Applications open for Horizon’s AI policy Career Accelerator

Applications are now open for the third cohort of Horizon’s Career Accelerator, our part-time, remote program supporting talented individuals as they pursue careers in AI policy. The deadline to apply is June 21, 2026.

Accelerator participants receive personalized support to find, assess, and successfully apply to AI policy career opportunities, including internships, fellowships, part-time roles, full-time jobs, and graduate school. That support includes 1-on-1 mentorship and career advising, dedicated policy training, application support, introductions to hiring managers, an active peer community, and career development funding of up to $100,000 per participant.

Here’s what some past participants have said about the program:

• “The Horizon Career Accelerator made my career pivot possible: it gave me the tools, mentorship, and network to translate my scientific expertise into actionable work on technology policy, and it gave me the confidence to pursue it.”
• “Before joining the Career Accelerator, I imagined it would take years before I could transition to policy careers in DC. Horizon gave me the resources, encouragement, and guidance to help launch my policy career within months.”
  
  

What you’ll get

Over the 9-month program period, you’ll have access to:

1. 1-on-1 Mentorship: You’ll be matched with a dedicated mentor drawn from experienced policy practitioners, including Horizon Fellows, alumni, and other professionals in our network. You’ll also receive personalized career guidance from Horizon staff.
2. Dedicated Training: Participate in virtual trainings on topics most useful for getting into AI policy: working in Congress, think tanks, or federal agencies; testing your fit for policy; networking in DC; tactical application advice; and more.
3. Application Support: Get coaching on application materials (resumes, cover letters, writing samples) plus professional advice on topics like security clearances and immigration.
4. Opportunity Notifications: Access exclusive job listings, internships, fellowships, and other policy opportunities from across our network, including those that aren’t publicly advertised.
5. Peer Community & Events: Join an active Slack community where participants and Horizon staff share insights, job leads, and resources, alongside virtual and in-person events.
6. Introductions to Hiring Managers: Expand your network through direct referrals to policy leaders and organizations across Horizon’s network.

The most time-intensive part of the program is the optional training period, which can take up to about 5 hours per week. Other components are flexible: total time commitment outside training is typically less than 2 hours per week on average, depending on your engagement with mentorship and advising.

Funding for career development

Beyond the support above, you can submit a funding request, either during your initial application or anytime during the program, to seek financial support to advance your AI policy career. 

We’re willing to consider funding amounts up to $100,000 per participant for eligible expenses, including unpaid or underpaid policy roles, upskilling opportunities (like conferences or courses), and relocation to DC for a specific policy-related opportunity. You don’t need to have a specific offer or opportunity already secured to apply.

Funding decisions are made at Horizon’s discretion, based on the policy career benefit we expect the funding to provide. Our funding request form has more details on what we can and cannot fund.

Who should apply

We support participants across a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels, including:

• Early-career participants. Students and recent graduates seeking early-career policy opportunities, especially internships, fellowships, graduate degrees, and entry-level jobs.
• Mid-career and senior participants. Experienced professionals (e.g., from the private sector or academia) seeking to pivot into US AI policy work who need help navigating the transition, whether that means finding full-time roles, identifying part-time opportunities, or upskilling. We’re also open to participants who bring policy career experience but are now looking to pivot into work on AI policy issues.

Some example applications we’d be excited to receive:

• You’re a student (undergraduate or graduate) exploring your fit for policy and you want help identifying and applying to congressional internships.
• You’re a final-year undergraduate looking for your first job and want support finding strong opportunities and optimizing your application materials; as a backup, you might need a few months of internship funding.
• You’re a mid-career professional transitioning into AI policy and need financial support and connections to bridge a 3-12 month transition period.
• You’re a graduate student or professor who wants to do policy-related projects alongside your research and explore an affiliation with a DC-based organization.
• You’re an experienced policy professional who has recently become interested in AI and wants to pivot toward emerging technology issues.

If you’re primarily seeking a 1-2 year full-time placement in government or think tanks, apply for our Horizon Fellowship instead. 

Eligibility

We’re most excited about applicants with the following qualifications:

• Passion for public service and interest in exploring their fit for policy or government careers
• Prior engagement with AI and/or public policy (through work experience, coursework, research, self-study, or personal projects)
• Strong interest in working on policy topics related to AI
• Strong interpersonal, writing, and communication skills

We don’t have minimum requirements for work experience or education. 

We’re unable to sponsor visas, so we generally expect applicants to have pre-existing US work authorization. We’ll still consider exceptional international candidates pursuing policy paths that don’t require sponsorship (e.g., graduate school or remote research roles). If you’re unsure whether you qualify, we encourage you to apply anyway.

Application process

Our application process has multiple stages, plus an optional funding component:

1. Online application form, asking for:
   • A CV or resume (2 pages or less)
   • Short-answer responses on your motivations and experiences (200 words or less each)
2. Additional steps: we’ll invite select applicants to advance through stages which may include interviewing with a member of our team; a brief, virtual work test (which will be paid); and professional reference checks.
3. (Optional) Funding proposal (around 1,000 words max), which you can submit alongside your initial application or any time during the program.
   
   

Program timeline

• Application period: May 21, 2026 – June 21, 2026
• Cohort selected: August/September 2026
• Program period: September 2026 – May 2027 (9 months)
• Virtual training period: 4-6 weeks during September – October 2026 (a few hours per week of optional modules)
• Post-program benefits: Alumni retain access to support services, including an active Slack community, advising resources, and tailored opportunity notifications.
  
  

Ready to apply?

If you’re interested in working in AI policy and want personalized support taking your next step, we hope to see you apply to the Career Accelerator.

Questions? Reach out to accelerator@horizonpublicservice.org. And if you can’t participate in this cohort, you can fill out our career support form to stay up to date on future cohorts and other Horizon opportunities in emerging technology policy.