Written by a former Scoville Fellow unaffiliated with this website. 

Summary: Why you should consider the Scoville Fellowship

The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship is a great opportunity for early-career bachelor’s or master’s graduates to gain hands-on experience working at a think tank or NGO in Washington DC for six to nine months. Fellows can work on international peace and security issues such as AI, biosecurity, and nuclear security, and they develop professionally, including via a very welcoming and invested network, relevant skills, and knowledge about policymaking processes and the work of think tanks and NGOs.

Applications open twice annually with deadlines in early October and January.

Who is eligible?

The Scoville Fellowship is open to early-career individuals holding at least a bachelor’s degree who are either US citizens or non-citizens with work authorization living in the US. The fellowship does not sponsor individuals to obtain work visas. 

Preference is given to candidates without substantial prior public sector or DC government experience beyond internships. The fellowship aims to provide an initial work opportunity for promising entry-level individuals or those seeking a career change who wish to break into the DC policy world rather than providing an advanced follow-on opportunity for those with work experience in the field. Generally, applicants are about to complete an undergraduate degree or have graduated within a few years. However, it is not uncommon for older applicants with years of experience in a different field to apply—that is, mid-career individuals seeking to pivot into policy may still be good fellowship candidates. 

Why you might not want to apply

The Scoville Fellowship serves as a useful entry-level temporary job for those transitioning from another location to DC or from another field into peace and security issues. If you are looking for a permanent position or already have a few years of work experience in the fellowship’s “Policy Issues” (explained below), you may not want to apply. 

Additionally, the Scoville Fellowship does not provide a very competitive salary for DC, so those with higher salary requirements may not want to apply without securing additional income streams.

The Scoville experience

When does the fellowship take place?

There are two cohorts each year, one during the spring semester and one during the fall semester. The spring cohort deadline is in October, and the fall cohort deadline is in January.

Fellows have leeway to determine their start and end dates—for example, spring fellows can decide to begin working any time from January 15th to April 1st of that year, and decide exactly how long they would like to work from six to nine months. 

What types of work do you do during your placement?

The type of work depends on your host organization. Regardless of the organization, however, you can expect to work in an entry-level Research Assistant/Program Manager type role. This work may entail:

• Research: writing literature reviews, developing methods to quickly answer difficult questions, creating datasets, and using research methods such as interviews with experts.
• Writing: writing op-eds, articles, letters to the editor, blog posts, fact sheets, reports, official minutes, and memos to higher leadership. A collection of current and former fellows’ published writings can be found here.
• Presenting: providing briefings to higher leadership, presenting work in public seminars.
• Advocacy: generating awareness of issues, promoting policy positions to relevant stakeholders, educating audiences of various types, supporting communications strategies.
• Administrative: note taking for meetings, seminars, and interviews, and helping organize travel, seminars, and other events.
• Analysis: fielding Requests for Information from your organization’s higher leadership or outside organizations, analyzing current events to inform an organizational response, and analyzing data.

Your work at any given organization must relate to one of the five Scoville “Policy Issues” listed below—you could not, for example, decide to carry out your fellowship at Brookings Institution to work on economic or education policy. Additionally, Scoville Fellows can’t directly lobby Congress or write grant proposals.

Each Scoville Fellow writes a blog post about their journey to the Scoville Fellowship and the work they carry out at their host organization. To learn more about the backgrounds and experiences of Fellows, read some of their blog posts here.

While the Scoville Fellowship began with a focus on nuclear arms control, it has since expanded to cover a number of other issues, some of which would be great opportunities for those interested in emerging technology and security policy:

1. Emerging Technology Threats, includes but is not limited to: the development, deployment, and use of drones, AI, cyber warfare, satellites and space in a security context.
2. Global Health Security, includes biosecurity and pandemic preparedness.
3. Nuclear Nonproliferation and WMD, includes but is not limited to: nuclear nonproliferation and security; prevention of the spread of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons; defense spending and procurement; US interactions with current, de facto, or potential nuclear powers; protection of nuclear and radiological materials.
4. Climate and Security Nexus, includes but is not limited to: environmental concerns with security implications; disaster response with military personnel; international tensions arising from the changing Arctic region; regional and ethnic tensions exacerbated by resource competition.
5. Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution, includes but is not limited to: current and potential incursions within or between neighboring countries; conventional weapons and arms trade; cross-border refugee movements; ethnic tensions with security implications; atrocity prevention; building international and regional institutions to resolve conflicts; development and implementation of novel conflict resolutions strategies; counterterrorism and terrorism reduction strategies; supporting international agreements that can lead to peace, prosperity, and sustainability.

