Research Fellowship

Location: Flexible within the U.S. but requires access to a major U.S. airport for travel.    
Position Type: Part-time between 15 – 25 hours per week 

Overview

The PPG Research Fellowship is a six-month, project-based fellowship designed to support early career researchers interested in improving government effectiveness. Fellows will be paid to conduct policy-relevant background research, use rigorous methods to collect and analyze data, and co-author publications for one of five pre-determined high-priority topics related to public procurement and local government operations. The fellowship provides dedicated time and mentorship for researchers interested in learning about and contributing directly to PPG's mission of helping governments deliver better outcomes for residents.

About Us 

Partners for Public Good (PPG) is a nonpartisan team of doers who work alongside state and local governments to strengthen the operational systems—procurement, staffing, budgeting, and technology—that determine whether policy turns into results for residents. We go in alongside government staff through implementation, not just as advisors who deliver recommendations and leave, but as practitioners who stay until something has actually changed. Through our implementation work, applied research, and the Procurement Excellence Network—a practitioner community of more than 3,000 government professionals—we translate what we learn from individual governments into knowledge and tools that travel across jurisdictions. With support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, we are proud to be part of their longstanding work to drive government innovation that improves lives nationwide. When government works, communities thrive. 

Why Research Focused on Local Government

Local governments are where policy is translated into tangible outcomes—e.g., transportation, infrastructure updates, emergency services, and school food—that residents experience every day. However, rigorous research focused on (1) local level-procurement, budgeting, use of technology, and staff capacity and (2) how local level operations are shaped, and often constrained, by a web of state and federal policies and regulations is needed. At a time when confidence in public institutions continues to decline, the fellowship aims to support a new generation of researchers focused on using evidence in service of government excellence. 

Fellowship Program

Over six months, fellows will work on a defined research topic (see below) under the guidance of PPG staff and alongside two other fellows. The program combines independent research with regular professional development and collaboration opportunities through coaching calls and research team meetings. Fellows will receive support translating their work into draft publications, policy briefs, and other public-facing outputs that strengthen both the evidence base for government reform and the fellows' research portfolios.

This remote opportunity is designed for early-career researchers, including graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, early-career faculty, research or policy staff, and other professionals with comparable experience. Fellows will attend one in-person research retreat. Prior to the start of the fellowship, PPG and each selected fellow will agree on work hours (with flexibility in scheduling), project goals and deliverables, and expectations regarding data access, use, rights, and ownership. 

Research Topics

1. Understanding Public Procurement Through Municipal Data
Public procurement is one of the primary ways governments translate public resources into services, infrastructure, and results for residents. Yet practices, systems, and available information vary considerably across jurisdictions.

This project will explore publicly available information about local government procurement to better understand the procurement landscape across U.S. cities. Fellows will contribute to research that strengthens our understanding of how governments purchase goods and services and identify opportunities for further analysis and learning.

2. The Compliance Web: Layered Governance and Local Implementation
Local governments operate within a complex web of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, funding requirements, and administrative processes. These requirements can establish important standards and protections, but also create uncertainty, administrative burden, and challenges for effective implementation.

Focusing on one area (e.g., permitting, transit infrastructure, school food procurement), this project will examine how this “compliance web” shapes local government operations and project delivery. Drawing on PPG’s relationships with local governments, fellows will explore where federal and state law support or constrain implementation, and how policy design could better support effective local delivery.

3. Emerging Technology and Government Operations
State and local governments are increasingly exploring artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies to support their internal operations and workforce. These tools may also offer new ways to understand how public servants experience government systems and processes.

This project will explore what the use of AI and emerging technologies can teach us about government operations, organizational capacity, and opportunities for improvement. Fellows will contribute to the development and testing of new approaches to studying how government work gets done.

4. Innovative Approaches to Public Purchasing
Governments have a range of tools and approaches available to purchase goods and services, each with different potential benefits and trade-offs. As purchasing practices evolve, understanding how governments choose among approaches is increasingly important.

This project will examine emerging trends in procurement, with a particular focus on cooperative purchasing, to identify how and why different approaches are being used across jurisdictions. Fellows will explore implications for government efficiency, market participation, and the broader public procurement ecosystem.

5. Building Local Capacity for Stormwater Management
Communities across the country are exploring ways to strengthen their capacity to manage stormwater and respond to growing infrastructure and resilience needs. Approaches vary considerably based on local context, governance structures, and state and federal policy environments.

This project will examine how communities approach the development and financing of stormwater management capacity. Fellows will identify patterns across jurisdictions and generate insights that can help inform future research and practice.

Deliverables

Each fellow will be expected to complete two to three deliverables. Depending on the specific project these may include a:

• Topic specific literature review
• Dataset compiled from publicly available information and associated documentation
• Dataset based on primary data collection and associated survey/interview instruments 
• Draft publication or policy brief
• Conference submission

Who You Are 

Applicants may be affiliated with a university, think tank, nonprofit, or other research or policy organization, and maintain affiliation during the fellowship, provided they can meet the time and deliverable commitments of the program. Applicants without such affiliation are also welcome. 

Application Information

To apply, submit each of the following no later than September 28:

•  A resume/CV (no more than 2 pages).
• A letter of interest that answers the following questions (no more than 2 pages)
  •  Which one or two projects -- see options above -- are you interested in and why? (If you are interested in two projects, you may include up to 3 pages. Please specify your top choice.) 
  • Why are you qualified to take on this project?
  • How would you approach the work?
• A work sample. This may be a published or under review research publication or other product that illustrates your skills and expertise.  

Additional Information: 

Deadline to Apply: PPG will review applications on a rolling basis. All applications received by the deadline of close of business on September 28, 2026 will be considered.

Compensation: Fellows will work 15–25 hours per week and be paid at a rate of $50 per hour with benefits as required by state or local law.  

Start date: The desired start date for this role is October 2026.

Physical Demands: This position requires sitting, talking, listening, reading, and writing. Certain situations may require lifting items up to 20 pounds. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job duties. 

Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity 

Partners for Public Good is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

Partners for Public Good is committed to the inclusion of all qualified individuals in the hiring process, including but not limited to those with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact info(at)partnersforpublicgood.org.