TechCongress

The Congressional Innovation Fellowship will place you among the top tech decision makers in the United States government at a time when technology is reshaping society in fundamental ways. Even if you've never considered working in government, the Congressional Innovation Fellowship will allow you to make change at the highest levels and at a scale unparalleled in the private or public sectors.

We are bridging the divide between Congress and the technology sector by placing tech savvy people like you-- an early-career technologist (two - six years professional experience), including those who have recently finished, or are on track to finish a Master's program or PhD-- to work with Members of Congress and Congressional Committees. Our goals are to build capacity in Congress, train cross-sector leaders -- who can understand the challenges of government and in the technology community -- and keep Congress up to date about the latest challenges and opportunities relating to technology.

As a Congressional Innovation Fellow you will:

• Work with TechCongress to choose a placement with a Member or Congress or Congressional Committee and report directly to a senior staffer (like a Legislative or Staff Director) in that office from January - October 2024.

• Perform duties similar to other Congressional staff by applying your experience in technology to a variety of work, including:

  • Researching relevant policymaking (on issues like encryption, autonomous vehicle regulations, facial recognition privacy, health IT, election security, disinformation, open data, cyber/data security and many others)

  • Helping educate Members and staff about these issues.

  • Writing legislation.

  • Preparing for and organizing Committee hearings, markups, or investigations.

  • Building coalitions with partners and other groups.

• Support TechCongress by writing about and presenting on your experience periodically, and represent TechCongress and the Congressional Innovation Scholars at meetings or events.

What we’re looking for in TechCongress Fellows:

• Early-career, with between two and six years of experience, including recently finishing (or projected to finish by January 2024) a technical degree program (Master's, PhD, or done with PhD coursework and still completing your dissertation).

• Tech savvy, with experience working in or studying the technology sector.

• Great interpersonal and communications skills.

• Some technical ability.

• Ability to explain technology to those that aren’t as familiar with technology tools or concepts.

• Track record of success taking initiative and working with others.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

• Committed to helping get Members of Congress and Congressional staff up to speed on technology issues.

No experience working in or with government? Great! We're not looking for that. The Congressional Innovation Fellowship is an opportunity to expose technology leaders like you to Capitol Hill. It is first and foremost and educational experience, giving you a one-of-its-kind education into how Congress and the government works. 

Fellows earn a stipend equivalent to $67,085 annually during the 10 month program ($5,590/mo.). Benefits include reimbursements for healthcare (up to $425/mo.), fellowship travel (up to $2,000), relocation to DC (up to $2,000), up to $2,000 for accommodation for the first month of the fellowship in the Washington DC area to ease the transition, and a $500 clothing allowance for purchases of professional attire.

Will orientation be virtual or in-person?
Orientation will likely be a mix of in-person and virtual programming. Our June 2023 orientation, for example, had two days in-person and two days virtual each week.

We are also continuing to monitor the COVID-19 numbers and adjusting our programming accordingly in order to keep everyone safe. We’ve successfully run four fully virtual orientations and received very positive feedback from our fellows.

Is remote participation in the fellowship possible?
Unfortunately, no. Remote participation is not possible. You will have to relocate to Washington, D.C. for the fellowship. Most offices require you to work in person. Regardless of whether you are working in person or in a hybrid model, fellows will staff Members of Congress at Committee hearings and during floor votes and it is imperative that you are local for those occasions.

Is there support for relocating?

In addition to the relocation allowance of $2,000 to cover moving expenses, TechCongress is providing a one-time reimbursement of up to $2,000 for accommodation for the first month of the fellowship in the Washington, DC area to allow fellows to find short-term accommodation (Airbnb, extended stay hotel) so that fellows do not have to search for housing ahead of time remotely.

What’s the difference between the Congressional Innovation Fellowship and the Senior Congressional Innovation Fellowship?
The Congressional Innovation Fellowship program is a fellowship exclusively for individuals early in their career (two - six years of experience in aggregate) or individuals that have recently finished, or are on the cusp of finishing a technical degree program. The Senior Congressional Innovation Fellowship is meant for mid-career professionals, who on average join with eight to fourteen years of professional experience. The model of our early-career program— our orientation, your placement in Congress, and your work on Capitol Hill— is virtually identical to the mid-career program.

