_2025-09-10 Update: A better alternative to this is [Emerging Tech Policy Careers](https://emergingtechpolicy.org/about/)._

One potential way to improve the impacts of AI is through the actions of the US federal government [1], by doing good policy development, advocacy, or implementation [2]. To support people who are interested in these paths to impact, we compile some relevant career information, advice, and opportunities on this page.

## Career information and advice

### Context and general overviews

- [The case for building expertise to work on US AI policy, and how to do it (Bowerman, 2019)](https://80000hours.org/articles/us-ai-policy/)
    - This article provides broad context on working in US AI policy.
- [Takeaways on US Policy Careers Part 1](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/z9hzAB9mfgcpXmcze/takeaways-on-us-policy-careers-part-1-paths-to-impact-and) and [Part 2](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/qPvZJkcqvGAeFt3o6/takeaways-on-us-policy-careers-part-2-career-advice), and [Further Readings](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/qPvZJkcqvGAeFt3o6/takeaways-on-us-policy-careers-part-2-career-advice#Reading___podcast_recommendations) (2021)
    - Part 1 of the above posts outlines a handful of US policy jobs, why they may have promising paths to impact, and how people can learn more about their personal fit. Part 2 provides concrete career advice and materials for doing deeper dives.

### On working as a Congressional staffer

- [Working in Congress Part 1](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/otQtErQEB6R4GCDwF/working-in-congress-part-1-background-and-some-ea-cause-area-1) and [Part 2](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/LF63tcgdQujcHnEsS/working-in-congress-part-2-assessing-fit-and-landing-a-job) (2021)
    - These posts provide detailed career advice about working as a Congressional staffer. Part 1 discusses whether and where to work in Congress. Part 2 provides advice about assessing your personal fit and landing a job.

### On working at think tanks

- [Working at a DC policy think tank (2021)](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/dZnLssXGoHDs9kSPu/working-at-a-dc-policy-think-tank-why-you-might-want-to-do)
    - This post provides detailed information about DC policy think tanks: what they do, what working in one of them is like, why you might want to do that work, and advice for getting a job at one of them.

### On immigration pathways

- [Working in US policy as a foreign national: Immigration pathways and types of impact (2022)](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/e7NKpwD5z2Mnc7y7G/working-in-us-policy-as-a-foreign-national-immigration)
    - This post provides information about immigration pathways and what kinds of US policy work foreign nationals can do.

### On policy masters programs

[Under construction]

### On law school

- [Law School: Why and When? – Considerations for Members of the EA Community (2022)](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/K7nguCecbcZE53Tzv/law-school-why-and-when-considerations-for-members-of-the-ea-1)
- [Admissions and Financial Advice for U.S. Law School Applicants (2022)](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/RfWb4t2y5LpArAufD/admissions-and-financial-advice-for-u-s-law-school-1)

## Career opportunities

- If you're an undergraduate in the US, consider applying to your university's [semester/quarter/summer in DC program](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/jTzQGoGABJq7uAynr/consider-semester-in-dc-programs-if-you-re-a-us-student).
- [Here is a database of EA-relevant US policy fellowships](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/7NHRcLhFGbyG7vpFX/database-of-ea-relevant-us-policy-fellowships)
    - [The Open Philanthropy Technology Policy Fellowship](https://www.openphilanthropy.org/focus/global-catastrophic-risks/technology-policy-fellowship) offers full-time job placement support and mentorship in US policy for early and mid-career individuals seeking to mitigate long-term AI (or biosecurity) risks.
- This ["EA Careers Survey"](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeU3KXmuKkD0MNzfOweqlWQqq4-AYyI2FrrlOcPM1WT6RLe1w/viewform) is a 2-minute form by which people who are interested in careers inspired by effective altruism can express their career interests. A course organizer recommends filling this out if you are interested in learning more about your personal fit for working in US politics and policy.
- [Here](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/qPvZJkcqvGAeFt3o6/takeaways-on-us-policy-careers-part-2-career-advice#Fellowships___List_and_Comparison) is a list and comparison of various full-time fellowship programs for breaking into US policy (especially for people with STEM backgrounds).

## Additional Readings

- [Selfish Reasons to Move to DC (2022)](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/9uPMWPZg8mqmcAhhL/selfish-reasons-to-move-to-dc)
- [How to have a big impact in government & huge organizations, based on 16 years' experience in the White House [podcast] (Wiblin and Harris, 2019)](https://80000hours.org/podcast/episodes/tom-kalil-government-careers/) (see especially the highlighted excerpts in that link or in [this set of excerpts](https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/9XkrMTrA4d3fkBxDD/a-key-power-of-the-president-is-to-coordinate-the-execution))
- [EAs Should Consider Applying to Join U.S. Diplomacy (2022)](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/ogsKAg5ocNH5X5zxp/eas-should-consider-applying-to-join-u-s-diplomacy#Why_the_Foreign_Service_Offers_High_Expected_Value)
- [Recent grads interested in US policy: Consider the STPI Science Policy Fellowship (2022)](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/nkWA46e6gEcgKmX2e/recent-grads-interested-in-us-policy-consider-the-stpi)
## 
## Footnotes
1. This document focuses specifically on the US _federal_ government, meaning it does not focus on opportunities to have impact through US state governments (such as the California state government), US local governments (such as the government of the City and County of San Francisco), non-US governments (such as the UK government), intergovernmental organizations (such as the EU and UN), or non-governmental organizations (such as for-profit companies or nonprofits), except insofar as federal US government policy can improve the policies of these other organizations (e.g., by negotiating international agreements). 
2. See [this post](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/ydpo7LcJWhrr2GJrx/the-longtermist-ai-governance-landscape-a-basic-overview#Policy_development__advocacy_and_implementation) (Clarke, 2021) for more context on what policy development, advocacy, and implementation are and how they differ from some other ways people can contribute to AI governance. 



Career Resources on U.S. AI Policy

AI Safety Fundamentals Team • November 27, 2022