EPFL AI Center Opens Postdoctoral Fellowship Applications
The EPFL AI Center, with support from the Swiss AI Initiative, is accepting applications for its 2026-2027 Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme until November
Applications are now open for the EPFL AI Center and Swiss AI Initiative Postdoctoral Fellowships for the 2026-2027 period. The deadline for submissions is November 9, 2026, according to the opportunity announcement.
The EPFL AI Center Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme aims to provide exceptional early-career researchers with the chance to advance artificial intelligence techniques across various scientific fields. Supported partly by the Swiss AI Initiative, the programme emphasises collaborative research with a broad range of faculty at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL).
Funding and Support
The fellowship provides significant financial and infrastructural backing. It covers approximately 50% of the postdoctoral researcher's annual salary, with EPFL salary scales determining the exact amount. The remaining salary portion is covered by the host laboratories at EPFL.
An additional grant is available for research-related expenses. This budget can cover costs for research, open data, open-access publications, travel, and conference attendance. Applicants must justify these costs in their budget and subsequent financial reports. Any expenses beyond this maximum must be covered by the host professor or professors.
The host laboratories commit to providing necessary infrastructure, including office space, laboratory facilities, equipment, and administrative support.
Eligibility Criteria
The programme seeks highly motivated researchers at the postdoctoral level. Applicants must hold a PhD in computer science, physics, engineering, applied mathematics, or another AI-relevant field, awarded no more than two years before the submission deadline. Doctoral students in their final year are also eligible, provided they complete their PhD before the fellowship start date.
A critical requirement is securing support from two EPFL host professors who are faculty members affiliated with the EPFL AI Center. Applicants must contact potential hosts from a provided list and agree on a collaboration plan before applying. The programme gives priority to external candidates, though current EPFL senior PhD students and junior postdocs may still apply.
Citizens of any nationality may apply, and there are no age restrictions. The organisers strongly encourage applications from candidates of all genders and backgrounds. The evaluation is highly competitive, with excellence-measured by academic records and professional accomplishments-serving as the primary criterion. Excellent grade transcripts are expected.
Application Process
Prospective fellows must submit all documents in English via an online submission platform. The source advises applicants to explore the application toolkit and read the guidelines carefully before applying. Each candidate may submit only one application.
The fellowship is designed to grant researchers ample freedom to develop their own research agendas while working across several EPFL laboratories. Fellows will also contribute to community activities and strategic initiatives associated with the EPFL AI Center.
For more details, applicants can visit the official webpage for the EPFL AI Center and Swiss AI Initiative Postdoctoral Fellowships.
