Government Works Weekly #77
Jobs, Events, and a Podcast Party
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.
If you find this newsletter useful, please consider sharing with friends or colleagues who might also benefit.
Scroll down all the way for 33 upcoming events and 113 jobs and opportunities to help government work…
EYES & EARS – readings, podcasts, and other good stuff
Notes on the Acela Corridor
I recently took a trip up to Washington, D.C. and New York City. As someone who used to live in D.C., but no longer does, I try to make it back once or twice a year for conversation and camaraderie. The government and policy nerds that live in D.C. are my people, for better and worse. Here are a few highlights:
The last 3-4 times I have been in D.C., I have made a point of working for a day or two at a hot desk at the Open Government Hub. The Hub is a coworking community host to dozens of good government groups, and I always take inspiration from the conversations I have there. This time, I had the chance to finally meet a couple people in real life that I had only known before via screen—including someone that I had been working remotely with on a report for almost a whole year. And I got to watch the Hub’s impressive interns give their end-of-term presentations. The Hub is a great resource for individuals or groups working in this space, highly recommended.
And speaking of recommendations, I also had the chance to spend a day working with people at the Former Gov weekly coworking event. Former Gov is a platform to connect former government employees and military professionals with those who could benefit from their experience. Each Tuesday they host a FREE casual coworking space at the Eaton House (12th & K) for the community, which is definitely worth checking out. And for their other offerings, the good Former Gov folks have offered a discount to Government Works readers, check the codes in the footnote below.1
After D.C., I headed up to New York City. And no, I don’t shell out for the Acela, I am just a regular Northeast Regional kind of guy.
In New York, I was talking with more political types, laser focused on gaining and holding power. This was a refreshing chaser to the big picture ideas people and board boring bureaucrats I was meeting in D.C.
While there, your regular, resourceful Government Works author tried valiantly to weasel a press pass from the cool kids at The Whitney, where I was trying to see a part of the Biennial called Civic Views from Emilio Martínez Poppe. Unfortunately, shelling out $30 for 30 minutes in a museum was not feasible for reporting out a few lines for this free blog. Let me know if you have seen it though, the exhibit looks super interesting.
As a big Mamdani stan, I took it as an omen that I went almost the whole time in the city without seeing a single rat. While I could easily attribute this to other causal factors, such as my age (worse eyesight, not staying out very late any more, etc.) or the biting cold, I am choosing to believe it had something to do with my favorite sewer socialist cleaning up the city. So I hope to have a little more on the Mayor’s first 100 days in one of the next editions.
Podcast Pairings
Back at home now, and I have been busy with the birthweek of a very special 5 year old. So falling back on an easy-to-assemble segment here. The following podcasts helped get me through party prep, and I am pairing each with a reading (or two) from the relevant parties:
[LISTEN] How Silicon Valley’s new tech right has profited by aligning with MAGA, Fresh Air, 6 May 2026.
[READ] The Venture-Capital Populist: How David Sacks and the new tech right went full MAGA and captured Washington, George Packer, The Atlantic, 4 May 2026.
[LISTEN] Sheri Berman Says the Democratic Recession Was Not a Surprise, Democracy Paradox, 29 April 2026.
[READ] Democracy’s Troubles Should Be No Surprise, Sheri Berman, Democracy Journal, April 2026.
[LISTEN] The $79 Trillion Price of Inequality (with Carter Price), Pitchfork Economics, 24 March 2026.
[READ] Measuring the Income Gap from 1975 to 2023, Carter C. Price, RAND, 17 February 2025.
[LISTEN] David Shor and Byrne Hobart on the Politics of a White-Collar Wipeout, Odd Lots, 24 March 2026.
[READ] NEW POLLING: Research on AI Data Centers, Costs, and Pollution, Climate Power, 20 February 2026.
[READ] How Americans Feel About a World Without Paid Work, The Bully Pulpit, 9 December 2025.
