Applications Are Open for Civic Science Fellow, Evidence & Creator Partnerships 2026 – $85,000 Fellowship at AcademyHealth

Application Deadline: Not specified (apply early)

About the Fellowship

AcademyHealth is seeking an experienced communications, journalism, health policy, science communication, community engagement, or digital audience development professional interested in using evidence to reach broader public audiences. The Civic Science Fellow, Evidence & Creator Partnerships will lead an 18-month initiative designed to connect health policy research and evidence with social media creators, community communicators, and other trusted messengers. The project, hosted by AcademyHealth, will focus on how evidence can reach new and diverse audiences through creator partnerships, social media platforms, community networks, and civic dialogue. The successful candidate will lead a project titled “Bridging Science and Social Media for Better Health Policy,” which aims to build an Evidence Creator Pipeline connecting health policy research with social media creators and community communicators who can influence public conversation and reach millions of people. The fellowship runs from September 2026 to March 2028 and provides an annual stipend of $85,000. The position also includes paid leave but does not include health insurance or other benefits.

About AcademyHealth

AcademyHealth is a professional home and leading national organisation for health services researchers, policymakers, healthcare practitioners, and other stakeholders. Its work focuses on improving understanding of methods and data used in health services research, strengthening professional skills, supporting the use of evidence in policy and practice, and advocating for evidence-based improvements in health and healthcare. The organisation has become a leading nonpartisan national voice on scientific integrity, federal data access, and the role of evidence in public debate. AcademyHealth emphasises an inclusive and equitable work environment and is committed to advancing the field toward higher-impact, more equitable research.

The Evidence & Creator Partnerships Fellowship

The Civic Science Fellow will lead an 18-month initiative designed to explore how evidence-based health policy information can reach audiences beyond traditional academic, scientific, and health policy institutions. The initiative recognises that social media creators, community communicators, journalists, and other trusted messengers can play an important role in shaping how people encounter and interpret information.

The Fellow will combine:

• Landscape research
• Relationship building
• Audience and network analysis
• Creator recruitment
• Partnership development
• Content experimentation
• Communications strategy
• Knowledge sharing
• Toolkit development
• Sustainability planning

The ultimate goal is to understand who can effectively carry evidence into new audiences, what makes creator partnerships successful, and how organisations can build sustainable networks of trusted evidence creators.

Why This Fellowship Matters

The Civic Science Fellow position offers an opportunity to work at the intersection of science communication, health policy, digital media, social media, creator partnerships, public engagement, community communications, audience development, evidence-based communication, civic dialogue, and network building. The Fellow will conduct research, develop practical partnerships, test communication models, produce content, create a publicly available toolkit, present findings, and develop a sustainability strategy. For experienced professionals in communications, journalism, health policy, science communication, community engagement, or digital audience development, this fellowship offers:

• An 18-month leadership opportunity at a leading national organisation
• An $85,000 annual stipend and paid leave
• Flexible remote and hybrid working options
• Professional development through the Civic Science Fellows cohort
• Opportunities to innovate at the intersection of evidence and public engagement

Key Responsibilities

1. Conduct a Landscape Assessment: The Fellow will lead a landscape assessment of social media creators and community communicators working at the intersection of health, policy, and evidence. The assessment will include a survey and rapid network analysis to understand factors such as what drives trust among audiences, how different audiences interact with information, audience dynamics, preferred partnership models, and how evidence moves through different networks.

2. Identify and Recruit Evidence Creators: The Fellow will develop and execute a strategy for identifying and recruiting a cohort of 5 to 10 emerging evidence creators representing diverse backgrounds, platforms, communities, and audiences.

3. Develop Creator Partnership Models: The Fellow will pilot different partnership approaches with selected creators, involving compensation, skill-building, content co-creation, or a combination. Partnership models will be co-designed with the creators themselves.

4. Develop and Produce Pilot Content: The Fellow will oversee the development and production of pilot content pieces co-created with members of the creator cohort, designed for public audiences, and distributed across at least three platforms.

5. Develop a Publicly Available Toolkit: The Fellow will create protocols and a publicly available toolkit so other scientific societies can develop similar evidence creator networks.

6. Present Findings: The Fellow will present project findings at the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting and contribute to a final report intended for broad dissemination.

7. Develop a Sustainability Plan: The Fellow will develop a plan for sustaining the Evidence Creator Network beyond the fellowship period.

8. Establish and Manage an Advisory Group: The Fellow will establish and manage a project advisory group drawing on AcademyHealth staff, members, external experts, and professionals with expertise in network analysis, policy influence, and health communications.

Desired Qualifications

Educational Qualification:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university required
• Master’s degree preferred

Professional Experience:

• Approximately 3 to 5 years of substantive professional experience in health communications, science communications, health policy, journalism, community engagement, or related fields

Project Management Experience:

• Demonstrated experience managing or leading a complex project involving multiple stakeholders and moving parts

Creator, Influencer or Partnership Strategy Experience:

• Experience developing or executing influencer strategies, creator strategies, audience-development strategies, or partnership strategies

Social and Digital Platform Knowledge:

• Understanding of social and digital platforms as ecosystems for audience development, relationship building, civic engagement, community engagement, content strategy, audience growth, and creator partnerships

Relationship-Building Skills:

• Ability to identify potential partners and establish credible, authentic, and productive relationships across different sectors and communities

Ability to Experiment and Adapt:

• Experience experimenting with new communication or engagement approaches and using audience insights, partner feedback, evidence, and project results to refine strategies

Communication Skills:

• Highly developed written and oral communication skills, with the ability to take complex or technical subject matter and transform it into compelling narratives and accessible communications

Understanding Communities and Trust:

• Curiosity about how different communities form opinions, establish trust, encounter information, and engage with evidence

Health Policy Knowledge:

• Knowledge of health policy issues is preferred

Self-Motivation and Project Management:

• Strong project management abilities and the ability to manage an evolving 18-month initiative with limited supervision

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:

• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to inclusive working and learning environments

Fellowship Details

• Duration: 18 months (September 2026 – March 2028)
• Stipend: $85,000 per year
• Paid Leave: Included
• Health Insurance: Not provided
• Work Arrangement: Hybrid, with remote and office options
• Location Requirement: Not required to be in Washington, DC
• Travel: Required for certain fellowship activities, including the Civic Science Fellows and Partners Convening in February 2027 and the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting in Boston in 2027

Time Commitment:

• Approximately 75% of time (30 hours per week) working with AcademyHealth
• Approximately 25% of time (10 hours per week) participating in shared learning and networking activities as part of the Fellows cohort

Weekly Fellows Labs:

• Tuesdays, 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time
• Virtual sessions supporting shared learning, peer exchange, professional development, and collaboration across the Fellows cohort

How to Apply

Qualified applicants should submit:

• A resume
• A cover letter

Application Method: Email to jobs@academyhealth.org

AcademyHealth states that its hiring process will be conducted virtually, with interviews taking. place by phone or video.

For More Information: Visit the Official AcademyHealth Civic Science Fellow Page