Tech Policy Opportunities
Are you interested in pursuing a career in tech policy? Want to learn more about this field? Check out this page for a curated list of new tech policy jobs, fellowships, and internships.
Jobs
Technology Fellow: ACLU
The ACLU seeks applicants for a full-time position of Technology Fellow in the Speech, Privacy and Technology Project of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY or San Francisco, CA.The Speech, Privacy and Technology Project is dedicated to protecting and expanding the First Amendment freedoms of expression, association, and inquiry; expanding the right to privacy and increasing the control that individuals have over their personal information; and ensuring that civil liberties are enhanced rather than compromised by new advances in science and technology. The project is currently litigating cases and conducting other advocacy efforts on a variety of issues, including political protest, freedom of expression online, privacy of electronic information, journalists’ rights, scientific and academic freedom, openness in the courts, privacy rights at the border, and the impact of big data and algorithmic decision-making.”
Fellowships
Emerging Tech Policy Leaders (ETPL) Fellowship: Hewlett Foundation and CKI
This fellowship offers full-time job placements within civil society host organizations for recent graduates from cyber/tech policy programs supported by HF and CKF.
The program supports a modestly-sized cohort of up to ten fellows. Prioritizing and catalyzing greater diversity within the cyber policy field is of paramount importance, and as such, is a focus of this effort.
Apply by no later than May 31st.
(and be sure to select the tech & innovation concentration).
Center for Democracy Technology (CDT) Research Fellow
“The Center for Democracy Technology (CDT) is seeking a Research Fellow to lead and implement research on the explainability and auditability of AI. This will include, for example, developing models and tools to improve AI explainability in content moderation systems. The position also offers opportunities to design and lead research projects on other emerging technology policy issues, and working with CDT’s networks of external academics and partners.
This is a one-year full-time Fellowship, with the possibility of renewal for another year based on performance and availability of funds. The Fellow is expected to author at least 2 CDT research reports during the year, with the option to complete at least 1 academic submission.”
Policy Analyst or Policy Counsel: New America
“New America’s Open Technology Institute (OTI) seeks a dynamic policy analyst or legal counsel to help develop and promote innovative policy initiatives that focus on broadband access and adoption, net neutrality, and wireless spectrum issues. This position includes research and analysis to support these policy initiatives, participation in coalitions, and advocacy at the Federal Communications Commission and other government entities.”
Senior Technologist, Elections & Democracy: CDT
“CDT’s technologists shape important public policy conversations at the intersection of civil liberties, security, privacy, and technology. A typical day may include everything from researching and writing papers or analysis, to public speaking opportunities, to private meetings amongst or across stakeholder communities. The role offers autonomy, opportunity to directly impact critical issues of our day, and professional development within a supportive environment. The Senior Technologist for Elections & Democracy will interact on a regular basis with CDT’s experts as well as the public interest groups, government officials, academics, companies, and other stakeholders with whom CDT engages. This position will be based in CDT’s Washington, DC office and offer opportunities to travel.”
The Congressional Digital Service Fellowship
The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed Congress into a remote and virtual institution literally overnight. Capitol Hill was not prepared for this moment and is now confronting a number of urgent digital challenges.
We are looking to immediately recruit a small collaborative tech team for an eight month fellowship to help Congress manage this critical moment.”
The Congressional Innovation Fellowship
“This fellowship will place you among the top tech decision makers in the United States government at a time when technology is reshaping society in fundamental ways. Even if you’ve never considered working in government, you should apply. The Congressional Innovation Fellowship will allow you to make change at the highest levels and at a scale unparalleled in the private or public sectors.”
CDT Postdoctoral Fellow – Explainability of AI in Content Moderation
The Center for Democracy Technology (CDT) is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to work on developing models and tools to improve the explainability and auditability of AI-based content moderation systems. This can include systems used in classifying, filtering, and recommending content on social media and other platforms. The Fellow will prototype and test models that can improve the explainability and auditability of these tools, and lead the publication of the results and other outputs as part of the Fellowship.
