Policy Career Guides

This guide is a starting point for exploring AI policy careers in the executive branch. It reviews key policy areas and agency roles and highlights key considerations to inform your career planning.

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Outline:

(00:09) Executive branch

(00:23) Federal agency profiles

(00:41) Executive branch AI policy overview

(00:59) Executive branch biosecurity policy overview

(01:17) Executive Office of the President (EOP) \[AI+bio\]

(01:39) EOP National Security Council (NSC) \[AI+bio\]

(02:03) EOP Office of Management & Budget (OMB) \[AI+bio\]

(02:29) EOP Office of Science & Tech Policy (OSTP) \[AI+bio\]

(02:54) EOP National Economic & Domestic Policy Councils (NEC & DPC) \[AI+bio\]

(03:17) Department of Commerce (DOC) \[AI+bio\]

(03:40) DOC Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS) \[AI+bio\]

(04:06) Department of Defense (DOD) \[AI+bio\]

(04:30) DOD Office of the SecDef (OSD) \[AI+bio\]

(04:53) Dep. of Energy (DOE) \[AI+bio\]

(05:16) Dept. of Health & Human Services (HHS) \[Bio\]

(05:40) HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response (ASPR) \[Bio\]

(06:02) HHS Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) \[Bio\]

(06:29) HHS Food & Drug Administration (FDA) \[Bio\]

(06:54) HHS National Institutes of Health (NIH) \[Bio\]

(07:18) National Science Foundation (NSF) \[AI+bio\]

(07:42) Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) \[AI+bio\]

(08:09) DHS Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) \[AI\]

(08:31) Intelligence Community (IC) \[AI+bio\]

(08:54) Department of State (DOS) \[AI+bio\]

(09:16) Federal Trade Commission (FTC) \[AI\]

(09:37) US Department of Agriculture (USDA) \[Bio\]

(10:17) Federal agency research and application advice

(10:22) Researching federal agencies and offices

(10:43) Interviewing for federal positions

(11:03) Understanding federal job announcements and USAJOBS.gov

(11:31) Federal resume advice

(12:05) Executive branch fellowships

(13:59) Executive branch resources

(14:03) Job boards

(15:37) Websites

(16:16) Articles

(16:29) Newsletters

(16:49) Books

(17:54) Podcasts

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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This page focuses on how to find and apply for full-time positions in public service, highlighting job boards and relevant resources, outlining common career paths, listing policy opportunities, and explaining how to narrow down your options.

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Outline:

(00:33) Relevant resources

(01:51) Job boards

(03:51) Common career paths

(06:51) Where to apply?

(06:54) Policy opportunities in Washington DC

(09:04) Policy opportunities outside of Washington DC

(11:31) Narrowing down your options

(15:30) Networking matters for finding and getting jobs

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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VSFS facilitates part-time, remote semester internships with federal agencies for current students.

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Outline:

(00:32) Summary

(02:11) Who is eligible?

(03:02) Why is this an exciting opportunity?

(03:06) A wide variety of government agencies participate in VSFS

(03:59) No previous government experience is required

(04:22) The program is very flexible

(04:40) The experience can be useful for future applications

(06:13) Why the VSFS might be a bad fit for you

(07:23) What does participating in this program entail?

(07:27) A personal example

(09:12) General advice during the program

(10:22) Application overview

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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Many schools offer semester in DC programs providing support for internship applications, academic credit, funding, accommodation, and networking opportunities.

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Outline:

(01:31) Why apply for a policy internship?

(01:59) Credentials

(02:54) Networking

(05:38) Learning

(06:42) Testing fit

(08:31) A note on partisan affiliation

(08:52) How to apply

(10:54) Where to apply (general internship categories)

(10:59) Internship categories in Washington DC

(15:07) Internship categories outside of Washington DC

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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Many schools offer semester in DC programs providing support for internship applications, academic credit, funding, accommodation, and networking opportunities.

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Outline:

(00:41) What are semester in DC programs?

(01:01) Benefits

(02:59) Costs

(03:30) Timing

(04:02) Applications and eligibility

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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This article outlines the application process for policy master’s degrees and provides tips to strengthen the different components of your application.

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Outline:

(00:27) Summary

(01:18) Application timelines

(02:38) Application prerequisites

(03:49) Qualitative application components

(04:21) Resume

(05:12) Statement of purpose and other essays

(07:50) Letters of recommendation

(10:26) Quantitative application components

(10:52) GPA

(13:43) Standardized tests (GRE, GMAT)

(18:19) English proficiency exams for international students

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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Policy careers are highly network-driven. Networking is a learnable skill and developing a strong network helps you get valuable advice, hear of relevant job openings, be successful when you apply, and have an impact on the job.

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Outline:

(00:09) Tips and resources

(00:25) Networking in policy

(00:43) Policy skills

(00:59) Security clearances

(01:15) Partisan affiliation

(01:32) Policy resumes

(01:48) Policy cover letters

(02:01) Career profiles

(02:15) Policy career resources

(02:33) Using LinkedIn for policy roles

(02:45) How to pitch yourself in policy contexts

(02:57) Publishing in policy outlets

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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First published:

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Policy careers are highly network-driven. Networking is a learnable skill and developing a strong network helps you get valuable advice, hear of relevant job openings, be successful when you apply, and have an impact on the job.

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Outline:

(00:10) Why networking matters

(02:03) The networking mindset

(03:58) How to start building a DC policy network

(08:45) Preparing for networking conversations

(12:47) Connecting with senior professionals

(13:54) Maintaining professional connections

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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Policy work requires a diverse set of skills, depending on the specific role. This article explains which skills and traits are most essential for success in policy careers, and how to develop them.

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Outline:

(01:04) Essential skills for policy work

(01:29) Writing

(02:52) Networking and social skills

(03:38) Research skills

(04:29) Public speaking

(04:59) Language skills

(05:27) Technical skills and knowledge

(06:34) Learning how to learn

(07:15) Further resources

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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Government jobs typically require a security clearance, especially in national security. This article provides advice on how to improve your chances and speed up the future clearance process.

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Outline:

(01:11) Levels of background checks and security clearances

(04:23) What's the process for getting a security clearance?

(07:56) What roles do you need a security clearance for?

(08:35) What can disqualify you (and how to mitigate it)

(23:26) Security clearance tips

(26:02) FAQ

(26:19) Further resources

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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