ARI’s Junior Fellows program

Are you passionate about Ayn Rand’s ideas and want to be at the forefront of the battle for free markets? Wondering if you can turn that passion into a career—and where to get started?

Each year we bring 2–4 outstanding recent graduates to our Irvine, California, office and immerse them in the world of research, writing, speaking, media presentation—while providing them with focused training workshops and seminars on applying Ayn Rand’s ideas and learning how to write and speak with greatest impact.

Participants in the Junior Fellows program join our staff for up to one year to gain real-world experience and vital skills, working at our headquarters in Irvine alongside colleagues in ARI’s Policy Research group.

What is ARI looking for in an ideal candidate?

You have a basic understanding of Ayn Rand’s ideas and agree with ARI’s mission. You’re passionate about ideas, speaking up for what you believe in, connecting with people—and making a difference. You are serious about exploring the possibility of pursuing the career of an intellectual.

You have an existing interest in debates in one or more areas of public policy (e.g., economic policy, education policy, health care policy, law, environmental issues, foreign policy) and would like to grow your knowledge, sharpen your skills.

You have the fervent desire to learn from every experience, maximize every opportunity, and challenge yourself intellectually.

What kind of work will I do?

In keeping with the program’s purpose, Junior Fellows will have projects that give them experience in key skills and enable them to grow intellectually. Members of the Junior Fellows program are paired with ARI senior intellectuals and support large-scale policy projects through research, writing, and project coordination. They also carry out writing and editing in support of ARI projects under the guidance of experienced editors, and assist in the development of audio-video programming for ARI.

Moreover, the educational component of the program includes a demanding sequence of workshops and written and oral assignments, along with individual research-writing projects in a designated area of policy.

What kind of educational requirements are there?

Strong preference is given to applicants who have completed ARI’s Objectivist Academic Center program. All applicants should have, at minimum, an undergraduate degree (philosophy and political science, e.g., may be particularly helpful), and better yet, an advanced degree.

We recognize that people with all kinds of backgrounds—from science and business to the humanities and journalism—gravitate to policy work, and ARI will consider all qualified applicants.

After the up to 12-month fellowship term, am I assured a job on ARI’s staff of writers, analysts, and fellows?

No. We seek the brightest and best to join our team; excelling in the Junior Fellows program will bring you that much closer to landing a job on ARI’s staff. We are also interested in encouraging talented individuals to join other organizations or take on meaningful work best aligned with their research interests and goals.

How does this program differ from the ARI Summer Internship?

There are a number of differences. Whereas ARI’s Summer Internship program runs for three weeks, the Junior Fellows program runs for up to one year and aims to provide an immersive experience of, and considerable training in, the kind of work entailed in being a professional intellectual focusing on policy issues. Moreover, interns are undergraduates new to Ayn Rand’s ideas. The Junior Fellows program is intended for people who have a basic understanding of Ayn Rand’s ideas, have at minimum completed a bachelor’s degree, and are considering a career as a professional intellectual applying Objectivist ideas.

When does the Program start?

The 2013–2014 Junior Fellows program begins in late summer/fall of 2013.

Is this a paid position?

Yes. ARI offers a competitive salary and benefits.

How many openings are there in the program?

For the 2013–14 year, there are two openings.

How do I apply?

To be considered for the 2013–14 cycle of the program, please submit your application by May 31. To apply, please include the following items in your submission:

• your resume

• up to three samples of your best written work (preferably, published material)

• a cover letter, making your case

• a summary of your reading and study. In that summary, please:

  • List the books by Ayn Rand that you have read.

  • List the books by other Objectivist writers that you have read.

  • List any Objectivist courses or lectures that you have taken, and when.

  • List the 5–7 nonfiction books by non-Objectivists that you have read and enjoyed within the last 12 months.

  • List the sources that you rely on to stay abreast of current affairs (up to 5 periodicals / blogs, etc.).

Address your application packet to:

or by fax to (949) 222-6558 or by email to employment@aynrand.org. Email submissions strongly preferred. No phone calls, please.

When will I hear about my application?

We expect to notify successful applicants by July 15, 2013.