Researching federal agencies and offices

This guide helps you systematically research and pursue federal agency roles aligned with your policy interests. While the executive branch’s complex structure and evolving priorities can seem daunting, we’ll break down how to navigate it effectively.

The federal job search process can feel overwhelming. This guide provides a comprehensive approach, but you don’t need to follow every step in detail. We’ve included a summary box below highlighting the key parts of each step—use it as a starting point and explore specific sections further as needed.

There’s a summary of this article here, which is omitted from this narration.

Step 1: Brainstorm options

First, consider which policy issues you want to work on and the type of work or method of change you are most interested in pursuing. For example, within the broad area of AI policy, you could focus on narrower topics like AI innovation funding, technical standards, or semiconductor export controls, and your work in any of these subfields could range from research to coalition-building to policy writing. Consider also the general trajectory of your field and identify specific topics and subfields gaining increased government attention, which may offer more future opportunities.

Considering these priorities, approach your research like a funnel: Start by broadly exploring agencies and offices in your interest area, then narrow your focus through targeted research and conversations with people who have firsthand experience.

Start by making a long list of possible agencies and offices. Here’s how to begin:

1. Review our federal agency profiles, which outline specific departments and agencies working on AI policy or biosecurity policy issues, including general information about the agency’s work, lists of relevant offices, and tips on getting a job there. Subject-matter experts with relevant agency experience have vetted each profile, and we aim to keep the profiles updated.
   • For a broader list of potential agencies, reference our guides on AI and biosecurity policy in the executive branch, which overview the wide span of federal agency work on these issues areas.
   • For a broader list of potential agencies, reference our guides on AI and biosecurity policy in the executive branch, which overview the wide span of federal agency work on these issues areas.
2. Search online using keywords combined with departments or agencies you intuitively think should work on your topic area (e.g. “Food and Drug Administration + biosecurity” or “Department of Commerce + AI”).
   • Use this index of US departments and agencies, which briefly describes each agency’s purpose and links to its website. Start your search with broader keywords (e.g. “technology”) and begin narrowing (e.g. “vaccine research”).
3. Explore USAJOBS career field pages, which provide an overview of agencies and offices in broad career fields and a sampling of available roles (e.g. careers in tech, national security and foreign policy, or the Intelligence Community).
4. Conversations: Speak with a few professionals in your general policy area of interest and ask them which agencies and offices they’d recommend researching, given your particular goals, background, and interests. You can also share the ideas you’ve generated independently and ask what you might have missed. If you don’t have existing connections in DC or your policy area, see our advice on building a DC policy network. See more in-depth conversation advice below.
5. Review major policy and government documents in your interest area, including significant legislation, executive orders, and strategy documents. These documents often explicitly name agencies responsible for implementation, providing a starting point for agencies involved with your policy interest. When reviewing these documents, it’s important to understand their varying legal weight: statutes passed by Congress have the strongest force of law, followed by executive orders, which are binding on federal agencies but can be reversed by future administrations. Agency guidance documents and strategy papers, while not legally binding, often shape implementation priorities and resource allocation.

   For legislation, search on Congress.gov, GovTrack.us, or LegiScan (filtering for US Congress and for enacted). Pay special attention to major appropriations bills and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), as significant policy changes are often attached as amendments to these “must-pass” bills.

   • For executive actions and strategy documents, search for keywords on WhiteHouse.gov or the Federal Register. Our agency profiles include lists of recent major AI- and bio-related policies by agency.
   • For AI-related policy, filter on specialized databases like the AGORA AI legislation tracker, American Action Forum’s AI policy tracker, or the OECD’s AI policy observatory.
   • To explore bio-related policy, reference resources like this interactive biodefense activities map, this visual overview of US biosurveillance efforts, biosecurity resources page, or this biodefense budget breakdown.

Step 2: Research specific agencies and offices

Before diving deeper, verify which agencies and offices offer realistic entry paths. While some hire regularly, others (like certain White House offices) rarely have openings or maintain very limited entry points. Check recent job postings, research if they work with contractors (or sometimes detailed think tank staff), and ask contacts about typical entry paths. This quick check helps you focus on offices where you have a genuine chance of entry.

