Civic Science Fellow: Policy Research for State Government

University Of Michigan; Ann Arbor (MI); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Michigan invites applications for the Civic Science Fellow (MiST) in the STPP program, embedding fellows in the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Lansing and a longer research project with STPP. The 20-month, full-time appointment offers hybrid work with two in-person days per week at MDARD, beginning November 2026 and ending June 2028, fully grant-funded.

Fellows will receive training on Michigan state government, policy processes, and science

Qualifications

• Fellows must hold a terminal degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) before time of appointment.
• Experience synthesizing scientific and/or technical topics for lay audiences.
• Ability to prioritize efforts across multiple projects with different stakeholders.
• Ability to gather, interpret, and analyze qualitative and quantitative data relevant to community engaged research.
• Experience developing and utilizing frameworks for evaluating research, partnership, and policy impacts.

Responsibilities

• Conduct literature and landscape reviews on science and technology topics central to MDARD's policy goals and OASR.
• Track key bills, hearings, and developments at state and federal levels.
• Engage in online and in-person information gathering with MDARD and STPP teams.
• Collaborate with MDARD and STPP on shared research and policy projects.
• Draft memos, briefs, strategies, and reports for non-technical audiences.

Skills

Terminal degree

Scientific writing

Policy communication

Project prioritization

Data interpretation

Research framework development

Education

PhD or equivalent

Job description

The University of Michigan invites applications for the Civic Science Fellow (MiST) in the STPP program, embedding fellows in the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Lansing and a longer research project with STPP. The 20-month, full-time appointment offers hybrid work with two in-person days per week at MDARD, beginning November 2026 and ending June 2028, fully grant-funded.

Fellows will receive training on Michigan state government, policy processes, and science