diff --git a/ami/main/api/views.py b/ami/main/api/views.py
index 99709eb29..3d515b408 100644
--- a/ami/main/api/views.py
+++ b/ami/main/api/views.py
@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@ class ProjectViewSet(DefaultViewSet, ProjectMixin):
     serializer_class = ProjectSerializer
     pagination_class = ProjectPagination
     permission_classes = [ObjectPermission]
+    search_fields = ["name", "description"]
     ordering_fields = [
         "name",
         "created_at",
diff --git a/ami/main/tests.py b/ami/main/tests.py
index 27785fe7f..f24496256 100644
--- a/ami/main/tests.py
+++ b/ami/main/tests.py
@@ -2337,6 +2337,30 @@ def test_can_auto_assign_project_owner(self):
         self.assertEqual(self.user_1.id, project.owner.id)
 
 
+class TestProjectListSearch(APITestCase):
+    """The project list `search` parameter matches name and description, and never reveals drafts."""
+
+    endpoint = "/api/v2/projects/"
+
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpTestData(cls) -> None:
+        cls.owner = User.objects.create_user(email="search-owner@insectai.org")
+        cls.moth_project = Project.objects.create(name="Moths of Quebec", owner=cls.owner)
+        cls.beetle_project = Project.objects.create(
+            name="Field station", description="Night beetle survey", owner=cls.owner
+        )
+        cls.draft_project = Project.objects.create(name="Draft moths", owner=cls.owner, draft=True)
+
+    def _search(self, term: str) -> set[int]:
+        response = self.client.get(self.endpoint, {"search": term})
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, status.HTTP_200_OK)
+        return {row["id"] for row in response.json()["results"]}
+
+    def test_search_matches_name_and_description(self):
+        self.assertEqual(self._search("moths"), {self.moth_project.pk})
+        self.assertEqual(self._search("beetle"), {self.beetle_project.pk})
+
+
 class TestProjectPermissions(APITestCase):
     def _create_project(self, owner, member):
         self.project = Project.objects.create(name="T Project", description="Test Description", owner=owner)
diff --git a/ui/src/components/search-input/search-input.tsx b/ui/src/components/search-input/search-input.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d1a1ab950
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/components/search-input/search-input.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+import { SearchIcon } from 'lucide-react'
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react'
+
+const DEBOUNCE_DELAY = 300
+
+export const SearchInput = ({
+  label,
+  value,
+  onChange,
+}: {
+  label: string
+  value: string
+  onChange: (value: string) => void
+}) => {
+  const [searchString, setSearchString] = useState(value)
+  const timeoutRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>>()
+
+  // Follow the value when it changes from outside the box, for example on
+  // browser Back, and drop any pending change so it cannot restore the old term.
+  // A value that only differs by surrounding spaces is the box's own update.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    clearTimeout(timeoutRef.current)
+    setSearchString((current) => (current.trim() === value ? current : value))
+  }, [value])
+
+  useEffect(() => () => clearTimeout(timeoutRef.current), [])
+
+  const onInputChange = (newSearchString: string) => {
+    setSearchString(newSearchString)
+    clearTimeout(timeoutRef.current)
+    timeoutRef.current = setTimeout(() => {
+      if (newSearchString.trim() !== value) {
+        onChange(newSearchString.trim())
+      }
+    }, DEBOUNCE_DELAY)
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className="flex items-center h-8 w-56 gap-2 px-4 rounded-full border border-input bg-background focus-within:ring-2 focus-within:ring-ring">
+      <SearchIcon className="w-4 h-4 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
+      <input
+        aria-label={label}
+        className="w-full h-full pt-0.5 bg-transparent body-small outline-none placeholder:text-muted-foreground"
+        placeholder={label}
+        type="search"
+        value={searchString}
+        onChange={(e) => onInputChange(e.target.value)}
