EMERGING SCHOLAR

About the role:
The Emerging Scholars Program is a new initiative of the Mercatus Center, aimed at supporting early-career classical-liberal thinkers who are committed to becoming compelling public intellectuals. Through the program, Mercatus will hire a full cohort of scholars into two-year, paid fellowship roles, based on-site in Arlington, VA. 

‘Scholar’ is broadly construed: you might be an academic, but perhaps instead you work in policy, journalism, run a business, or do something entirely different. 

‘Emerging’ is also broadly construed: you might be finishing a degree of some kind, but perhaps instead you’re looking to shift focus mid-career, return to public life, or have decided not to retire. 

Whatever your background, you’ll be a deeply rigorous thinker, working on innovative projects, and excited to share your ideas clearly and broadly, to further classical-liberal ends.

Responsibilities:
As a member of the program, you’ll be fully embedded in Mercatus’s interdisciplinary community. Your knowledge of classical political economy will deepen, and you’ll gain increased ability to communicate the value of applying classical-liberal ideas to social, economic, and policy challenges. You’ll be mentored by leading experts, but you’ll also want to take the initiative: starting conversations, running reading groups, hosting events, and building the Emerging Scholars Program from the ground up, as you contribute to daily life at this exciting intellectual hub. Your work will be focused on your individual research project—something you’re ready to start, or keen to continue—but you’ll also produce regular output across a wide variety of media, while receiving support and training tailored to your specific interests and needs. 

• Demonstrated commitment to classical-liberal ideas, 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. 
• 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).
• Focused on an original research project that's well-defined, shows strong potential to further classical-liberal ends, 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. 

Additional Information:

Applications close Monday, May 5, 2025, noting that applicants may also be considered for future cohorts.

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.