Gates Foundation AI Fellows Programme 2027: 12-Month AI Fellowship for Africa-Based Professionals

Application Deadline:November 11, 2026

Applications are open for the Gates Foundation AI Fellows Programme, a 12-month, full-time role for AI and data professionals who want to use technology to improve health, development and education across Africa. The deadline is November 11, 2026, only nine days away, so this post is worth reading today.

The Foundation is recruiting its first Africa-based cohort of AI Fellows. Earlier cohorts ran in the United States and India. Fellows work with the Foundation’s regional teams, governments and partners to build practical AI tools for real public service problems.

One thing to know up front: this is an employment role, not a scholarship. You need the legal right to work in the country where you’d be based, and the Foundation does not offer visa sponsorship or relocation support.

About the Programme

The program aims to speed up the responsible use of AI in areas that touch people’s lives, especially global health, development and education. Each fellow gets one or two high-priority projects and may join other initiatives as needs change.

Examples of Projects

• Development financing tools: Decision-support tools that pull together data from different financing systems across African countries, helping teams spot bottlenecks and track funding flows.
• Fewer medicine stockouts: AI solutions that help districts and health facilities keep essential medicines available.
• Smarter health planning and supply chains: Systems that help planners prioritise within budgets, monitor procurement and forecast shortages, including redistributing supplies before they expire.

What You Will Do

• Work with project teams and partners to find problems AI can help solve
• Build and test prototypes, including with large language models (LLMs)
• Design and evaluate AI and machine learning models, prepare datasets and build data pipelines
• Train Foundation colleagues through workshops, guides and playbooks
• Explain technical findings clearly to non-technical audiences
• Make sure every tool respects privacy, fairness, equity and transparency

Benefits

• A paid, full-time role: A 12-month limited-term position with the Gates Foundation. The listing does not state a salary.
• Employee benefits: These may include medical, dental and vision cover, paid leave, family leave, retirement contributions and regional holidays, subject to the terms of employment.
• Real project ownership: Lead and contribute to high-priority AI projects.
• Senior exposure: Work alongside experienced professionals and leadership.
• A wide network: Governments, NGOs, universities, multilateral institutions and private-sector partners.
• Mentorship and growth: Build skills in AI, technology, policy and development.
• A real portfolio: Finish with practical solutions you helped create.

Who Can Apply

You should have:

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, data science, engineering, applied mathematics or a related field
• At least two years of experience applying AI solutions, through work, research, internships or applied coursework (experience in health or agricultural systems is a plus)
• Solid knowledge of AI and machine learning, including modelling and model evaluation
• Hands-on experience with LLMs and modern AI tools
• Software engineering and data skills to build end-to-end solutions
• The ability to build prototypes using open-source tools or API-based AI platforms
• Strong teamwork and clear communication with technical and non-technical people
• A genuine commitment to using technology for public good

Direct AI research experience is not required, but practical building experience is.

Location and Work Authorisation

The roles are based in the Foundation’s regional offices. The job listing names Nairobi (Kenya) and Abuja (Nigeria), and the detailed notice also lists Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and Johannesburg (South Africa) as possible duty stations. You must already have the legal right to work in the country where you would be based.

How to Apply and Key Dates

Apply through the official Gates Foundation careers portal.

• Position: AI Fellow, Africa Regional Offices
• Job reference: B021830
• Type: Full-time, 12-month limited-term
• Deadline: November 11, 2026

Check the official vacancy to confirm the duty station and work authorisation rules before you apply.

Tips for a Strong Application

1. Check your right to work first. Without it, you can’t be considered, and no sponsorship is offered.
2. Show projects, not just skills. Link to code, demos or write-ups of tools you’ve built.
3. Highlight LLM experience. Prompting, retrieval, tool integration and deployment are all named in the role.
4. Connect AI to the problem. Explain how you’d use it for something like medicine supply or health planning.
5. Talk about responsibility. Show you’ve thought about privacy, bias and explainability.
6. Show you can teach. Part of the job is helping colleagues use AI well.
7. Apply today. Nine days leaves little time for a polished application.

Final Thoughts

The Gates Foundation AI Fellows Programme offers a rare combination: paid work, real projects and a place inside one of the world’s largest development organisations. If you’re an AI professional with the right to work in one of these four countries, this role deserves your best application.

For more information and to apply, CLICK HERE

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