoD problems through collaborative partnerships with non-traditional problem-solvers within the academic and early-stage venture communities.