Programs
Horizon helps the US government navigate our era of rapid technological change by supporting the next generation of emerging technology policy leaders. Our programs support people at all stages of their careers, from undergraduates interested in exploring policy careers to mid-career professionals looking to pivot into government.
Emerging technologies are profoundly affecting society, but policymakers frequently complain that they do not have access to the expertise they need to harness the benefits of new technological capabilities and guard against the risks they pose. At the same time, many experts in fields like artificial intelligence and biotechnology feel called to public service but lack the training, policy understanding, and networks required to pursue careers in policy.
Horizon’s programs tackle these frictions in the talent market to prevent the US government from falling behind in its ability to proactively and productively govern the next generation of emerging technologies.
Career Accelerator
Our Career Accelerator is a part-time, remote program designed to help individuals launch their careers in AI policy.
Participants receive personalized support to identify and pursue a wide range of policy opportunities, including internships, fellowships, full-time roles, and graduate school.
The program’s flexible, modular structure—with optional access to mentorship, training, application coaching, funding, and more—accommodates participants with wide-ranging backgrounds, from current students to mid-career professionals.
Workshops & events
Our events and workshops allow attendees to learn about the latest developments in emerging technology policy, build their network, and receive actionable tips on how to pivot their career toward their areas of interest. They often involve interactive question-and-answer sessions to help aspiring policy professionals resolve their key uncertainties about working in public service.
We host events in partnership with other organizations that share our mission of building pipelines into public service, helping to foster a collaborative ecosystem of people and organizations interested in building the field.
Fellowship
Government and civil society’s need for staff with emerging technology expertise has increased significantly in recent years. And while many experts are eager to work in public service, they often aren’t aware of the relevant opportunities and need training and support that individual policy employers can’t provide. As a result, policymakers can’t hire for the emerging technology expertise they urgently need, and experts do not take the plunge into public service.
Our fellowship program aims to solve this gap by recruiting and placing professionals with experience in emerging technology policy in think tanks, congressional offices, and federal agencies to help tackle policy challenges. Our fellows receive policy-focused training, mentorship, and support in matching with a host organization for a full-time, fully-funded fellowship placement in the Washington, DC area. A large majority of the fellows stay on in public service after their fellowship term.
AI Policy Leadership Network
Successfully navigating the AI era will require strong connections and active exchange among policy leaders across government, think tanks, and industry. Yet professionals shaping AI policy often operate in silos, with limited exposure to peers in other sectors or to the technical and industrial realities driving AI development. The AI Policy Leadership Network (APLN) brings together experienced professionals from across the AI policy ecosystem and the political spectrum.
This part-time program focuses on networking and professional development in AI policy, including discussions with senior AI policy leaders and learning trips that bring participants face-to-face with the infrastructure and people driving American AI. APLN is a joint initiative of the Horizon Institute, the Foundation for American Innovation, and the Center for a New American Security.
Online career resources
Our Emerging Tech Policy Careers website offers expert advice and resources for pursuing public service careers in emerging technology. We break down policy jargon, demystify government processes, and offer tactical advice to help with job searches and applications.
The site features 100+ in-depth guides covering key policy pathways and institutions, critical issues in emerging tech policy areas, and practical skills like networking and applications, along with databases of 200+ fellowships, graduate programs, and other opportunities—all regularly updated.
All content is based on extensive research and practitioner interviews, and reviewed by subject-matter experts before publication. Since launching in late 2023, the site has reached over 150,000 readers.
Career advising and support
Our career advisors support aspiring public servants navigating the path into emerging technology policy. We offer one-on-one coaching to help people think through career decisions, feedback on resumes and other application materials, mock interviews, and tailored opportunity notifications matched to individuals' backgrounds and interests.
We also work directly with policy organizations looking to hire, proactively engaging with hiring managers across our network to understand their needs and connect them with strong candidates. This two-sided approach helps us find opportunities that aren't publicly advertised and make high-quality matches between organizations and talent.
We are always on the lookout for new opportunities to pursue our mission of building pipelines into public service for emerging technology experts, including in partnership with other civil society organizations. Work in this direction has included supporting the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship in launching their first AI-focused fellowship program and being an active member of the Tech to Gov public interest technology coalition, organizing resources and events to encourage technologists to enter government. We also work alongside TechCongress, the Aspen Tech Policy Hub, and the National Security Career and Leadership Institute to advise and train technologists interested in public service work.