Which organizations host Scoville Fellows?

Scoville Fellows can work at a range of think tanks and nonprofits in the security and arms control space, such as:

• Federation of American Scientists (FAS) – includes projects on science, technology and innovation, as well as national security. Fellows would have ample opportunity to work on strategic competition, AI, or nuclear security issues.
• Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) – work streams include: Global Biological Policy and Programs, Science & Technological Affairs, Global Nuclear Policy Program, and Nuclear Materials Security.
• Brookings Institution and Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) – large think tanks with AI, biosecurity, and nuclear security programs.

What are the salary and benefits?

Fellows receive a salary of $3,885 per month and basic health insurance compensation, plus travel expenses to Washington DC. The program also provides $1,000 per fellow for professional development to attend relevant conferences or meetings that could cover travel, accommodation, and registration fees, or to take a language or policy course.

The Scoville Fellowship does not have an employer sponsored health insurance plan for fellows. Instead, fellows get an additional $82.50 per pay period to cover the cost of health insurance. This money will be taxed and it may net fellows approximately $150 per month after taxes, depending on deductions. That amount may be used to reimburse your parents for the extra cost of having you covered under their plan if you are under 26 years of age or you may purchase individual short-term insurance for the duration of your fellowship.

Some lenders may permit Scoville Fellows to defer college loan payments during their fellowship. Check with your individual lenders.

What do Fellows go on to do after their fellowship? Can you stay on at the host organization?

The Scoville Fellowship and its accompanying salary generally cannot be extended beyond nine months. Staying on at your host organization would separately require securing a permanent position there.

However, the Scoville Fellowship is highly respected among all partnering organizations, so it increases your chances of getting an interview at any of the partner organizations for any permanent positions that may be open toward the end of your fellowship.

Former fellows commonly work on international peace and security issues with domestic and international NGOs, the federal government, academia, and the media. Former fellows also often go on to attend graduate school in international relations and related disciplines. As Scoville host organizations are generally well connected in the DC policymaking ecosystem, the fellowship provides good references for fellows pursuing any DC-based track after their fellowship. The  Scoville Fellowship website has a comprehensive list of fellows’ post-fellowship careers here.

What activities besides work are involved in the fellowship?

Network and mentorship: The contact information of board members and former fellows are made available to all Scoville Fellows for the purposes of professional development and career assistance. Fellows select one board member and one former fellow to act as formal mentors throughout their fellowship to make the most of their experience. Having produced fellows since the late ‘80s, former fellows work at all levels across a vast array of organizations both in and out of government, providing a very valuable network beyond one’s host organization colleagues.

Seminars with policy experts: The Executive Director of the Scoville Fellowship organizes discussions with experts in the peace and security field by asking current and recent fellows who they would like to meet with. These discussions generally last an hour, beginning with the speaker discussing their work and their career path followed by any questions the fellows and former fellows may wish to ask. Experts often offer their contact information for fellows to follow up, expanding fellows’ networks beyond the fellowship itself.

Reception, meals, and happy hours: The Scoville Fellowship hosts an annual reception for all current and former fellows and individuals associated with the fellowship. Additionally, the fellowship president has a meal with the current fellows, and there are occasional happy hours, lunches, and dinners for current and former fellows.

How the Scoville Fellowship compares with other opportunities

Compared to applying directly for think tank jobs, the Scoville Fellowship provides a broader network of high caliber individuals to tap into. For instance, working directly as a Research Assistant at one of the host organizations would allow for regular interaction with your team members, but as a Scoville Fellow, you also have access to the board and alumni—who are spread out across all types of organizations and levels of seniority, each with the understanding that anyone in the Scoville network may reach out to them. Additionally, the experts with which you have discussions as part of the fellowship programming all provide contact information—when the fellowship director reaches out to leading voices in your field, his request has greater weight than yours might if you were to ask that person for an informational coffee.

