Description

The Civic Science Fellows program, supported by the Rita Allen Foundation, builds a national network of emerging leaders working at the intersection of science, technology, and civic life. Civic Science Fellows are cross-disciplinary thinkers and bridge builders who help connect scientific knowledge with public decision-making and community needs. Fellows are embedded in host organizations for 18 months to co-create and pilot projects that advance civic science practice. They also participate in a national learning cohort that includes convenings, workshops, and peer exchange by the Rita Allen Foundation.

About the Project

The Civic Science Fellow will be embedded in the Academy’s Science, Engineering, and Technology program area to contribute to a proposed initiative on how institutions govern moments of publicly visible scientific revision. Pending approval, the Fellow’s primary work will be As the Facts Change (ATFC), a multi-year initiative studying how institutions respond when scientific understanding, guidance, or policy-relevant evidence changes in public view.

Within ATFC, the fellow will lead a defined research workstream and participate in the project's case-selection process and advisory structure. Alternatively, the Fellow may instead contribute to closely related SET work on science governance, civic science, public trust, and the institutional dimensions of science policy.

About the Academy

Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is both an honorary society that recognizes and celebrates the excellence of its members and an independent research center convening leaders from across disciplines, professions, and perspectives to address significant challenges. Academy projects bring together elected members and subject matter experts in cross-disciplinary efforts to produce independent and pragmatic studies that inform public policy and advance the public good. The Academy is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion and looks to all its staff members to foster and promote its values.

Requirements

Major Areas of Responsibility

• Support the design and implementation of research approaches for one to two ATFC case studies, in collaboration with the SET Program Director and advisory committee.
• Conduct background research on potential or assigned ATFC case studies, including document analysis and review of relevant scholarly, policy, and institutional materials.
• Develop draft research plans for assigned case studies, in collaboration with the SET Program Director and with feedback from project co-chairs, advisory committee members, and subject-matter experts.
• Coordinate and support the execution of case-study research, including stakeholder interviews, expert panels, meeting preparation, note-taking, synthesis, and follow-up.
• Analyze and synthesize findings from interviews, expert discussions, and documentary research to help identify implications for institutional design, science governance, and public trust.
• Draft case summaries, internal memos, public-facing materials, and other project outputs, revising as needed in response to substantive feedback.
• Contribute to analytical publications for policy, practitioner, civic, or academic audiences, with authorship or co-authorship determined by project needs and Academy practice.
• Engage with practitioners, journalists, community stakeholders, and scientific leaders to connect research findings to real-world institutional contexts and build bridges between scientific and civic communities
• Participate fully in the Rita Allen Civic Science Fellows national learning cohort, including in-person convenings, online workshops, and peer exchange activities
• Contribute to grant reporting and, as relevant, to related project development within SET

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a relevant field with at least three years of post-doctoral professional experience; or a master's degree in a relevant field with at least five years of professional experience, Relevant fields include science and technology studies, history and philosophy of science, science communication, political science, sociology, and related disciplines. Candidates with relevant experience alongside doctorate degrees in natural sciences or engineering will also be considered.
• Demonstrated ability to lead an independent research or programmatic project from design through completion, with responsibility for a defined body of work and its outcomes.
• Strong analytical writing and persuasive writing skills, including the ability to develop evidence-based arguments for informed non-technical audiences across multiple formats and registers
• Experience communicating science or research findings to public, practitioner, or civic audiences through writing, events, digital media, or direct community engagement.
• Ability to manage a multi-stage research project independently under general supervision.
• Ability to revise analytical work in response to substantive feedback from senior staff, advisory committee members, and subject-matter experts.
• Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States without Academy sponsorship.

Fellowship Eligibility

Civic Science Fellows are emerging leaders from diverse demographic, cultural, and professional backgrounds. We welcome candidates from a wide range of disciplines and career paths, including the social sciences, science and technology studies, history and philosophy of science, science communication, science journalism, informal science education, and policy-facing nonprofit work. The Fellow who will thrive in this role brings both the analytical rigor to lead original policy research and the communication skills to make that research legible and meaningful across institutional and civic contexts.

Terms

This is an 18-month, full-time appointment to begin September 2026. Some travel for research, convenings, and Rita Allen Foundation cohort activities will be expected. 

Location and Work Environment

This is a hybrid role based within commuting distance of either the Academy's Cambridge, MA or Washington, D.C. office.

Application

To be considered for the role, candidates must submit a cover letter (maximum 2 pages), a resume, and a writing sample. Priority consideration will be given to applications received by June 30th.