Government Works Weekly #63
Jobs, Events, and Strength in Togetherness
Welcome to your weekly roundup of opportunities, events, and information about how government works—and how government can work better—to improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities.
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Scroll down all the way for 34 upcoming events and 92 jobs and opportunities this week to help government work…
EYES & EARS – reading, podcasts, and other good stuff
The Facts of Friction
The speech from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the World Economic Forum has already received a lot of coverage this week (e.g., this from Tooze is good). And it is certainly worth reading or watching in full. But I wanted to hone in on something specific from it.
A world of fortresses will be poorer, more fragile and less sustainable… Collective investments in resilience are cheaper than everyone building their own fortresses. Shared standards reduce fragmentations. Complementarities are positive sum.
Although he is talking about cooperation in the international system, he is making a basic and profound point—relevant to all levels of government—about the increase in individual costs and burdens when we decide to step back from collective responsibility. When I heard this quote, it immediately brought to mind a recent piece in The Atlantic by Alexandra Petri, in which she talks about the frictions that start to arise in daily life when the government starts to pull back from its collective investments. I was hooked from the first line:
People look at you differently when you carry a Geiger counter. Or, at least, when you carry a Geiger counter and exclaim things like “Much less radiation here than you might expect!” But how else are you to know that the radiation in your food is at acceptable levels?
They have government inspectors for this, you might say. It is their job.
That was before Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency started hacking away at our bureaucracy. Before the federal government was shut down for much of the fall. And before I bought a Geiger counter to do my own food inspections.
For a while—maybe since 1883, when the Pendleton Act created a merit-based civil service of experts—we, as a nation, thought to ourselves: Life is too short for everyone to inspect their own food. Let the government handle this. But then along came the Trump administration to wonder: What if we didn’t?
FDA inspections at foreign food manufacturers are at historic lows because of staffing cuts, according to ProPublica. My Geiger counter cost $22.79. I thought it would give me a sense of agency and reassurance in this era of dismantlement. Instead, buying the Geiger counter was the first step toward losing my mind.
While the Trump administration conducted a sweeping experiment in government erosion, I started an experiment of my own. As each government function was targeted for cuts—or an official suggested that it was standing between me and my freedom—I put it on my to-do list, as a way to feel like I was doing something other than fretting about what was not being done.
The speech also brought to mind another recent article about increased costs and friction, namely administrative burden. In one of my favorite recent pieces, Sebastian Jilke and Elizabeth Bell wrote this week about the tradeoffs between access and fraud in public welfare programs. Using original data, they find a much more nuanced view than is commonly attributed to the public. It seems people are willing to bear some collective costs to reduce individual burdens:
The administration justified cutting billions in funding by invoking fraud concerns.
Our research suggests this response is out of step with what Americans actually want. Even among Republicans, tolerance for potential fraud increases dramatically when the conversation shifts from abstract “welfare” to concrete programs serving people they deem “deserving”.
Policymakers should take note. The public is broadly supportive of access for services, even if it means some fraud. Democrats and Republicans might view our findings differently. Those who want to build support for maintaining or expanding access to social programs should talk about specific programs and their beneficiaries, and emphasize the cost of adding more burdens. Those who want to justify cutting access, keep the conversation focused on fraud, not tradeoffs, and abstract when it comes to program effects.
Sources:
Davos 2026: Special address by Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, World Economic Forum, 20 Jan. 2026.
Chartbook 249 From transition to rupture: The evolution of Carney-thought 2019-2026, Adam Tooze, 21 Jan. 2026.
I Tried to Be the Government. It Did Not Go Well: My five-month quest to monitor the weather, track inflation, and inspect milk for harmful microorganisms, Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic, 8 January 2026.
What Does the Public Actually Think About the Access-Fraud Tradeoff?: Politicians are out of step with public views, Sebastian Jilke and Elizabeth Bell, Can We Still Govern?, 20 Jan. 2026.
Speaking of Friction
I had a rough draft for some other stuff here, but before I could finalize it my wife suggested we go for a couple’s massage. And, well, that sounds better. Pushing it for the next issue. Happy Friday, and have a great weekend! (But before you go, don’t forget to check out the jobs and events below.)
