Horizon is hiring for 5 roles in program leadership, operations, and outreach: Apply by February 8, 2026

Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and biotechnology are rapidly reshaping our world. The US government plays an essential role in developing and governing new technologies, crafting policies to take advantage of their benefits and guard against the risks they pose. But policymakers’ ability to stay ahead of the curve depends on access to the requisite expertise — and right now, that expertise is sorely lacking. 

Since our founding three years ago, Horizon has helped hundreds of professionals explore and launch critically needed careers in public service. We’ve placed 80+ subject-matter experts in vital roles at top think tanks, in Congress, and in agencies across government through our fellowship program; reached 150,000+ users through our online career resources; and supported over 1,000 individuals through events and advising and headhunting services, leading to many dozens of job transitions. We also participated in the first-ever government AI hiring fair and recently launched the AI Policy Leadership Network. 

We plan to both scale these existing programs and have several exciting new projects in the pipeline for 2026. You can read more about our programs and impact in our 2025 year in review.

Horizon has been growing rapidly to keep pace with the increased demand for talent with tech expertise in policy and government. Last year, we went from 8 to 18 staff, and there is still far more impactful work to be done than we have capacity for on the team. If you are excited to build the next generation of emerging tech policy leaders — and to do so with a fast-growing and incredibly talent-dense, ambitious, and low-ego group of colleagues — there is no better time to do so than now.  

We are open to a wide range of candidates, from exceptional recent graduates to mid-career applicants. Research shows excellent candidates often disqualify themselves from roles they could be a great fit for. If you find this work meaningful and believe your skills align with one of our roles, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t have extensive prior experience with the specific set of tasks. Our hiring process is designed to test for aptitudes and skills, not specific resume markers.

Learn more about the roles we’re hiring for and apply through the links below (<15 min). The deadline is February 8, 2026. 

• Program Director, Talent 
  • Build the engine that powers all of Horizon’s programs. Horizon is scaling quickly: applications across our programs more than tripled in the past year, and we expect continued growth. You’ll design the sourcing and assessment infrastructure that makes this growth possible. Through ongoing conversations with candidates and partners, you’ll cultivate relationships across DC’s policy ecosystem, develop an unmatched view of the talent and hiring landscape, and refine how we identify the people whose careers will shape emerging tech policy. Your work will directly determine program quality and free up program leads to innovate more rapidly, making this a key multiplier role at a pivotal time in Horizon’s growth.
• Program Director, Career Accelerator
  • You’ll own and rapidly scale our Career Accelerator—a program that’s already moved 60+ people closer to impactful roles via training and $400,000 in committed grants in its first year. Your job is to turn a successful pilot into systematic infrastructure: expanding program services to serve 150+ participants annually and building a career grants engine that grows with demand. Through direct engagement with participants and hiring managers, you’ll develop deep insight into what makes career transitions succeed or fail, then use that knowledge to continuously improve the program. Your decisions will directly shape how quickly promising talent can contribute, making this a force-multiplier role for the AI policy field.
• Senior Program Associate, Operations 
  • Help shape how Horizon hires and supports its team during a pivotal growth period. Horizon has scaled from 2 to 18 employees in approximately three years, more than doubling our staff in the past year alone. As we pursue ambitious expansion plans, our ability to hire and integrate the right talent is a large barrier to scaling our impact. Through this role you’ll develop firsthand expertise in what makes organizations attract and retain exceptional people. Your work will directly determine how fast Horizon can grow and how well new hires contribute from day one, making this foundational work that unlocks the rest of Horizon’s impact.
• Senior Program Associate, Talent 
  • Support the growth of Horizon’s talent programs. Each year, we connect with thousands of job seekers exploring emerging technology policy and maintain relationships with hundreds of mentors and hiring managers across DC. You’ll make these connections happen: notifying candidates about relevant opportunities, maintaining our mentor network, triaging incoming advising requests, and conducting research and follow-up to support our programs. Through this work, you’ll develop deep knowledge of the talent landscape and build your own network across the policy ecosystem, while helping hundreds of emerging tech experts launch and advance in policy careers each year. 
• Senior Program Associate, Fellowship & Accelerator 
  • Drive forward program operations and improve the quality of our Fellowship and Career Accelerator programs. Last year these two programs moved 100+ people closer to emerging tech policy careers, and they’re expanding fast. You’ll serve as the programs’ implementation backbone: managing participant coordination, building training and mentorship infrastructure, running continuous feedback loops with participants and hiring managers, and identifying improvements that work across both programs. Through direct engagement with every cohort, you’ll help these critical initiatives scale and develop your expertise in emerging tech policy and how to run successful talent development programs. 

Application Process: Interested candidates should apply by completing the short form linked in the job descriptions above (<15 minutes) by Sunday, February 8, 2026. The full application process will involve paid work tests, a structured interview, reference checks, and a short paid in-person work trial in Washington, D.C.