Steps 2 (“research”) and 3 (“informational interviews”) often work best when pursued in parallel—conversations inform your research priorities, while research helps you ask better questions and identify key contacts. As your research narrows to specific offices, you can better identify relevant contacts—and since building a DC network takes time, it’s valuable to start these conversations early in your search process.

For offices that emerge as promising options, focus your research on three key dimensions:

1. people (who works there),
2. workstreams (what work they actually do and how they do it), and
3. resources, mandate, and limitations (what enables and constrains their ability to act).

Researching these will help you understand which issues offices prioritize, how they approach solutions, what kinds of talent they recruit, and what real-world constraints they face. This will help you assess which offices align with your interests and where your skills and experience could add the most value.

People

Understanding an office’s personnel is crucial for understanding its operations—from daily processes to major policy decisions. Leadership styles, staff backgrounds, and organizational culture all shape how work gets done and your experience as a staffer. Different offices often have distinct hiring preferences: some technical agencies predominantly recruit STEM PhDs, while policy-focused offices may seek recent bachelor’s graduates with broader skill sets. While online research provides a foundation, informational interviews can offer important context about office dynamics and internal politics that isn’t publicly available.

• Research leadership profiles: Review LinkedIn profiles of office leaders and senior staff to understand their priorities and values. Pay attention to their publications, speaking engagements, and public statements, which can reveal their vision for the office and management approach. Also, look for patterns in their career trajectories—whether they rose through government ranks, came from academia, or transitioned from industry.
• Analyze target roles: Study LinkedIn profiles of current and former staff in positions matching your interests, noting common educational backgrounds, technical skills, and career paths. To better target your search, find titles of positions you’re interested in by searching for your agency on USAJOBS, and use “[agency name] + [position name]” in your search. For example, you might search for “CISA program analyst” or “OMB budget analyst.” While government offices often value diverse experiences, specific patterns may emerge—like a preference for policy research, technical expertise, or specific domain knowledge.

Look for skills and experiences matching your background, but remember that agencies often hire from broader talent pools than their current staff profiles might suggest. Prior government experience is common for agency staff, but fellowships can also provide an entry point for those without such experience (including those with STEM backgrounds). Just because your background doesn’t ‘look’ like the background of others does not preclude you from applying for these roles. Rather, being aware of the current skillset on the team can help you frame your experiences, fill skill gaps, and evaluate if the work they do is the right fit for you. Finding someone with a common background can also help you pick someone to reach out to.

Workstreams

Understanding how an office operates—its methods, tools, and relationships—is essential for evaluating fit. Federal agencies engage with policy through various mechanisms, from writing regulations to providing grants or conducting research. You’ll want to understand not just what issues an office works on but how they contribute to those issues.

1. Review recent publications and press: Read relevant press releases, roadmaps, strategy documents, and news stories about the offices or their leaders. Key sources include:
   • Official reports and strategy documents
   • Congressional testimony from agency leadership
   • Public remarks and speeches from agency officials
   • Federal Register notices related to the office’s work
   • Agency blog posts and social media content
   • Press coverage (e.g. The Hill, FedScoop, Government Executive)
   • Congressional Research Service reports
2. Research methods and tools: How does an office work on its policy issues? You want to ensure that an office is working on the policy issue you’re interested in and working in a way that fits your skills. Federal agencies contribute to policy through many mechanisms, such as:
   • Writing regulations and guidance
   • Providing grants or contracts
   • Conducting research and analysis
   • Coordinating interagency efforts
   • Executing programs directly
   • Providing technical assistance to states/localities
   • Engaging in international coordination

Resources, mandate, and limitations

Assess real-world limitations: Even offices with compelling missions may face significant practical limitations. Here are some ways you can research how an office might be constrained by budget, politics, or statute:

1. Congressional mandates: Check if your area of interest falls within the office’s statutory authority by searching for “[agency name] + authorizing legislation” or “[agency name] + mandate.” If your policy interest isn’t explicitly mentioned in the mandate, the office may face funding, authority, and legitimacy challenges in that policy area. Some offices are created through executive action rather than legislation, which means future administrations can more easily dissolve or deprioritize them.