EVENT HORIZON – webinars, conferences, and other human things
Upcoming Events: 11-15 MAY 2026
11-12 MAY: The Future of Development Co-operation [OECD]
11-12 MAY: ACT NOW Mayors’ Conference 2026 [UCLG]
11 MAY: Media Under Pressure: How to Counteract Democratic Backsliding Across Europe [Centre for Journalism and Democracy]
11 MAY: Modeling Crises: AI’s Role in Disaster Risk Management and Humanitarian Action [Stimson]
11 MAY: US-China competition: Policy priorities from Capitol Hill [Brookings]
12 MAY: Ending the Era of Political Corruption [Brennan Center]
12 MAY: Civic Futures: Democracy in a Changing World [World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh]
12 MAY: Changing legislative norms in an era of conflict [Brookings]
12 MAY: OGP Europe Dialogues: Trustworthy Information in the 21st Century: Fantasy or Reality? [Open Government Partnership]
12 MAY: All Eyes on Tech: Power, Protection, and the Fight for Civil Rights in the Age of AI [Center for Civil Rights and Technology]
12 MAY: 250 Champions of Public Service Celebration [National Academy of Public Administration]
12 MAY: Communicating the Public Finances: Speaking on how to reach young audiences on financial topics [OECD]
12 MAY: Reducing Inequality for Immigrant-Origin Youth: The Research We Need [William T. Grant Foundation]
12 MAY: Reversing the Gaze: Global Workshops on Democratic Innovation (Africa) [ScaleDem]
12 MAY: State of Nonprofits 2026: What Funders Need to Know [Center for Effective Philanthropy]
12 MAY: Death, Taxes & the American Dream: A Film Screening and Conversation with the Filmmaker and Author [SNF Agora]
12 MAY: Lessons from Venezuela: Electoral Resistance to Popular Autocrats [Ash Center]
12 MAY: Tackling crypto-related crime: translating international support into action [Basel Institute on Governance]
12 MAY: Inside the $40M Creator Campaign for Clean Water [Harmony Labs]
12 MAY: After the feed: Trust, connection, and the next era of social technology [New_Public]
12-14 MAY: Academic leadership program: Digital government and AI [Teaching Public Service in the Digital Age + Datasphere Initiative]
12-14 MAY: 2026 ALDA General Assembly and Festival: Local Democracy that Delivers [European Association for Local Democracy]
13 MAY: Launch of new ECF Civic Space Report: The new Brussels effect – Why the EU increasingly shapes the space for civil society, and how to respond [European Civic Forum]
13 MAY: GDC Europe Pre-Forum Webinar: Between Fragmentation and Coordination: Navigating Cross-Border Democratic Challenges in Europe [Global Democracy Coalition]
13 MAY: Environmental Justice and Health Equity: Can Cumulative Impact Laws Help Address Environmental Health Disparities? [Urban Institute]
13 MAY: The Future of Local Government: Perspectives from Public Service Champions [NAPA]
13 MAY: Democratic Governance in the Digital Age [CIVICUS]
13-15 MAY: Local Government Reimagined: Democracy and the Public Trust [ICMA]
14 MAY: Hiring and Supporting Alternative Responders [HKS Government Performance Lab]
14 MAY: Book launch: How Africa Works by Joe Studwell [ODI Global]
14 MAY: Decline and Fall [Dissent Magazine]
14 MAY: The People’s Money. The People’s Power [Marguerite Casey Foundation]
15 MAY: Strengthening Connections to Early Intervention Services Through Policy and Practice [New America]
APPLY YOURSELF – jobs, internships, and other ways to get involved
POLICY + PROGRAM
Coordinator, Civil Rights Hub and More, Public Rights Project [Remote]
Associate Director, Conservation Policy and Associate Director, Health Policy and More, Center for American Progress [D.C.]
