How to apply for Science Ambassador Fellow, Programs, Policy, and Advocacy

About Union of Concerned Scientists

The Union of Concerned Scientists is a science advocacy organization that works on sustainable, healthy, and equitable solutions. This role sits in its Programs, Policy, and Advocacy team, focused on democracy protection and countering authoritarianism through the Science Rising initiative. It is a two-year fellowship, not a permanent position.

About the role

You will build and run Science Ambassador cohorts made up of UCS staff and Science Network experts. You recruit, train, and track their progress, and you act as the public face of the program by presenting, speaking to media, and representing UCS in coalitions. You also coordinate Science Rising national calls and solidarity events that mobilize scientists and supporters.

A typical day

A typical day might include a planning call for a Science Rising national call, updating tracking for ambassador cohorts, and preparing a presentation or media talking points. You could also meet with coalition partners or UCS staff to coordinate a solidarity event. Exact daily routines are not stated in the job details, so ask about team structure and weekly rhythms in the interview.

Who Union of Concerned Scientists is looking for

• Holds an advanced degree in science, or an undergraduate science degree plus additional experience.
• Has direct experience managing volunteers, including recruiting, training, and tracking their work.
• Has strong project management and event organizing skills, with a record of handling multiple projects at once.
• Can present to public audiences, speak to media, and engage stakeholders and coalitions.
• Shows a clear commitment to equity and inclusion principles in past work.

Tips for this application

• Name Science Rising and democracy protection in your first paragraph. This role is tied to that specific initiative, not general science outreach.
• Give concrete examples of volunteer recruitment, training, and tracking. State how many volunteers, over what period, and what you measured.
• List public-facing work: talks, media interviews, coalition meetings, or stakeholder engagement. Name the audience and the topic.
• Show event organizing experience with specifics: national calls, solidarity events, or mobilization efforts you coordinated.
• Address the two-year fellowship term directly. Explain why you want a two-year role and what you plan to build during it.

What to cover in your cover letter

Explain why you want to work on democracy protection and countering authoritarianism through Science Rising. Describe a volunteer program you built or ran, including recruitment, training, and tracking. Give one example of public-facing work such as a presentation, media interview, or coalition role. State how you have applied equity and inclusion principles in a program or team you managed.

Research before applying

• Read the Science Rising initiative page and any public reports on its goals, past events, and ambassador model.
• Review UCS's Programs, Policy, and Advocacy work on democracy protection to understand how this fellowship fits in.
• Look up the Science Network and how UCS uses external experts in its advocacy.
• Find recent UCS media appearances or coalition statements on democracy and authoritarianism to see the public voice you would represent.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you recruit, train, and track Science Ambassador cohorts from UCS staff and Science Network experts?
• Describe a time you represented an organization to media, a coalition, or external stakeholders. What was the outcome?
• How do you manage multiple projects at once, such as national calls, solidarity events, and ambassador tracking?
• What does equity and inclusion look like in a volunteer ambassador program, and how have you applied it?
• Why does a science organization need ambassadors to protect democracy and counter authoritarianism?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating this as a general science communication role. It is specifically about mobilizing scientists for democracy protection and countering authoritarianism.
• Ignoring the two-year fellowship term or implying you expect a permanent position.
• Claiming volunteer management experience without naming how many volunteers you recruited, trained, or tracked.