Internships
Tech Freedom Fall Internship
“Tech Freedom is a non-profit, non-partisan tech policy think tank based on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Our mission is to educate the public, policymakers and thought leaders about public policies approaches that enable technology to flourish and improve the human condition. We’re working to advance public policies that encourage and reward experimentation, entrepreneurship, and investment. We seek interns to assist our work in tech and telecom law and policy, especially those issues before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC).”
This PDF shares more information: https://internetpolicy.mit.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Tech-Freedom-Fall-Intership.pdf
Previous Opportunities
Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program: Class of 2021 Application
The PMF Program is the Federal Government’s flagship leadership development program for advanced degree candidates. The highly selective, two-year fellowship offers full salary, benefits, and leadership training to develop a cadre of future government leaders across over 100 Federal agencies.”
Application Deadline: October 14, 2020 (12 p.m. ET)
Free Expression Policy Counsel / Analyst: CDT
“The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) is seeking a Free Expression Policy Counsel/Analyst to work on issues at the intersection of free expression and technology. This position offers an exciting opportunity to work on challenging issues related to free expression in the United States and around the world, including content moderation, intermediary liability, fundamental rights protection, and transparency reporting, as well as cross-cutting issues such as digital copyright, net neutrality, and privacy. The position offers opportunities for growth, including identifying and leading CDT’s work on new and emerging issues. The position is based in CDT’s Washington, DC office (with remote work currently in effect due to COVID-19).”
Policy Analyst or Policy Counsel: New America
“New America’s Open Technology Institute (OTI) seeks a dynamic policy analyst or legal counsel to help develop and promote innovative policy initiatives that focus on broadband access and adoption, net neutrality, and wireless spectrum issues. This position includes research and analysis to support these policy initiatives, participation in coalitions, and advocacy at the Federal Communications Commission and other government entities.”
Senior Technologist, Elections & Democracy: CDT
“CDT’s technologists shape important public policy conversations at the intersection of civil liberties, security, privacy, and technology. A typical day may include everything from researching and writing papers or analysis, to public speaking opportunities, to private meetings amongst or across stakeholder communities. The role offers autonomy, opportunity to directly impact critical issues of our day, and professional development within a supportive environment. The Senior Technologist for Elections & Democracy will interact on a regular basis with CDT’s experts as well as the public interest groups, government officials, academics, companies, and other stakeholders with whom CDT engages. This position will be based in CDT’s Washington, DC office and offer opportunities to travel.”
Director of European Affairs: CDT
“CDT Europe is seeking a Director of European Affairs to help shape public policy in the EU on critical issues of the digital age. The Director leads the work of CDT’s European team, working collaboratively with CDT’s U.S.-based project teams and staff. The position is located at the CDT Europe office in Brussels.”
Research Manager: CDT
“The Center for Democracy Technology (CDT) is seeking a Research Manager to work on issues at the intersection of technology and human rights. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a newly created research team within CDT, informing its policy agenda and contributing to cutting edge tech policy dialogue in the U.S., EU, and around the world.”
Director of Technology Projects – EFF
The Director of Technology Projects at the EFF is a senior leadership role that will help decide organization-wide choices. In this role, successful candidates will lead a team of ethical technologists to defend encryption, outwit censorship, and code a better digital future.
Consumer Reports Digital Lab Fellowship
This opportunity is a paid and non-resident fellowship in which successful candidates will study the effects of connected products and services. The fellows will use their research to increase transparency and advance consumers’ interests in the marketplace.
2020 Congressional Innovation Scholars Program
The Congressional Innovation Scholars fellowship is a ten-month paid program that will enable successful candidates to serve as tech policy advisors to top Members of Congress. TechCongress is looking for recent graduate students in CS, engineering, data science and other technical fields to fill this position.
Google Public Policy Fellowship: EMEA
The Google Policy Fellowship program includes 15 countries in 2019 and runs from January to June. The program is looking for undergraduate, graduate, law students and early-stage professionals that are interested in Internet and technology policy. In this position, successful applicants will contribute to public dialogue on these issues and explore future academic and professional interests.