Policy Associate, Center for Science in the Public Interest [D.C. / Remote]
Associate, Climate and Health, Federation of American Scientists [D.C.]
Policy/Senior Policy Analyst and More, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
Senior Associate, National Partnerships and More, Climate Power [Remote]
Senior Attorney and More, Freedom Together Foundation
Officer, Data and Policy, Courts & Communities (Policy Advocacy), Pew Charitable Trusts [D.C.]
Director, Audubon Action Fund and Director, U.S. Government Affairs, Audubon Society [D.C.]
Policy Advisor, Natural Resource Justice, Oxfam [D.C.]
Policy Analyst, ChangeLab Solutions
Policy Analyst, Americans for Responsible Innovation [D.C.]
Policy Director, Center Forward
Program Associate, People Powered
STATE + LOCAL
Co-Governance Project Coordinator, Mayor’s Office of Mass Engagement and Faith Based Partnership Project Coordinator and Deputy Commissioner for Global Affairs & Diaspora Engagement and More, New York City Mayor’s Office
Finance Associate, Grantmakers for Southern Progress [Remote / U.S. South]
Associate, State Policy (Intermountain West), Ceres [Arizona or Colorado / Remote]
Deputy State Director (North Carolina) and More, Common Cause
State Impact Specialist (Wisconsin), Protect Democracy [Remote]
Research And Policy Analyst, Center for Rural Policy and Development [Minnesota]
Executive Director, Forward Tennessee [Remote]
Political Manager, Better Future Project [Massachusetts]
Director of State Campaigns, American Promise [Remote]
Operations Manager or Director, Civic TN [Remote]
Program Manager, California Voter Foundation
Florida State Director, America Votes
California Communities Director, Packard Foundation
Candidate Services Director, Montana Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee [via GAIN Power]
Indigenous Affairs Reporter, CalMatters
Program Associate, Leaders & International, National Conference of State Legislatures [Hybrid / Denver]
State-Federal Affairs Director and More, National Governors Association [D.C.]
Policy and Advocacy Advisor, State and Local, Global Refuge [D.C.]
COMMS + OPS
Managing Director, Communications (America Is All In), Climate Power [Remote]
Director, Engagement and Coalitions and More, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
Community Relations Coordinators (Contract), Protect Democracy [Remote / NC, WI, PA, GA]
Communications Director, American Futures
Video Lead & Producer, Democracy Docket [Jersey City, NJ]
Communications Associate, Committee to Protect Journalists
Content Producer (30hrs/wk), Protect Ethical Prosecutors
Staff Writer and More, ACLU
Editor in Chief, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Editor, Morning Edition and More, NPR
Grant Writer, Resetting the Table [Remote]
Associate Director, Partnerships, Center for American Progress [D.C.]
Revenue and Financial Manager, American Public Human Services Association [Hybrid / Arlington, VA]
Senior Director of Operations, ProgressNow [Remote]
Operations Manager, Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy
Chief of Staff (Operations Team), 80,000 Hours
Legal & Operations Associate, Movement Voter Project
Chief of Staff and More, Education Reform Now Advocacy [Remote]
Manager, Special Assistant to Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), Roosevelt Institute [D.C.]
Development Manager, Local Progress
Outreach and Engagement Coordinator, Center Forward
ACADEMIA
Director, Civic Research & Impact, Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence [JHU / Baltimore, MD]
Sr. Director, Academic Affairs, Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation [JHU / Baltimore, MD]
Post-Doctoral Fellow, The Better Government Lab [McCourt School of Public Policy]
Senior Policy Analyst, State Higher Education Executive Officers Association [D.C.]
Collegiate Programs Associate, Fair Labor Association [D.C.]
Postdoctoral Scholar, Social Sciences, Center for Expanding Viewpoints in Higher Education [Tufts University]
LSE Fellow in Economic and Social and Public Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science
Postdoctoral Researcher in AI & Law, Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative
TECH + DATA + DESIGN
Chief AI Engineer, State of California Office of Data and Innovation
Associate, Polling & Analytics, The Hub Project [D.C.]
