AI-DAN Fellowship under CivicDataLab

Location: Himachal Pradesh (Shimla)

About the Project

The Dataset Onboarding Support Team (DOST), led by CivicDataLab in collaboration with Bhashini, and supported by the Gates Foundation, is a collaborative initiative under India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), to strengthen India's multilingual AI infrastructure. Under this initiative, the AI-DAN (AI-Dataset Ambassadors Network) Fellowship program seeks passionate individuals to lead dataset onboarding efforts across multiple states, ensuring linguistic diversity and cultural representation in India's AI ecosystem.

As an AI-DAN Fellow, you will work at the intersection of language technology, digital public infrastructure, and community engagement to onboard high-quality datasets that represent the linguistic richness of Indian states.

Our Commitment to Diversity: We believe that teams are strengthened by diverse perspectives, and we welcome candidates of all races, genders, ages, abilities, sexual orientations, ethnicities, and national origins to apply, and welcome those with alternative backgrounds and experiences. We provide equal opportunities for everyone.

Please read more about us: https://civicdatalab.in/

Requirements

Roles and Responsibilities

Lead the identification, collection, and onboarding of state-specific linguistic datasets for Bhashini and AI Kosh platforms.
Facilitate engagement with state government departments, universities, local language communities, and civil society organisations.
Collaborate with technical teams to ensure proper dataset formatting, metadata creation, and quality assurance.
Conduct field visits to assess linguistic resources, community needs, and regional language variations.
Prepare regular progress reports and document best practices from field operations.
Draft presentations and concept notes as per project requirements.
Support in organising and facilitating state-level workshops and consultations.

Eligibility Criteria

Essential Qualifications

Educational Background: Master's degree in Linguistics, Computational Linguistics, Language Technology, Computer Science, Public Policy, or related disciplines.
Professional Experience: Minimum 1–2 years in stakeholder research, community engagement, or participatory research projects.
Language Proficiency: Native or professional proficiency in the official language(s) of the selected city/state.
Technical Aptitude: Basic understanding of digital platforms and data management.
Availability: Willingness to work in a hybrid setting with regular field visits and departmental collaboration.

Preferred Qualifications

PhD in Computational Linguistics, NLP, or related fields.
Prior experience working with state-level government departments or institutions.
Experience in community engagement, participatory research, or grassroots initiatives.
Knowledge of Indian language datasets, corpora, or linguistic resources.
Familiarity with AI/ML concepts and their application in multilingual contexts.

Application Requirements

1. Completed Online Application Form

Fill all sections including basic information, experience details, language proficiencies, and motivational responses.
Link: https://forms.gle/H4jB2fL24v5fvPUs9 (mandatory)

2. Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Upload a comprehensive CV (PDF, max 5MB) highlighting:

Educational qualifications with institutions and years.
Detailed work experience, especially in stakeholder research, community engagement, or participatory projects.
Proficiency in Indian languages (speaking, reading, writing abilities).
Publications, research projects, or contributions to language technology/datasets.
Technical skills and familiarity with digital platforms.
References (optional but recommended).

3. Video Statement (5 Minutes)

Record and upload a 5-minute video (MP4/MOV, max 100MB) covering:

Introduction: Brief background about yourself and current work.
Motivation: Why are you interested in the AI-DAN Fellowship and the DOST project.
Understanding: Your perspective on language as Digital Public Infrastructure and the importance of linguistic representation in AI datasets.
Learning Goals: What you hope to learn or unlearn during this fellowship.
Contribution: How your background and skills make you suitable for this role.

Video Guidelines:

Keep it conversational and authentic.
Smartphone recording quality is acceptable; ensure clear audio and lighting.
No professional editing required—we want to hear your genuine thoughts.

Benefits

Remuneration: INR 35,000 per month (negotiable, based on experience)
Duration: Minimum 6 months, with possibility of extension or conversion to full-time based on performance and mutual agreement.
Hands-on exposure to national-level projects, AI and data-for-good initiatives, and high-impact convenings.

AI DAN Fellow | Shimla