Jobs in public policy

About the search for post-graduation employment

The career paths of our alumni and the range of employers recruiting at Ford reflect the versatility and transferability of the MPP/MPA across sectors. The required MPP internship and applied approach of all degree programs prepares students with a tool kit of skills eagerly sought by employers and the knowledge to effectively conduct a job search.

We help students clarify career goals, identify and connect with relevant employers, and communicate the value-add of their Ford School knowledge and skills to key policy employers around the world.

Ford School students identify and secure full-time positions through many sources: jobs posted on the Ford School's FordCareers system, on-campus employers, campus-wide recruiting efforts, internship employers, faculty and alumni connections, policy job boards, and through their own personal and professional networks.

Employers recruiting at the Ford School

The reputation of U-M academic programs attracts employers to campus through many avenues. Some recruit specifically at the Ford School, others recruit through U-M’s central Career Center and campus-wide job fairs. Below is a list of employees who have recently recruited our students.

Federal

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System - Washington, DC
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services - Washington, DC
Environment Protection Agency, Office of Water and Watersheds - Seattle, WA
Internal Revenue Service, Program Evaluation and Risk Analysis - Washington, DC
U.S. Agency for International Development, Bureau for Global Health
U.S. Government Accountability Office - Washington, D.C
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration - Washington, DC

State

California Legislative Analyst's Office - Sacramento, CA
State of Michigan, Governor's Office - Lansing MI
State of Oregon - Salem, OR
Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau, Program Evaluation - Madison, WA

Local

Chicago Civilian Office of Police Accountability - Chicago, IL
City of Detroit, Department of Innovation & Technology - Detroit, MI
City of New York Consumer Affairs, Financial Empowerment - New York, NY
City of Seattle, Office of Civil Rights and Labor Standards - Seattle, WA
DC Office of State Superintendent of Education - Washington, DC
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Policy & Government Affairs - San Francisco, CA

International Organizations

The World Bank - Washington, DC
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - Geneva, Switzerland
United Nations Environment Programme - Quito, Ecuador
World Food Programme - Maputo, Mozambique

Non-Profit Organizations

Annie E. Casey Foundation, Office of Strategic Initiatives - Baltimore, MD
Center for American Progress - Washington, DC
Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Strategy and Policy Office - Lansing, MI
PYXERA Global - Washington, DC
The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab - Cambridge, MA
The Urban Institute, Justice Policy Center - Washington, DC
UChicago Urban Labs - Chicago, IL
Vera Institute of Justice - New York, NY