   Keep in mind that an agency’s statutory responsibility in certain policy areas doesn’t always translate to active engagement—budget allocations, staffing levels, and competing priorities can all affect how much attention an issue receives in practice. This is where deeper research becomes valuable, including budget analysis and informational interviews.

2. Budgets: Budgets often provide the clearest picture of an agency’s actual priorities and resources. Start by evaluating an agency’s funding trends through its congressional justification of budget (CJ), released as part of the president’s budget request each spring. These documents break down both staffing allocations and program funding at a granular level and outline each office’s core responsibilities. Look at both current budgets and funding trends over time, particularly in your area of interest (using targeted keyword searches like “artificial intelligence” or specific office names). For added context, some agencies provide an operating plan alongside their CJ. Note that many small-budget offices still perform critical work; budget is just one component of an office’s capacity to shape AI policy.
3. Support from the administration: Evaluate whether the current administration has signaled interest in an agency or office through public statements, executive orders, strategic plans, or other actions. Without senior-level support, an office may face reduced funding, diminished influence, or potential restructuring or elimination.
4. Reputation: Review press coverage and public statements to understand how stakeholders and the public perceive the office. An office’s reputation can affect its ability to collaborate with other agencies, secure resources, and accomplish its objectives.

Step 3: Conduct informational interviews

Much agency work happens behind the scenes. Talking to people with firsthand experience can deepen your understanding of an office’s culture and operations, giving you a valuable leg-up in your application process. Think of each office as an iceberg: while its mission, vision, and activities may be publicly visible, important aspects like interagency dynamics, leadership quality, team culture, and operational realities often remain beneath the surface. Understanding these deeper elements will likely be the most informative—and time-consuming—part of your research.

The graphic below highlights which dimensions of an agency are typically researchable online and which often require conversations with people with relevant experience (e.g. agency insiders, former staffers, relevant think tank experts).

Setting up the interviews:

While these are “interviews” in that you’ll be asking questions of more experienced professionals, approach them as casual learning conversations rather than formal interactions.

Our networking in policy guide includes helpful strategies for making professional connections. In a nutshell:

1. Start with existing networks: If you have friends or acquaintances who’ve worked in DC, they can be valuable sources of information and further connections. But most people will need to build their network from scratch.
2. Use LinkedIn strategically:
   • Search for alumni or second-degree connections working in or adjacent to your target agencies, and, when possible, identify any mutual connections that could facilitate an introduction. While speaking with current or former staff in your target office often provides the most direct insights, engaging with those adjacent to your target office can offer a valuable independent perspective on its effectiveness, reputation, and standing within the broader interagency context.
   • Some offices list staff members on their websites, which can also help you generate leads for people to contact (though it’s generally preferable to connect with people with whom you have something/someone in common).
   • Prioritize professionals who are 1-5 years ahead of you. They’re more likely to respond to your requests than very senior people, and also often more helpful since they’re closer to your situation (so they can give more relevant advice about the application process and help you understand the day-to-day work you’d likely be doing).
3. Master the cold message: Once you’ve identified relevant connections, cast a broad net of personalized messages (via LinkedIn or email) that:
   • Briefly describe your background and interests in 1-2 sentences
   • Mention any connections to their agency/office
   • Request a 10-15 minute conversation about their experience

If you don’t receive a response after two weeks, follow up once. You may experience many non-responses before reaching a valuable connection, so don’t be discouraged. For tips, see these posts and templates. While cold outreach can initially feel uncomfortable, there’s no substitute for learning directly from experienced professionals—both to understand how government really works and to build the professional relationships central to policy careers.

4. Consider spending time in DC: If feasible, visit DC to meet people in person. DC networking famously revolves around quick “coffees,” which can often feel more personal and lead to stronger connections than virtual calls (though calls are still a valuable alternative). If possible, don’t start with your most exciting connection— get practice in lower-stakes conversations first! You can also attend DC-based events in your area of interest—like public talks or conferences hosted by universities, think tanks, or government agencies—which are often free, include receptions, and can help you quickly meet many relevant professionals. Agency job and hiring fairs are particularly valuable, as they combine networking with direct access to hiring managers and recruiters. Even weekend trips can be worthwhile if you plan them well and schedule multiple meetings or attend multiple events.