EVENT HORIZON – webinars, conferences, and other human things
WEEK OF 24-30 JANUARY 2026
23-24 JAN: Political Tech Summit
24 JAN: Rewiring Democracy with Bruce Schneier and Nathan E. Sanders in conversation with Cindy Cohn [Electronic Frontier Foundation]
24-25 JAN: Nuestra América: Emergency Call to Action [Progressive International]
26-28 JAN: Annual State-Facilitated Retirement Savings Program Network (SRSPN) Conference [Georgetown University Center for Retirement Initiatives]
26 JAN-1FEB: Reclaim the Economy Week
28-31 JAN: NASS 2026 Winter Conference [National Association of Secretaries of State]
26 JAN: Reimagining Public Institutions: Rethinking Leadership for Organizational Transformation [InnovateUS]
26 JAN: Voting Rights Lab Election Policy Tracker Demo [Voting Rights Lab]
27 JAN: The Shadow Branch: Revolving Door Lobbyists and the Structure of U.S. Policymaking [SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University]
27 JAN: CX Workshop [Nextgov/FCW]
27 JAN: The Power of Story to Grow Democracy [Democracy 2076 + Harmony Labs]
27 JAN: Telling Public Stories with Data [InnovateUS]
27 JAN: Celebrating the Procurement Excellence Network’s Three-Year Anniversary [Partners for Public Good]
27 JAN: A Conversation with Ben Buchanan on National Security and AI Policy [Berkman Klein Center]
27 JAN: Why Wealth Inequality Matters: A Symposium [Stone Center]
27 JAN: The Future We Build: A Conversation on Policy, Progress, and Power with Shalanda Young [Georgetown University]
28 JAN: 4th Annual Health Solutions Summit [Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget]
28 JAN: Elliot L. Richardson Prize for Exceptional Public Service [National Academy of Public Administration]
28 JAN: Overcoming Challenges to Evaluating Child Welfare Programs [Urban Institute]
28 JAN: 2026 Aspen Forum on Children and Families [Aspen Institute]
28 JAN: Under the Hood of AI Policymaking [Berkman Klein Center]
28 JAN: Townhall: State of the Civil Service – 2025 Review and 2026 Horizons [Democracy Forward + Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network + the Partnership for Public Service]
29 JAN: Taxes [Karsh Institute of Democracy + University of Virginia]
29 JAN: Redefine Your Role: Upskilling for Career Transformation in ERM [Partnership for Public Service + Deloitte]
29 JAN: The Day Federal Data Went Dark: A Year of Monitoring and Action [Association of Public Data Users]
29 JAN: Government Innovation Showcase California [Public Sector Network USA]
29 JAN: Special Briefing: The Year Ahead for Cities [Penn IUR + Volcker Alliance]
29 JAN: Delivering Accountability: Stopping Crime In Our Communities [CAP]
29 JAN: GovScape: Multimodal Search and Discovery for 10+ Million Government PDFs [Library Innovation Lab + Public Data Project]
29 JAN: Progress through Partnership: How States are Improving Compensation for the ECE Workforce [UC Berkeley]
30 JAN: Hated by All the Right People [New America]
30 JAN: Digital Democracy from Below [UVA’s Digital Technology for Democracy Lab]
30 JAN: Data, Power, and Authoritarianism [Georgetown Law Technology Review]
APPLY YOURSELF – jobs, internships, and other ways to get involved
POLICY + PROGRAM
Research Assistant or Research Associate, Federal Fiscal Policy & Immigration Policy, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities [Hybrid D.C.]
Manager, Policy and Government Affairs, PEN America [D.C.]
Deputy Policy Director, Climate Cabinet [priority deadline 30 Jan.]
Program Coordinator, National Civic League [deadline 5 Feb.]
Legislative Manager, Issue One [D.C. / Hybrid]
Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries, House Committee on Natural Resources [D.C.]
Multiple Positions, Horizon Institute of Public Service [deadline 8 Feb.]
Legislative Manager, Economic Policy, Bipartisan Policy Center [D.C.]
Program Manager, Culture Change, Constructive Dialogue Institute [Remote / NYC]
National Political Director, Pipeline Fund [deadline 30 Jan.]
Senior Policy Analyst/Counsel, Privacy & Data Program, Center for Democracy & Technology [D.C.]
Research Director, Center for Democracy & Technology [D.C.]
General Counsel, Lawyers for Good Government [Remote]
Multiple Legal Positions, Democracy Forward [D.C.]
STATE + LOCAL
Senior Policy Advisor, Democracy That Delivers, Institute for Responsible Government [rolling deadline]
Policy Analyst (K-12 Education), National Governors Association [D.C.]
Managing Director, State/Federal Policy and System, American Institutes for Research [multiple locations]
Communications Director, National Assembly of State Arts Agencies [Remote / deadline 9 Feb.]
Analyst, Sustainability Policy, Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget [New York City]
Senior Director of Policy, UTEC [Lowell, MA]
Research Analyst, Research and Cost Trends, Massachusetts Health Policy Commission
Policy and Research Manager, Current [Chicago / Great Lakes]
Contractors for Resilient States Project, Common Ground USA [CA / NY / VA]
Multiple Positions, Housing California [Sacramento / Remote]
Chief of Policy, California Department of Aging [deadline 3 Feb.]
Chief Policy & Program Officer, EdVoice [CA]
COMMS + OPS
Marketing Specialist, School for Moral Ambition [deadline 1 Feb.]
Communications Director, Whistleblower Aid [D.C.]
Digital Media Strategist, Democratic Attorneys General Association [D.C.]
Digital Manager, Civic Nation [Remote]
Vice President, Communications, Issue One [Hybrid / D.C.]
Citizen Engagement Digital Manager, Issue One [Hybrid / D.C.]
Communications Associate, Common Cause [Remote]
Media Director, Working America [D.C.]
