Impact Fellowship FAQ

An Impact Fellow is an individual that supports the development and implementation of emerging scientific, technical, and innovation policy priorities within high-impact roles across the federal government. The benefits of becoming an Impact Fellow include the unique opportunity to serve within the federal government, using your expertise to engage in cross-sector learning opportunities in the federal government, and gain a deep understanding of how federal agencies operate, all while confronting some of the greatest scientific and social challenges of our time.

Potential candidates may begin by applying online under the chosen position(s). Early submission will ensure your application receives full consideration. Within 1-2 weeks of the positions closing date, FAS will screen candidates’ applications and move select individuals to a round of video interviews with FAS. From there, FAS will select a slate of finalist candidates to send to the sponsoring agency. Individuals on the finalist slate may receive an invitation to interview with agency staff. Upon completion of agency interviews, the agency will choose their preferred candidate and FAS will inform the selected candidate.

Once selected, FAS will provide resources and an in-depth onboarding process to prepare you for your tour of service. Additionally, FAS provides ongoing programming to our Fellows to ensure they are thoroughly equipped to be successful in government.

Impact Fellowships are often for 1 year. However, there may be opportunities to extend a tour of service based on agency need, FAS’s capacity, and Fellow interest.

Impact Fellowships typically become available quarterly. Be sure to check the FAS website for new and upcoming fellowships.

No. Fellows are expected to fulfill the time commitment advertised in the posting.

The option to work in-person, hybrid, or remote is at the discretion of the government agency to which you apply; please check the job posting for specifics about the individual role.

Impact Fellowships are financed through a funding pool comprised of grants from over 20 generous philanthropic donors.

The exact relationship with FAS is variable depending on agency requirements and expectations. Most often, our Impact Fellows are 1099 contractors through FAS and placed in the federal agency through flexible  hiring mechanisms, such as the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Mobility Program. Occasionally, Impact Fellows become FTE at FAS.

Impact Fellows that are FAS contractors do not receive employer-sponsored benefits.  Instead, FAS  includes for contractors $2,000/month in addition to advertised compensation to account for health and living expenses. In the rare case the Impact Fellow comes on as a full-time FAS employee, they will receive subsidized health, dental, vision and other benefits through FAS.

Security clearance requirements vary based on the government agency sponsoring the position; most often, Fellows go through a background screening but do not receive a security clearance.

Temporary or non-full time federal employees are generally considered eligible for the FAS Impact Fellowship. Interns and other fellows within the government are typically welcome to apply. If you are unsure about your specific eligibility, please email talent@fas.org.

Due to a high volume of applicants, we are unable to meet with prospective fellows to discuss the requirements of the Impact Fellowship. Please review our Impact Fellowship FAQ to see answers to common questions. If you are unable to find the answer to your question on our Impact Fellowship FAQ page, please email us with your specific question at talent@fas.org.