What are the responsibilities and job description for the Emerging Scholar position at MERCATUS CENTER INC?
Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 cohort of Emerging Scholars.
We will consider applications on a rolling basis.
Emerging Scholars is an initiative of the Mercatus Center aimed at supporting innovative classical liberal thinkers in becoming this generation’s public intellectuals and policy innovators. We are seeking to hire Research Fellows for two-year, full-time roles at our offices in Arlington, VA, to start in September 2026.
“Scholar” is broadly construed to include candidates with advanced academic training (Ph.D. and MA) in economics, public policy, philosophy, and political theory as well as other disciplines. For the right candidate, experience may substitute for academic credentials.
“Emerging” is also broadly construed. You might be finishing a degree or looking for a mid-career shift. You will be eager to engage publicly on the key economic and political questions and debates of the moment.
Whatever your background, you must be a rigorous and well-grounded, thinker working on innovative projects with the aim of sharing your ideas widely to further classical liberal ideas in the public square.
As an Emerging Scholar, and a Research Fellow, you will be embedded in Mercatus’s interdisciplinary research community. You will benefit from presenting at a weekly Work in Progress Seminar, participating in communications training sessions, deepening your awareness of classical liberal thought and areas of policy interest, and being mentored by leading experts in both structured and unstructured settings. You will want to take the initiative as you contribute your ideas and learn from others at this exciting intellectual hub. Your work will be focused on your individual research projects — scholarly research you’re ready to start, or keen to continue — but you’ll also produce a wide variety of regular output across a range of media, while receiving support tailored to your specific interests and needs.
Qualifications:- Demonstrated commitment to classical-liberal ideas with a strong interest in and alignment with classical-liberal principles, such as individual liberty, free markets, and limited government.
- Early-career or emerging professional who might be a recent graduate, mid-career professional seeking a shift, or someone re-entering public life. No strict age or career timeline.
- Strong intellectual and analytical skills with the ability to think deeply and rigorously about social, economic, or political issues.
- Clear and effective communicator who is able to share ideas compellingly across various formats and platforms (writing, speaking, media).
- Original research or project focus with a well-defined individual research project or initiative that aligns with classical-liberal values and is ready to be started or continued.
- Self-motivator who demonstrates the ability to proactively start conversations, lead reading groups, host events, and help shape a new program.
- Adaptability and eagerness to learn, and is receptive to mentorship, training, and professional development opportunities.
EEO Statement: We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
Employee Benefits: Salary is competitive and will be commensurate with experience. In addition, Mercatus provides excellent benefits to all individual employees, including full health and dental coverage, flexible spending accounts, long-term disability and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement savings program, parking/travel benefits, and twelve free credits per year at George Mason University.
About the Mercatus Center at George Mason University: For over 40 years, the Mercatus Center at George Mason University has been the world’s premier university source for market-oriented ideas—bridging the gap between academic ideas and real-world problems. A university-based research center, Mercatus works to advance knowledge about how markets work to improve our lives by training graduate students, conducting research, and applying sound economics to offer solutions to society’s most pressing problems.