+      />
+    </div>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/projects/projects.tsx b/ui/src/pages/projects/projects.tsx
index 78873dcac..a9816856b 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/projects/projects.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/projects/projects.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { SearchInput } from 'components/search-input/search-input'
 import { useProjects } from 'data-services/hooks/projects/useProjects'
 import {
   Button,
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ import { NewProjectDialog } from 'pages/project-details/new-project-dialog'
 import { DOCS_LINKS } from 'utils/constants'
 import { STRING, translate } from 'utils/language'
 import { usePagination } from 'utils/usePagination'
+import { useSearch } from 'utils/useSearch'
 import { UserPermission } from 'utils/user/types'
 import { useUser } from 'utils/user/userContext'
 import { useUserInfo } from 'utils/user/userInfoContext'
@@ -51,10 +53,13 @@ export const Projects = () => {
     useSelectedView(user.loggedIn ? TABS.MY_PROJECTS : TABS.ALL_PROJECTS)
   const { sort, setSort } = useSort()
   const { pagination, setPage } = usePagination({ perPage: 40 })
-  const filters =
-    user.loggedIn && selectedTab === TABS.MY_PROJECTS
+  const { search, setSearch } = useSearch()
+  const filters = [
+    ...(user.loggedIn && selectedTab === TABS.MY_PROJECTS
       ? [{ field: 'user_id', value: userInfo?.id }]
-      : []
+      : []),
+    ...(search ? [{ field: 'search', value: search }] : []),
+  ]
   const { projects, total, userPermissions, isLoading, isFetching, error } =
     useProjects({ pagination, filters, sort })
   const canCreate = userPermissions?.includes(UserPermission.Create)
@@ -88,6 +93,11 @@ export const Projects = () => {
             </Tabs.List>
           </Tabs.Root>
         ) : null}
+        <SearchInput
+          label={translate(STRING.SEARCH_PROJECTS)}
+          value={search}
+          onChange={setSearch}
+        />
         {canCreate ? <NewProjectDialog /> : null}
         <SortControl
           columns={SORT_FIELDS.map((field) => ({
@@ -98,7 +108,7 @@ export const Projects = () => {
           sort={sort}
         />
       </PageHeader>
-      {projects && projects.length === 0 && canCreate ? (
+      {projects && projects.length === 0 && canCreate && !search ? (
         <div className="flex flex-col items-center pt-32">
           <h1 className="mb-8 heading-large">Get started</h1>
           <p className="text-center body-large mb-16">
diff --git a/ui/src/utils/language.ts b/ui/src/utils/language.ts
index 38e20a5e4..51cebe129 100644
--- a/ui/src/utils/language.ts
+++ b/ui/src/utils/language.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ export enum STRING {
   SAVE,
   SAVED,
   SEARCH_MAP,
+  SEARCH_PROJECTS,
   SEND_INSTRUCTIONS,
   SIGN_UP,
   STAR,
@@ -425,6 +426,7 @@ const ENGLISH_STRINGS: { [key in STRING]: string } = {
   [STRING.SAVE]: 'Save',
   [STRING.SAVED]: 'Saved',
   [STRING.SEARCH_MAP]: 'Search on the map',
+  [STRING.SEARCH_PROJECTS]: 'Search projects',
   [STRING.SEND_INSTRUCTIONS]: 'Send instructions',
   [STRING.SIGN_UP]: 'Sign up',
   [STRING.STAR]: 'Add to starred captures',
diff --git a/ui/src/utils/useSearch.ts b/ui/src/utils/useSearch.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..55af31142
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/utils/useSearch.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import { useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom'
+import { SEARCH_PARAM_KEY_PAGE } from './usePagination'
+
+const SEARCH_PARAM_KEY_SEARCH = 'search'
+
+export const useSearch = () => {
+  const [searchParams, setSearchParams] = useSearchParams()
+  const search = searchParams.get(SEARCH_PARAM_KEY_SEARCH) ?? ''
+
+  const setSearch = (search: string) => {
+    // New results start from the first page.
+    searchParams.delete(SEARCH_PARAM_KEY_PAGE)
+    searchParams.delete(SEARCH_PARAM_KEY_SEARCH)
+
+    if (search.length) {
+      searchParams.set(SEARCH_PARAM_KEY_SEARCH, search)
+    }
+
+    setSearchParams(searchParams)
+  }
+
+  return { search, setSearch }
+}