California Council on Science & Technology (CCST) Technology and Policy Fellowship

Every year, California policymakers make critical decisions on complex and dynamic issues facing our state, such as California’s role in AI governance, maintaining affordable and renewable energy that meets our carbon emissions goals, managing the state’s water supply during drought, protecting our environment in the face of climate change, and so much more. To support innovative solutions to these challenges, the CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellows program annually recruits, trains, and places a cohort of PhD scientists and engineers directly into policymaker offices in the California State Legislature and Executive Branch in Sacramento.

During their year of public service, CCST S&T Policy Fellows work with policymakers and their teams to evaluate and research complex scientific issues, interpret data, and tackle the day-to-day responsibilities of full-time policy staffers — all while receiving regular training, seminars with California policy leaders, a close-knit cohort, and career guidance from CCST that sets Fellows up for success.

The base salary will be $70,304 (as of January 1, 2026), which is comparable to the salaries provided to experienced postdoctoral scholars at the University of California. In addition to the base salary, CCST also offers paid-time off, health, dental, and vision benefits, and reimbursements for approved professional development and travel expenditures. In addition, CCST will reimburse up to $4,000 in relocation costs for moves over 50 miles.

Eligibility

• A Ph.D. or equivalent level degree (Sc.D., M.D., DVM, DO, DDS, EdD, etc.) in a qualified field (engineering; social or behavioral sciences; medical or health sciences; biological, physical, or earth sciences; or computational sciences or mathematics). Degrees other than those noted here may also qualify on a case by case basis.
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work full-time in the United States as a U.S. citizen or national, asylee, refugee, or lawful permanent resident. CCST will not sponsor a Fellow for a work visa.