Policy Associate Jobs
Policy Associate jobs are open from entry-level to senior across government agencies, nonprofits, think tanks, healthcare, and financial services, with common specializations in legislative affairs, regulatory compliance, and public health policy. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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The Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) is seeking applications for a post-doctoral position from doctoral candidates or recent Ph.D. recipients interested in designing and evaluating policies that encourage a more circular economy in the energy and agriculture sectors.
JEL Classification: Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics
Keywords: circular economy, natural resources, bioeconomy, sustainability
The successful candidate will work with Charles Sims at the Baker School, industry partners, and collaborators at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Tennessee Valley Authority on research at the interface of circular economy, waste remediation and reuse, and land use. The work will focus primarily on two areas:
- Develop and evaluate state and federal policies designed to grow a regional bioeconomy in the southeastern US centered on miscanthus and switchgrass .
- Define the benefits and costs of state and federal policies designed to encourage c oal ash recycling and reuse.
The postdoctoral associate will:
- Contribute to modeling and decision-support tool development
- Apply optimization, statistical, simulation, and spatial analysis to increase the circularity of agriculture and fossil fuel industries
- Organize and integrate ecological, economic, behavioral, and geospatial datasets
- Prepare manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication
- Help develop fact sheets, policy briefs, and other outreach materials to support applied and policy-oriented activities
- Mentor graduate and undergraduate students contributing to project activities
- Contribute to stakeholder-engaged research activities, which may include focus groups or surveys
Required Qualifications:
Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in economics, agricultural and resource economics, public policy or a similar field prior to starting . Applications for candidates graduating in the Spring 2026 semester are welcomed to apply. Excellent programming, data management, and written communication skills are essential. Experience fostering circular economies in the agriculture or energy sectors is a plus.
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee UNITED STATES
Salary Range: Competitive salary plus full University benefits package.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.
The Baker School has research focal areas in environmental and energy policy, along with its instructional and public service missions. The Baker School’s Center for Energy, Transportation, and Environmental Policy (CETEP) combines sound science, rigorous economics, and thoughtful policy to address natural resource use and environmental challenges facing the state of Tennessee, the U.S., and the world. CETEP is an interdisciplinary network of joint faculty, faculty fellows and affiliates, research associates, and post-doctoral researchers. The Baker School’s research network extends to industry, government, the nonprofit sector, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The successful candidate will join a cohort of postdoctoral researchers working on environmental and energy challenges.
To apply, please submit the following items with your application: a letter of interest, a curriculum vitae, a research paper, and three recommendation letters. Note, letters or recommendation may be submitted with your application, or can be sent directly from the reference to the Hiring Manager, Charles Sims, at cbsims@utk.edu . Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Successful candidates are expected to start a 24-month appointment in the Summer/Fall of 2027 (exact start date negotiable). Questions regarding the position can be directed to Prof. Charles Sims by email ( cbsims@utk.edu ).
The Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) is seeking applications for a post-doctoral position from doctoral candidates or recent Ph.D. recipients interested in designing and evaluating policies that encourage a more circular economy in the energy and agriculture sectors.
JEL Classification: Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics
Keywords: circular economy, natural resources, bioeconomy, sustainability
The successful candidate will work with Charles Sims at the Baker School, industry partners, and collaborators at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Tennessee Valley Authority on research at the interface of circular economy, waste remediation and reuse, and land use. The work will focus primarily on two areas:
- Develop and evaluate state and federal policies designed to grow a regional bioeconomy in the southeastern US centered on miscanthus and switchgrass .
- Define the benefits and costs of state and federal policies designed to encourage c oal ash recycling and reuse.
The postdoctoral associate will:
- Contribute to modeling and decision-support tool development
- Apply optimization, statistical, simulation, and spatial analysis to increase the circularity of agriculture and fossil fuel industries
- Organize and integrate ecological, economic, behavioral, and geospatial datasets
- Prepare manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication
- Help develop fact sheets, policy briefs, and other outreach materials to support applied and policy-oriented activities
- Mentor graduate and undergraduate students contributing to project activities
- Contribute to stakeholder-engaged research activities, which may include focus groups or surveys
Required Qualifications:
Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in economics, agricultural and resource economics, public policy or a similar field prior to starting . Applications for candidates graduating in the Spring 2026 semester are welcomed to apply. Excellent programming, data management, and written communication skills are essential. Experience fostering circular economies in the agriculture or energy sectors is a plus.
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee UNITED STATES
Salary Range: Competitive salary plus full University benefits package.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.