Senior Polling Analyst, Data for Progress
Engineering Manager (Elections & AI for Democracy Action Lab), Protect Democracy [Remote]
AI Policy Fellow at the California Department of Technology, California Council on Science and Technology
Special Advisor to the President for AI, Roosevelt Institute
Senior Advisor, AI & Technology Alliances and More, Code for America
AI Policy Lead, Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab
AI Policy Resident, RAND
States Reporting Analyst and More, DSCC
Data Scientist, Center for Security and Emerging Technology
Lead IT Security Specialist, Open Society [London / Nairobi / Johannesburg]
INTERNATIONAL
Multiple Positions, Evidence Action [Kenya / India / Nigeria / U.S. / Uganda]
Chief Executive Officer, Global Witness [London / deadline 29 May]
Communication & Advocacy Manager, Cameroon & Chad, Norwegian Refugee Council [deadline 11 May]
Specialist, Grant Management (Peru), Basel Institute on Governance
Director for Program Strategy and Innovation, Global Refuge
Program Manager, Europe, People Powered
Coordinación Regional de Policy e Investigación (LAC) and Coordinación Regional de Justicia Económica (LAC), Oxfam
Communications Officer, Europe, Open Society [London]
Senior Researcher, Global Economic Governance, Institute for Economic Justice [Johannesburg / deadline 22 May]
Asia Consultant, Southeast Asia, Accountability Counsel [preference for Indonesia or Thailand]
Regional Lead (Africa), Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction
Senior Policy Officer, ILGA Europe [deadline 17 May]
Regional Policy and Advocacy Lead, International Rescue Committee [Kenya / Uganda]
Policy Advisor, Global Ocean Policy Strategy & Advocacy, Sustainable Ocean Alliance
Senior Researcher, China, Human Rights Watch
Senior Manager, International Policy, Audubon Society [D.C.]
Senior Policy Analyst, Europe Programme, Center for Global Development [London]
Teaching and Learning Specialist (Associate Director or Program Analyst), Luminos Fund
Programme Assistant, European Policy Centre
INTERNSHIPS + FELLOWSHIPS
Internship (Graduate or Masters Associate), Open Society [deadline 11 May]
Fall Internships, Democracy Docket [Jersey City, NJ / D.C.]
Communications Intern, Economic Education Project, The Hub Project [D.C.]
Summer Fellows, Data & Policy, New Jersey Innovation Authority
2026-2027 Practice Fellows, Centre for Public Policy [deadline 1 June]
2027 Global Program, Eisenhower Fellowships [deadline 15 May]
AI Politics Fellow, Blue Rose Research [Remote]
Policy & Events Intern, Search for Common Ground
CONSULTANCIES + OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Consultant: Coordinator, Africa Crypto & Asset Recovery Network, Basel Institute on Governance [deadline 20 May]
Call for Proposals: Displaced Livelihoods Initiative, Innovations for Poverty Action + Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab [Expression of Interest 15 May]
Call for Chapters: Democratic Pedagogies for Democratic Futures (Edited Volume), Participedia [Abstract Deadline 30 May]
Call for expertise: Governance of justice systems, People-centred Justice at OECD [deadline 15 May]
RFP: Governance Review, Oxfam International [deadline 10 May]
Climate Democracy Accelerator and Rising Stars Mentorship, People Powered [deadline 26 June]
Terms Of Reference: Project Management Consultancy, WINGS [deadline 15 May]
Call for Pitches: America 250: Essays, Reported Pieces, Criticism, Art & Visual, Video & Hybrid Forms, Nonprofit Quarterly
And lots more in the last newsletter: Government Works Weekly #76.
Here are Former Gov codes for free standard membership for 12 months: GOVWORKSFG and 50% off premium membership for 12 months: GOVWORKSPREM.