Science to Policy

Opportunities in Science, Technology, and Policy

• AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowships and Congressional Science and Engineering Fellows, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • AAAS Fellows: One-year fellowships in Washington, in the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
  • Congressional Science and Engineering Fellows (also known as the Legislative Branch Fellowships): One-year fellowships in Congress, jointly administered by AAAS and several scientific and engineering societies.
  • Eligibility: A completed PhD degree, or a master’s degree in engineering plus at least three years of post-degree experience. Must be a U.S. citizen.
    
  • Websites: https://www.aaas.org/page/stpf/overview and https://www.aaas.org/storytopics/legislative-branch-fellowship
  • Description: "AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships (STPF) provide opportunities to outstanding scientists and engineers to learn first-hand about policymaking while contributing their knowledge and analytical skills to the federal policymaking process. Fellows serve yearlong assignments in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the federal government in Washington. Each year, the program adds to a growing corps over 3,000 strong of policy-savvy leaders working across academia, government, nonprofits and industry to serve the nation and the world."
• California Science and Technology Policy Fellows Program, CCST
  • Details: One-year fellowships in the California Legislature and California executive agencies.
  • Eligibility: A completed PhD degree, or a master’s degree in engineering plus at least three years of post-degree experience. Must be a U.S. citizen.
  • Website: http://fellows.ccst.us/
  • Description: “The California Council on Science & Technology (CCST) Science & Technology Policy Fellows Program places ten PhD-level scientists annually in the California legislature for one-year appointments. Fellows work hands-on with policymakers addressing complex scientific and technical issues as well as assuming other responsibilities of full-time legislative staffers. By embedding PhD-level scientists directly in the California state legislature the CCST Fellows Program helps inform policy discussions with scientific perspectives and expertise.”
• Solicitation: California State Assembly Field Representative for Jose Medina

  One part-time and one full-time position are currently open for field representatives in Assemblymember Jose Medina's office.  Medina represents California's 61st District (Riverside, Moreno Valley, Perris, and Mead Valley) and is beginning his third term.  He is also chair of the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, making him a key contact for graduate students in S2P interested in educational policy. 

  Find the solicitation for the part-time field representative position here.

  Find the solicitation for the full-time field representative position here.

• Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
  • Details: Twelve-week policy fellowships at the National Academies.
  • Eligibility: Graduate students, postdoctoral students, and professional school students. Open to U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, or non-U.S. citizens with certain visas.
  • Website: http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/policyfellows/index.htm
  • Description: "The Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program, now in its 20th year, is a full-time hands-on training and educational program that provides early career individuals with the opportunity to spend 12 weeks at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Washington, DC learning about science and technology policy and the role that scientists and engineers play in advising the nation. Each year, applicants from around the world become part of an Academies' committee, board, or unit where they are assigned to a mentor and learn about the world of science and technology policy.  An immersive experience, the program is designed to broaden fellows’ appreciation of employment opportunities outside academia and leave them with both a firm grasp of the important and dynamic role of science and technology in decision-making and a better understanding of the role that they can play in strengthening the science and technology enterprise for the betterment of mankind."
• ComSciCon: The Communicating Science workshop for graduate students
  

  Communicating Science is a workshop series organized by graduate students, for graduate students, focused on science communication skills.  Our goal is to empower future leaders in technical communication to share the results from research in their field to broad and diverse audiences, not just practitioners in their fields.  ComSciCon provides a unique professional development experience to graduate students engaged in and committed to communicating research.  Attendees interact with graduate student leaders in technical communication, from around the country, learn from professional communicators including journalists and educators, and produce original works of science communication for publication.  ComSciCon holds an annual flagship workshop series each summer for graduate students from around the US and Canada, and a series of Franchise workshop programs for graduate students from specific communities throughout the year.  Applications for the workshops are open to graduate students from all fields of science and engineering who are interested in learning how to effectively communicate their research to both scientific and non-scientific audiences. 

  Click here to apply to attend the 2019 ComSciCon Flagship workshop in San Diego, CA.  Application deadline is March 1, 2019.

• John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program, Sea Grant Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • Details: One-year fellowships in executive agencies and Congress. The focus is on ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes policy issues.
  • Eligibility: A completed PhD degree or a master’s degree in engineering plus at least three years of post-degree experience. Must be a U.S. citizen.
  • Websites: http://seagrant.noaa.gov/Knauss and Knauss Fellowship Overview 2018 (PDF download)
  • Description: "The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational and professional experience to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. The Fellowship, named after one of Sea Grant's founders, former NOAA Administrator John A. Knauss, matches highly qualified graduate students with ‘hosts’ in the legislative and executive branch of government located in the Washington, D.C. area, for a one-year paid fellowship."
• Solicitation: Johnson & Johnson Global Communication & Public Affairs Graduate Summer Intern
  

  Johnson & Johnson is recruiting Communication Graduate Interns for summer 2019. These full-time internship positions will be located in New Brunswick or other Johnson & Johnson facilities within the New Jersey/New York/Pennsylvania area.

  Click here for more information and to begin your application.

• Presidential Management Fellowships, U.S. Office of Personnel Management
  • Details: Two-year fellowships in U.S. executive branch departments and agencies. May lead to offers of permanent civil-service jobs.
  • Eligibility: Must have a master’s degree or other advanced degree. Must be a U.S. citizen.
  • Website: https://www.pmf.gov/
  • Description: “The PMF Program is a great leadership training ground. You'll perform valuable service to the American people while jump-starting your career, whatever you envision that to be. You'll get full salary and benefits as well as challenging assignments, training, mentoring, plus an opportunity to make government work better. Find out more.”
• Eagleton Science and Politics Initiative: Workshops and Fellowship
  • Details: Through Rutgers University, this initiative offers an annual workshop series, as well as a one-year fellowship where you can apply your science training in service to the state of New Jersey.
  • Eligibility: Workshops are available to graduate students, post-docs, and faculty. The fellowship is open to recently graduated PhD scientists who are interested in working in policy at the state level.
  • Website: Click here for more details
  • Description: “The workshop series aims to make connections and improve communication between scientists and policy-makers, as well as to expand the pool of scientifically trained graduates interested in public service careers." "The Eagleton Science and Politics Fellowship offers PhD-level scientists and engineers the opportunity to apply their training and expertise to the development and implementation of relevant state policy. As full-time aides in the executive or legislative branch, Science Fellows bring their advanced technical skills to service in state government."