What level of schooling do I need to be eligible for the early-career Fellowship?
You should have between two and six years of experience post-undergrad, which includes individuals that have recently completed a graduate-level or PhD-level program. Recent graduates with Bachelor's degrees with no work experience are not eligible.

What if I’m in the middle of my studies?
The explicit goal of the early-career fellowship is to serve as a pipeline for you into the ecosystem of public interest technology, and remain in government or the nonprofit sector. In short: we want this program to be the pathway to a job immediately after the ten-month fellowship finishes. You are eligible to apply if you are in the middle of a Master’s, PhD or other graduate-level program but please know that we are looking for those individuals who desire to stay in government or public policy and have the ability to do so.

What if I want to stay on in Congress after the program is finished?
That’s great! That’s exactly what we’re trying to accomplish. We spend a large portion of the program helping you build your network in Washington and on Capitol Hill in order to position you to find full-time employment after the program finishes.

What kind of education qualifies?
Any bachelors, graduate-level or PhD-level program in computer science, engineering, data science, informatics, IT, cybersecurity, or other technical field. If you studied in one of these fields as an undergrad, or worked in a technical field and are now pursuing a law or public policy degree, that will also make you well qualified.

What are start dates and terms for the early-career fellowship?
Fellows will start in January 2024. You will serve a ten-month term, until October 2024.

What is the stipend for the early-career Fellowship?
Fellows receive a $67,085 annual equivalent salary ($5,590 / month) paid out at the beginning of the month. The program also includes funding for travel, health care, and relocation to Washington, D.C.

Are there any benefits provided with the early-career fellowship?
Fellows receive health care reimbursement of up to $425 per month; a $2000 reimbursement for Fellowship travel; up to $2000 for relocation expenses; up to $2000 for accommodation for the first month of the fellowship in the Washington DC area to ease the transition; and a $500 clothing allowance for purchases of professional attire.

Do I need to be a U.S. citizen to apply?
You need to be a citizen, green card holder, or dreamer (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)) to be eligible for the program.

SELECTIONS AND PLACEMENT 

How are fellows selected?
Early-career fellows are selected by an independent selections board using criteria that includes:

• Potential for leadership in technology policy

• Professional achievements and technical ability.

• Commitment to building a diverse and cross-sector technology policy ecosystem.

• Potential for future growth and career advancement.

• Interpersonal, communication and “tech-translation” skills.

• Individual plans for incorporating the fellowship experience into specific career goals.

FELLOWSHIP EXPERIENCE

How is the placement determined?
Once accepted to the fellowship, Fellows will participate in a two-week orientation program (see “What does the orientation process involve?” below).  After orientation, TechCongress will facilitate meetings with Members, Committees and Legislative Support Agencies to help fellows find their placement. TechCongress will work to secure interviews with any offices that fellows have identified ahead of time that align with their policy interests.  All 95 of our fellows have served highly influential Members of Congress or Congressional Committees, and in 2020 each fellow averaged over seven offers for placement. 

Although we encourage our fellows to meet with as many offices in Congress as they are interested in, please keep in mind that certain committees with required clearances may be reluctant to host fellows given sensitivities.

What will the orientation process involve?
Fellows begin the program with an in-depth, two-part orientation.  

Part one consists of small group networking with policymakers, including one-on-one conversations with Members of Congress and their staff.  It also includes workshops on the following topics:

• Legislative process, including House and Senate floor procedure

• Committees and Committee process

• Federal budgeting and appropriations

• Conducting oversight and investigations

• Overall leadership development

Part two consists of visits with tech policy thought leaders at academic institutions, civil society groups and technology companies to explore the range of perspectives on common tech policy challenges.

You can read more about our reflections about what we learned about orientation and our other work on our blog. 

What are the expectations of Fellows?
All fellows are expected to abide by all House and Senate ethics rules and the Congressional Innovation Fellows Code of Conduct.  They operate much like regular Congressional Staff and are expected to abide by the rules of their placement offices.  Additional information is available on the House and Senate Ethics Committee websites, at www.house.gov/ethics and www.ethics.senate.gov. The full texts of the ethics manuals are available:

• House Ethics Manual

• Senate Ethics Manual

What is the day-to-day like?
One of the most common questions we receive is “What is the day-to-day of the fellowship look like?” And our answer - there is none! It depends based on what the office or committee is focused on and how they operate. Fellows work directly for a Member, Committee or Legislative Support Agency for the duration of their residency and could spend their time on technology-related issues like NSA surveillance reform, patent reform, cybersecurity, data security or network neutrality. Typical duties could include:

• Briefing Members and staff about technology issues

• Researching legislation

• Preparing for hearings or markups

• Meeting with stakeholder groups and building coalitions

What kind activities will occur during the fellowship?
Fellows will report directly to their placement office and assist office staff on relevant duties.  The fellowship includes a mentorship and professional development program as well as regular events and convenings for fellows with tech policy thought leaders.  