The Baker School has research focal areas in environmental and energy policy, along with its instructional and public service missions. The Baker School’s Center for Energy, Transportation, and Environmental Policy (CETEP) combines sound science, rigorous economics, and thoughtful policy to address natural resource use and environmental challenges facing the state of Tennessee, the U.S., and the world. CETEP is an interdisciplinary network of joint faculty, faculty fellows and affiliates, research associates, and post-doctoral researchers. The Baker School’s research network extends to industry, government, the nonprofit sector, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The successful candidate will join a cohort of postdoctoral researchers working on environmental and energy challenges.
To apply, please submit the following items with your application: a letter of interest, a curriculum vitae, a research paper, and three recommendation letters. Note, letters or recommendation may be submitted with your application, or can be sent directly from the reference to the Hiring Manager, Charles Sims, at cbsims@utk.edu . Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Successful candidates are expected to start a 24-month appointment in the Summer/Fall of 2027 (exact start date negotiable). Questions regarding the position can be directed to Prof. Charles Sims by email ( cbsims@utk.edu ).
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Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Science & Research
- Renewable Energy
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in policy associate jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in public policy, political science, economics, or a related field
- Experience conducting policy research, literature reviews, or regulatory analysis
- Strong written communication skills including memos, briefs, and reports
- Proficiency in quantitative or qualitative data analysis tools
- Familiarity with the federal or state legislative and regulatory process
- Ability to manage multiple projects and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment
Tips for Your Policy Associate Job Search
Tailor your resume to policy documents
Policy associate hiring managers scan for evidence of real policy work: bills you analyzed, regulations you summarized, or briefing memos you authored. Name the specific legislation or regulatory framework in each bullet, not just the general issue area you covered.
Lead with your research methodology
Employers expect you to describe how you gathered and synthesized evidence, not just what you concluded. Call out the data sources, legislative databases, or stakeholder interviews you relied on so reviewers can assess your analytical process directly.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists policy associate openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Decode agency or sector priorities first
A policy associate role at a federal agency focuses on regulatory rulemaking, while the same title at an advocacy nonprofit centers on coalition-building and stakeholder communications. Read the posting carefully and reframe your experience to match the actual work, not the generic title.
Prepare a policy memo as a writing sample
Most policy associate interviews ask for a writing sample. A one-page policy brief on a current issue in the organization's focus area outperforms a graduate thesis or class paper because it mirrors the daily output the role actually requires.
Negotiate your policy portfolio, not just salary
When you receive an offer, ask which policy areas you'll own in the first six months and whether you'll present findings directly to leadership or external stakeholders. Those details shape your career trajectory more than a small compensation adjustment.
Policy Associate Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most policy associates?
The most active employers for policy associates right now are University of Virginia, Alvarez & Marsal, and Emory University, and the most openings are in District of Columbia, Virginia, and Texas, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Demand is especially strong in government affairs, healthcare policy, and financial regulatory compliance.
How many policy associate jobs are remote?
About 88% of policy associate openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with availability varying significantly by employer type. Roles focused on research, writing, and data analysis tend to offer the most remote flexibility, while positions requiring direct legislative or regulatory engagement are more likely to require on-site presence in a state capital or Washington, D.C.
How do you become a policy associate?
Start with a bachelor's degree in public policy, political science, economics, or a related discipline, then build practical experience through internships at government agencies, advocacy organizations, or think tanks. Develop strong writing skills by producing policy memos and briefs, gain familiarity with the legislative or regulatory process relevant to your target sector, and cultivate relationships with professionals already working in policy through informational interviews and professional associations.
How do you get a policy associate job with little experience?
Focus on roles at smaller advocacy organizations, state agencies, or local government where the candidate pool is less competitive than at federal agencies or large think tanks. Treat a strong writing sample as your primary credential, since demonstrated analytical writing often carries more weight than years of experience. Internships, fellowship programs, and policy research assistant positions are common entry points that hiring managers recognize as legitimate proof of readiness.
What does the policy associate interview process look like?
Most policy associate interviews include an initial screening call with HR or a recruiting coordinator, followed by one or two rounds with the hiring manager and team members. Candidates are frequently asked to complete a written exercise, such as a short policy brief or analytical summary, before or after the first substantive interview. Final-round conversations often involve a presentation of that work and questions about your approach to research, stakeholder engagement, and managing competing priorities.
Where can I find and apply to policy associate jobs?
You can find and apply to policy associate jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States in one place. Search for roles that match your background, sector focus, and seniority level, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
See All 56 Policy Associate Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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