Applying to the Scoville Fellowship avoids the regular hiring process by think tanks and NGOs. Whereas the Scoville host organizations may not have any openings for regular positions, they are always willing to accept fellows as free labor. Scoville application cycles happen every six months, and one can reapply if initially unsuccessful.

Compared to other policy fellowships, the Scoville Fellowship is truly entry-level and specifically provides an entryway for those with little to no familiarity with the DC NGO scene.

Becoming a Scoville Fellow

How selective is the Scoville Fellowship

Over the past several years, fewer than 3% of applicants were selected to be Scoville Fellows. In each application cycle, there may be up to around eight or nine applicants selected for final interviews out of upwards of 100 applications, and a maximum of four or five selected to be fellows. See also the below section on What qualities does the Scoville Fellowship look for?.

What does the application process involve?

Initial Application

The written application is fairly standard and straightforward, including the following:

1. A CV of no more than two pages
2. A personal statement of no more than 750 words discussing the candidate’s qualifications, interests, fellowship objectives, and career goals. The essay should clearly address the candidate’s experience and interest in and passion for the area of international peace and security, particularly in public advocacy.
3. A policy/opinion essay of no more than 750 words answering the following question: “What is the greatest emerging threat to international peace and security and why?” Applicants should refer to one or more of the Policy Issues addressed by the fellowship and recommend solutions to the problem they cite.
4. Official transcripts
5. Two reference letters – these can be professional and/or academic references

Finalist

Candidates selected for interviews are given the contact information of former fellows who have consented to being contacted. Candidates are free to ask them whatever advice they might need regarding their upcoming interview or about selecting a host organization. 

Candidates then participate in a final interview with the fellowship’s Board of Directors. Prior to the pandemic, finalists were flown out to DC for a marathon weekend consisting of the final interview with the board as well as informational interviews with potential host organizations at their offices. This also included a group dinner the night prior to the final interview. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, however, this entire process has been carried out remotely, and there are yet no plans to return to an in-person format.

Host organization selection

Fellows who successfully pass the interview are then given time to select a host organization, being guaranteed work at one of the available organizations. Fellows can continue discussions with potential host organizations, former fellows, and board members in order to make their decision. Organizations are not permitted to host fellows two semesters in a row, so a few organizations will be unavailable in any given application cycle.

In the rare event that multiple fellows select the same organization as their first choice, the organization will choose which fellow to accept, and the remaining fellow(s) will select a different organization at which to work.

What qualities does the Scoville Fellowship look for?

The Scoville Fellowship is designed to be a pipeline to develop the next generation of leaders in the field of peace and security (see the Scoville selection criteria). It provides a pathway to the DC think tank and NGO world for individuals seeking to enter it generally for the first time—preference is given to those without substantial prior public sector or DC government experience. Having had internships in DC does not count as “substantial”, however.

The website highlights “recent graduates” of undergraduate or graduate programs, but there is no rigid time frame in which one must apply after earning a degree (unlike most federal government fellowships). Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree at a minimum by the time they begin the fellowship. Due to the entry-level nature of the work, applicants are most often finishing up or are already holding bachelor’s degree. But the fellowship also makes sense for graduate students seeking to pivot from another field into one of the Scoville Policy Issues while relocating to DC. During the five years from Fall 2017 to Spring 2022 almost 28% of incoming Scoville Fellows (10/36) had a graduate degree or were enrolled in a graduate program when beginning their fellowship.

Applicants ought to be committed to working in the peace and security field—which they should emphasize in their application—as the fellowship prefers not investing in individuals who will work in an unrelated sector after their fellowship.

The board prefers candidates with a demonstrated background in advocacy, preferably in the fellowship’s policy issues. Board members differ in how important this factor is in selecting candidates, and lack of advocacy experience should not deter potential applicants. Other activities making you more attractive as a candidate include conducting research for professors, studying abroad, or being involved with student government, Model United Nations, or activist groups.

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