Conducting the interviews:

• Come prepared to share your most important considerations and ask your conversation partner questions they’re uniquely positioned to answer. Explain why you’re interested in working in government, the top agencies and offices you’re exploring, and that you’re excited to hear about their experience. Ask specific questions about their work—about what their day-to-day looks like, what they most value about their work, the office culture, the types of projects they handle, and what challenges they’ve faced. And while it’s good to be prepared, don’t feel the need to facilitate highly structured academic-style interviews—enjoy the conversations, talk about things you’re passionate about that you have in common, and see where it takes you!
• Get their input on assumptions you made through your desk research. For example, if you read that a certain issue is a priority for their office, ask how true this feels in practice.
• Ask if they could connect you with other relevant professionals in or after the conversation. While your first conversation can feel daunting, networking often builds momentum, making new connections far easier to establish.
• After conversations, write down what you learned and send a friendly follow-up message to thank your conversation partner for their time. Your conversation notes will be valuable throughout your application process and the relationships you build now will help you—often in unforeseen ways—in your future policy work.

Step 4: Make an action plan

Once you’ve identified your top offices through desk research and conversations, create a clear plan to pursue opportunities. Securing a role in the executive branch often requires patience—agency hiring processes can take anywhere from a few weeks to a year or more depending on seniority, security clearance requirements, and other factors. For most roles, you can expect at least a 2-5 month process.

• Network strategically: Continue investing in connections with people already working in or familiar with your target office who may have guidance on open roles or internal hiring practices.
• Use our agency profiles: Each of our federal agency profiles includes a tailored section on how to find jobs for the specific department or agency.
• Read our federal agency application advice (including creating a federal resume and interviewing for federal positions) and further resources (job boards, websites, articles, newsletters, books, and podcasts).
• Set up saved searches and alerts on USAJOBS for agencies, offices, and positions you’re interested in. But remember that merely applying for public positions often has a very low chance of success, which is why networking is so essential to the job search process (e.g. to learn about non-public positions or get your application flagged by a staffer).
• Explore fellowships as an entry path: Fellowships can provide additional training, insider-insights, and support in finding a placement. See our executive branch fellowships list and agency profiles, which include agency-specific fellowship opportunities.
• Understand security clearance requirements, if applicable, and begin the process early (e.g. consider gathering information you’ll need in the clearance process even before you have an official offer).
• Attend agency events: Participate in events, webinars, and public briefings hosted by your target offices or adjacent ones to continue expanding your network and learning about the office’s current work.
• Check if your agencies/offices have specific early-career or transition opportunities: Many offer internships, fellowships, or rotation programs. Check the agency’s website for a “careers” or “employment” section or search “[name of agency] + [internship] or [fellowship] or [careers].” For early career opportunities, see if your office of interest participates in the Pathways Program by searching for “[name of office] + [Pathways Program].” Pathway Program internships often offer opportunities for conversion to permanent positions.
• Regularly check or subscribe to relevant policy job boards.
• Familiarize yourself with the main hiring pathways and authorities at your agencies/offices of interest (for more detail, see this report). There are different processes for getting agency jobs, including civil service positions in the competitive or excepted service, or political appointee positions.
• Attend agency events: Participate in events, webinars, and public briefings hosted by your target offices or adjacent ones to continue expanding your network and learning about the office’s current work.

Further resources

• The Federal Register is the official US government publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents.
• Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports: CRS is a part of Congress created to provide research, analysis, information, and confidential consultation for Congressional activities. It produces reports on major policy issues, including critical analyses of federal agencies, policy briefs, legal analyses, and background papers on legislative and regulatory topics. CRS reports often include details on federal agency work.
• Government Accountability Office reports: GAO’s reports and testimonies provide Congress, federal agencies, and the public with detailed, fact-based, non-partisan evaluations of government programs and operations. These reports analyze agency performance, identify inefficiencies, and offer actionable recommendations to improve operations, ensure compliance, and save costs.
• Congressional Budget Justifications: Released as part of the president’s budget request each spring, CJs break down staffing allocations and program funding at a granular level and outline each office’s core responsibilities.