UATX/Cicero Institute Public Policy Fellowship Program
OVERVIEW
The Cicero Institute seeks industrious and talented UATX students to experience practical policy development for a trimester in Austin, Texas. As part of the UATX Fellowship program, you will take on projects under the guidance of experienced Cicero staff to support the development and advancement of innovative policy solutions. You will earn 1.5 credit hours, $15/hr (10 hrs/week), and best of all, gain professional development under the mentorship of our experienced policy team. All are encouraged to apply: philosophers and data scientists, writers and engineers, roboticists and future teachers. Applications for the internship will be considered on a rolling basis through July 1, 2026.
REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must be:
- Currently enrolled at the University of Austin (UATX) as a rising sophomore or above;
- Available to work in-person at the Cicero Institute (2112 Rio Grande St.) for 10 hours weekly between the hours of 10 am and 5 pm, Monday through Friday;
- Aligned with the mission of the Cicero Institute;
- Detail-oriented;
- Intellectually curious;
- Skilled at grappling with and conveying complex concepts and processes;
- Self-driven and entrepreneurial;
- Organized and able to manage multiple tasks; and
- Genuinely enthusiastic to learn about and apply their skills to public policy.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Fellows will be expected to:
- Work approximately 10 hours per week, between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, in our Austin office;
- Support the Cicero Institute’s policy development through research, drafting, editing, and more at the direction of Cicero staff and under the supervision of the program directors;
- By the end of the program, fellows will produce a substantial deliverable to satisfy the course expectations of UATX; this deliverable may take the form of a research output created with a Cicero policy expert, an independent presentation on a novel policy solution, or something else determined by the program directors in consultation with the fellow and relevant policy experts;
- Attend biweekly check-ins with the program directors to receive support and discuss progress on the fellow’s assignments to ensure all staff requests are completed in a timely manner; and
- Share and present work, collaborate on projects, and gain familiarity with research across Cicero’s policy verticals.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Professional development opportunities for fellows will include:
- Professional development events with Cicero staff and guest speakers, to include advice for navigating a career in public policy and exposure to top innovators in the Cicero network;
- Individual writing workshopping with Cicero communications and media staff;
- Causal inference literacy and data workshop with Cicero Analytics staff;
- An exit interview with personalized professional development advice; and
- Other opportunities that may present themselves during the program.
PROGRAM DATES
August 31, 2026, through November 9, 2026
COMPENSATION
UATX Fellows will receive $150 per week ($15/hr) and 1.5 hours of credit.
TO APPLY
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis through July 1, 2026. For any questions, please reach out to our team at [email protected].
ABOUT THE CICERO INSTITUTE
The Cicero Institute is a nonpartisan group of policy innovators with deep experience in government, legislating, research, technology, and entrepreneurship. Together, we incubate, develop, and fight for policies that apply the principles of a free society and solve problems at the state level, impacting millions of Americans.
Just like the policies for which we advocate, we value experimentation, iteration, and honest assessment.
Stay Informed
Sign up to receive updates about our fight for policies at the state level that restore liberty through transparency and accountability in American governance.