Host a Fellow
Through our flagship Horizon Fellowship, we place fully-funded fellows at host organizations to help tackle policy challenges related to artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and other emerging technologies.
Federal agencies, congressional offices, and think tanks are eligible to host fellows. Placements typically last 12 months or more. All fellows are selected through a highly competitive process, and fully funded by Horizon through philanthropic support. Fellows also receive extensive policy training and mentorship prior to their placement, enabling them to hit the ground running from day one. If you are interested in hosting a fellow, please connect with us.
What Horizon offers
We aim to make the experience of hosting a fellow as helpful and smooth for host offices as possible. As such, our program is designed to have several core features:
Horizon Fellows are fully funded and free to their host office
To ensure access to talent is based on need and impact rather than budget, all our fellows are fully-funded through philanthropic support and thus entirely free to their host organizations. This includes funding not only fellows’ salaries and benefits but also the host organization’s overhead costs, as applicable and appropriate. You can learn more about our supporters and partners here.
Horizon Fellows are selected through a highly competitive application process
Our fellowship opportunities are widely advertised, and fellows are assessed for relevant qualities in a multi-step process that includes several interviews and work tests. Among our top priorities are a deep commitment to public service and impact, analytical and writing skills, and the ability to work in teams and high-pressure environments.
Horizon Fellows bring deep subject-matter expertise in critical areas
To advance policymakers’ understanding of AI, biosecurity, and related emerging technologies, we select fellows who are experts in their fields from across academia, industry, and civil society. At the same time, we screen fellows for being broadly interested and fast learners, allowing them to thrive in dynamic policy environments.
Horizon Fellows receive extensive training in policy skills prior to their placement
To enable our fellows to hit the ground running from day one, we train them in relevant skills such as policy research, memo writing, and briefing, and organize seminars with senior practitioners on how the policy world works. Fellows also receive a personal development budget that they can spend on the skills most relevant to their individual placement and career goals.
Where our fellows have placed
Horizon has placed more than 30 fellows across federal agencies, congressional offices, and think tanks, with more than a dozen additional fellows currently in training. Their placements have included, among others:
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Executive branch — the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services
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Congress — Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), House Science Committee (Republican staff), Senate Commerce Committee (Democratic staff)
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Think tanks — Center for Health Security, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Center for Security and Emerging Technology
What our fellows work on
Drawing on expertise built at top academic labs, medical schools, companies, and civil society organizations, our fellows have supported research and decisions on a wide range of topics including pandemic preparedness and response, the implications of AI developments for cyber security, and the international control of weapons of mass destruction, among many others.
Learn more about:
The relationship between Horizon and host organizations
Once our fellows are selected and trained, Horizon’s primary role is that of a facilitator: we introduce fellows to prospective host organization, and let the fellows and hosts make their own decisions from that point onward. Our number one priority is ensuring that a there is a great match between the needs, interests, and goals of the fellow and their host organization.
As part of our facilitation role, Horizon first works with prospective host office staff to understand their needs, interests, and goals. For example, we will ask host offices what projects they could see fellows contributing to, and what knowledge and skills they would most value in a Horizon fellow. This enables us to connect host organizations to specific fellows whose interests and backgrounds align with the office’s priorities.
Host organizations may talk to multiple prospective fellows, and are encouraged to conduct their own screening process on top of Horizon’s, for example through interviews or writing sample assessments. Fellows can likewise talk to multiple prospective host organizations, and may receive multiple offers. We put the fellow in the driver's seat: the ultimate decision of where to do their placement is up to them.
After fellows start their placement, host organizations fully manage the fellow’s work. Horizon staff will regularly check in with both host and fellow about the placement experience, and are available to provide support to the fellow where needed, but are otherwise not involved in the fellow’s day-to-day activities.