Science policy is a big umbrella, encompassing lots of potential types of work and employers. The chart below shows some broad categories with more specific examples. If you want to work with policymakers themselves, you could intern at a government agency at the local, state, or federal level. You can either advise on policy itself or conduct actual science or technology work for the office, like working to improve computer systems for the City of Boston. You can intern directly for an elected official or Congressional committee.
If you would prefer to influence government from the outside, you can conduct policy research at a think tank or nonprofit. There are also nonprofits dedicated to science or technology advocacy. For instance, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) works on internet privacy. There’s also the option of a policy fellowship at a national science academy, like the American Institute of Physics. If you want to work on policy in the private sector, technology companies often have a policy team that seeks to influence legislation. If you love to write, you could work in science communication.
Which ever of these avenues you decide to pursue, MIT has options for funding or academic credit.
Here are some great places to start your internship search. If you want to dive in deeper, there is a list of jobs boards at the end of the page with hundreds more job and internship listings. Please note that the positions here are simply example opportunities, and are not reflective of the views of SPI.
