DSIT aims to bolster expertise with year-long secondments

The government has put out a call to hire 25 scientists and technologists with expertise in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors and quantum computing to advise on policy and build technology that supports public services.

The programme is based on secondment to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). The goal is to recruit 25 experts on a year-long fellowship at the department to focus on driving the use of AI, bolstering tech and research policy, and driving innovation in the public sector.

DSIT said the part-time secondments will help make the UK an AI powerhouse and strengthen its digital and cyber resilience, as well as secure leadership in semiconductors, advance quantum technologies and champion digital inclusion.

The government’s ambition is that by shaping national strategies, DSIT fellows will help address pressing policy challenges and ensure innovation delivers tangible benefits for citizens and businesses, driving a more secure, inclusive and digitally empowered society. 

According to DSIT, the fellowship will offer a bridge between government and the tech sector by bringing expertise into policy-making.

Discussing the fellowship, science minister Patrick Vallance said: “By harnessing expertise across academia and industry, we are embedding expert knowledge to tackle key challenges – from strengthening digital resilience to ensuring the UK leads in AI and quantum technologies.

“This fellowship creates a lasting partnership between government, academia and business to unlock new solutions, accelerate progress and drive long-term growth – ensuring science and innovation remain central to shaping our economy and society.”

The fellowship is open to professionals who are currently employed and who are affiliated with professional organisations, including the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Academy of Medical Sciences, TechUK, the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the British Standards Institute.

This is the third cohort of the fellowship, building on the success of the Expert Exchange Programme and previous Science and Technology Fellowship pilots.

Alex Casson, a DSIT fellow and professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Manchester, said:  “The DSIT Fellowship has been a great opportunity to be embedded in the civil service.

“I’ve learnt a huge amount about how academic advice is commissioned, and used, within government, and the many ways in which academics can engage with government. I’ll take these learnings with me when I go back to my home institution and think about potential policy impacts of my work in electronic engineering.”   

The fellowship covers four areas: AI, technology, future thinking and public sector innovation.

The eight placements for AI cover areas such as the sociotechnical aspects of AI, information threats, data protection and privacy, large language models and digital innovation. The eight technology fellowship placements include emerging technologies, advanced connectivity, semiconductors and critical technologies, and national security.

There are five fellowship placements for future thinking, covering expertise in the quantum computing supply chain, climate security and space policy, and five public sector innovation placements, which cover areas such as digital inclusion, commercial innovation and science capabilities.

The DSIT fellowship is part of a major push to almost double the number of civil servants in digital roles, which it said will help to drive innovation and deliver smarter public services.

The closing date for applications is 3 June 2025.