Program Officer/Senior Program Officer, Strategic Communications, AI Governance and Policy, Coefficient Giving [Remote]
Director of Human Resources, Kettering Foundation [Dayton, OH]
Director of Development, Center for Economic and Policy Research
Executive Assistant to the President and ED, Democratic Attorneys General Association [D.C.]
Executive Assistant (Part-Time), Progressive Turnout Project [Remote]
Operations Director, Seed the Vote [Remote]
Chief Impact and Operating Officer, New Politics [Flexible Location]
Chief People and Culture Officer, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities [Hybrid D.C.]
ACADEMIA
Director of the Institute of Politics, Institute of Politics [Harvard Kennedy School]
Dean, School of Global Affairs and Public Policy [American University in Cairo]
Post Doctoral Scholar, Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society [The Ohio State University]
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Policy, Management, and Analytics, University of Illinois Chicago [deadline 2 Feb.]
Administrative Coordinator, Department of Public Administration and Policy [American University]
Post-Doctoral Fellow, The Shift Project [Harvard Kennedy School]
Associate Professor, Bennett School of Public Policy [University of Cambridge]
Assistant Professor, Bennett School of Public Policy [University of Cambridge]
TECH + DATA + DESIGN
Applied Demographer and Visualization Specialist for Inclusive Democracy, Kettering Foundation [Dayton, OH]
Multiple Tech Positions, Office of the Clerk [U.S. House of Representatives]
IT Support Specialist, National Conference of State Legislatures [Denver / Remote]
Senior Data Scientist and More, Nava [Remote]
Digital Product Manager, UNDP [deadline 28 Jan.]
Graphic Designer and Content Strategist Application, NYC Civic Engagement Commission [priority deadline 10 Feb.]
Product Manager Websites, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority [D.C.]
UX and Interface Designer, Administration for Children’s Services [New York City]
INTERNATIONAL
Senior Director, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, Centre for Public Impact [Remote / deadline 8 Feb.]
Associate Director, Democratic Futures (1 Year Contract), CIFAR – Canadian Institute for Advanced Research [Toronto]
Senior Evidence to Scale Manager, J-PAL Global
Reporter, Follow the Money [Amsterdam / deadline 8 Feb.]
Senior Communications Adviser, Spotlight on Corruption [UK / deadline 14 Feb.]
Communications Officer (Social Media), UN Global Pulse [Helsinki / deadline 1 Feb.]
Two Policy Analyst Positions, European Commission’s Competence Centre on Participatory and Deliberative Democracy [deadline 13 Feb.]
Senior Specialist, Compliance, Basel Institute on Governance [deadline 15 Feb.]
Grants Officer INSPIRED+ 2.0 Project, Club de Madrid [deadline 31 Jan.]
Senior Program Manager, Market Shaping Accelerator, Center for Global Development [D.C.]
Policy Programme Director, Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change [deadline 3 Feb.]
INTERNSHIPS + FELLOWSHIPS
WBG Pioneers Internship Program, World Bank Group [deadline 17 Feb.]
Call for Applications: re:constitution Fellowships 2026/27, re:constitution [deadline 5 Mar.]
Research Intern (Summer 2026), Center for Election Innovation & Research [deadline 16 Feb.]
Communications Fellow, Center for Election Innovation & Research [deadline 30 Jan.]
Spring 2026 NCDD Intern Cohort, National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation [deadline 30 Jan.]
Spring Policy and Operations Intern, National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology
Citizen Engagement Fellow, Issue One [D.C. / Remote]
State Policy Fellowship, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities [deadline 28 Feb.]
2026 Legal, Policy, Research, or Technologist Summer Internship, Center for Democracy & Technology [deadline 1 Feb.]
Project Management Intern (Social and Behavioral Science), UN Global Pulse [deadline 3 Feb.]
Summer Scholars Program, Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University
Law School Internship, Civil Rights & Health Equity Team, Lawyers for Good Government
CONSULTANCIES + OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Request for Proposals: Talent Accelerator Workshop Delivery Partner, Work for America [deadline 5 Feb.]
Call for Applications: OIDP “Best Practice in Citizen Participation” Award, Observatory on Participatory Democracy [deadline 15 Mar.]
Call for proposals: Rapporteurs and policy advisors, Forum on Information & Democracy
Terms of Reference: Research Consultant, Open Government and Digital Public Infrastructure, Open Government Partnership [deadline 31 Jan.]
Global call for ‘Governing with Artificial Intelligence’, OECD [deadline 27 Feb.]
Request for Proposals: Governance Capacity Research Stipends, Volcker Alliance [deadline 28 Feb.]
Climate Investigations Training Scholarship 2026, Centre for Investigative Journalism [deadline 11 Feb.]
Volunteer Opportunities, U.S. Digital Response
Volunteers on digital government and international collaboration, Interweave [deadline 25 Jan.]
Expression of Interest, Global Citizens’ Assembly Research Cluster [deadline 4 Feb.]
Nomination Form: 2026 Inspirational Women in Local Government [deadline 13 Feb.]
And lots more in the last newsletter: Government Works Weekly #62.
Fascinating. How apply 'friction' to smaller goverment scales?