What happens after the fellowship?
TechCongress is committed to helping fellows transition after their fellowship. We work with fellows individually to connect with technology leaders and find a home in the technology or the policy community after the program.

Our early-career fellows make a tremendous impact on the institution and tend to follow one of four tracks after their fellowship: they stay on the Hill, work elsewhere in government, work for a civil society/nonprofit/think tank, or go back to the private sector but work in policy-oriented roles. We are proud to have TechCongress alumni at the ACLU, the U.S. Department of State, the Center for Democracy and Technology, Schmidt Futures, Upturn, the Foundation for American Innovation, and more.

How do I find health insurance? 
Health Insurance is available on the Washington D.C. Health Insurance Exchange.  Fellows have access to the same coverage as Members of Congress and Congressional staff, as part of the Affordable Care Act.  TechCongress provides a reimbursement for health insurance premiums up to $400/month.

DIVERSITY REFERRAL AWARD FAQS

How do I refer someone?
Anyone can refer a candidate! The easiest way to refer someone is to nominate them for the program.  But tweeting, blogging, forwarding an email, and spreading the word in other ways are effective methods!

Can I refer myself for the program? 

You can of course nominate yourself for the program! But only third-party referrers are eligible for the diversity award. Fellows themselves are not eligible for the award. We also will not be awarding individuals who have an affiliation to the TechCongress organization or the selections process, including TechCongress staff and advisors.

How do I qualify for the referral?

Simply nominate a candidate for the fellowship! When a candidate is accepted and begins as a fellow, we will search the nominations form to see if that individual was referred to us. We’ll also ask fellows to identify if they were nominated or referred to the program by an individual.

What if a candidate that I send you doesn’t self-identify as a member of an underrepresented group?

We think that question is best left to the candidate themselves. We will ask them to identify if they consider themselves to be a part of an underrepresented community in the tech industry. According to the National Science Foundation (NSF), “the representation of certain groups of people in science and engineering (S&E) education and employment differs from their representation in the U.S. population. Women, persons with disabilities, and three racial and ethnic groups—blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians or Alaska Natives—are underrepresented in S&E.” TechCongress applies the NSF definition of underrepresented groups to our practice.

What if I’m a recruiter?

We don’t accept applications from recruiters. We welcome recruiters to tell potential candidates that we’re recruiting.

Are resumes from diverse candidates treated differently?

No. All applicants are reviewed under the same process using the same criteria. We also employ an anonymized selections process. Names and identifying characteristics are stripped out to minimize bias using a tool in our application platform, Screendoor. Referred candidates will not be given any special treatment or guaranteed selection and must meet all standards expected of Congressional Innovation Fellows.

Does the fellow get anything special, or just the referrer?

Fellows are subject to the same fellowship requirements and benefits as all other fellows. Only the referrer is eligible for the award.

Are you only recruiting women, underrepresented minorities, veterans, and the disabled?

No, we are recruiting for any talented tech thinkers! But we place special emphasis and attention on targeting our outreach to underrepresented groups as diversity, equity, and inclusion are core to our operations.

Why are you willing to pay for referrals of underrepresented groups but not other candidates?

Inclusion is a core value of TechCongress. We believe that both the tech industry and the U.S. Congress should represent the demographics and lived experience of citizens and residents of the United States. Right now, they do not. We are actively seeking to pilot solutions to build a more inclusive hiring process, and model them for Congress and other civil society groups.

The Founder of TechCongress is a white man from Washington D.C., and many of his networks consist of white men working in politics in Washington D.C. Early research suggests that diversity referral awards are a very effective way to reach networks and communities outside of our own.  

Other questions?  We're here to help.  Email Aleena [at] TechCongress.io with any further inquiries.  And visit our events page to join us.