About AAPD

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) works to increase the political and economic power of people with disabilities. As a national disability-led and cross-disability rights organization, AAPD advocates for full civil rights for over 60 million Americans with disabilities. We do this by promoting equal opportunity, economic power, independent living, and political participation through our programs and advocacy. We are looking to hire staff who embody our mission and are invested in building the disability rights movement. 

AAPD is an equal opportunity employer. Our office collaborates across initiatives to actively uplift and center the diversity of the disability community in our work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability. Applicants with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply. 

AAPD has an office headquartered in Washington, DC, but also has flexible workplace and remote work policies. AAPD follows strong COVID-19 Prevention Policies in our DC office and whenever our staff are in-person.

We offer a competitive benefits package including:

• • Unlimited PTO
  • Flexible work schedule
  • 403(b) with 5% employer match
  • 100% employer coverage of Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance for each employee and up to 2 dependents
  • Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Professional development and career advancement opportunities

Job Summary

●      Position Title: Technology Policy Associate

●      Position Level: Associate

●      Job Type: Full-time

●      Reports To: Technology Policy Director

●      Format: Hybrid* (i.e., some in-person work required)

●      Location: Washington, DC (with occasional travel)

●      Expected Start Date: immediately

●      Salary: $60,000 - $75,000

About the Technology Policy Team

The Technology Policy team at the American Association of People with Disabilities addresses critical issues at the intersection of technology policy and disability rights. Our work spans a wide range of areas, including digital accessibility, assistive technology, telecommunications and broadband access, data privacy, artificial intelligence (AI), and emerging technologies. We advocate for a safer and more inclusive internet for people with disabilities, engage in shaping regulations around emerging technologies, and build coalitions with individuals and organizations to promote equitable tech policy. Our work seeks to leverage the transformative potential of technology to enhance the power, agency, and independence of disabled people, while actively working to prevent technological developments that may pose risks or infringe on disabled people’s  rights and freedoms. As a national organization, we primarily engage with federal policymakers and industry leaders. However, we also pursue strategic opportunities to collaborate with state governments to advance model legislation that reflects the principles of disability equity and technological inclusion.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a candidate with a strong understanding of technological systems and a deep commitment to disability rights and inclusion. While this position does not require advanced technical expertise, a solid grasp of issues related to the design, deployment, and governance of technology is essential.

The ideal candidate will have familiarity with the public policy landscape in the United States and be comfortable navigating the processes of policymaking and advocacy. Experience in research, public policy, advocacy, or community organizing is highly valued.

Relevant areas of prior work include, but are not limited to: disability rights advocacy, AI governance, public interest technology, digital accessibility, algorithmic bias, and assistive technology. This role offers a meaningful opportunity to contribute to technology policy through a disability justice lens and to help shape a more equitable digital future. This position reports to AAPD’s Director of Technology Policy, Maitreya Shah.

•  Support the Technology Policy Director by monitoring technology policy developments at the federal, state, and international levels.

●      Conduct desk research, draft policy briefs and papers, write blog posts, and contribute to the development of AAPD’s policy positions on technology and disability rights.

●      Coordinate the daily operations of AAPD’s technology-related programs, including Start Access, Technology Forum, We Will Ride, and other strategic initiatives.

●      Assist the Technology Policy Director and Technology Policy Consultant in managing partnerships and external communications.

●      Conduct outreach to disability rights organizations to disseminate information and updates on AAPD’s technology policy work.

●      Develop and manage multimedia content related to technology and disability rights for AAPD’s website and digital platforms.

●      Represent AAPD at meetings, events, and conferences within the technology policy and disability advocacy space.

●      Collaborate with other team members to monitor and respond to developments in technology policy.

●      Collaborate with the larger policy team on technology-related issues in other domains of AAPD’s work, such as democracy, healthcare, social security, and reproductive justice.

Qualifications

Preferred:

• Minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience in program coordination, policy research and analysis, advocacy, or community organizing work.
• Demonstrated experience working on disability rights or disability justice initiatives.
• Strong understanding of current and emerging technologies, as well as related policy issues—demonstrated through coursework, work experience, or training.
• Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to convey complex technical and policy information to diverse audiences.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, collaborative work platforms, virtual meeting tools, and basic website content management.

Desirable:

• Lived experience of disability and/or other intersecting marginalized identities.
• Experience analyzing and tracking public policy and legislation.
• Experience managing a range of events (virtual, hybrid, and in-person), including webinars, small group sessions, and community meetings.
• Experience in coalition building, managing stakeholders, or working with donors.

This list is not exhaustive. Even if you don’t meet all the requirements, please do apply! We would love to read your application. The recruitment process for this role includes the following stages:

1.     Submit the following to our application portal:

• A Cover Letter, 
• Resume/ CV (max. 2 pages), 
• A completed application form

If you would like to submit this application in an alternative format or require reasonable accommodations in the application process, please write to sisenberg@aapd.com with the subject line Technology Policy Associate application.

2.     First interview: shortlisted candidates will be invited for an initial conversation of around 60 minutes with the AAPD team.

3.     Second interview: finalists in the recruitment process will be invited to interact with the AAPD leadership on a call for around 60 minutes.

More steps might be added to this process depending on the competitiveness of the recruitment, pool of applicants, and other factors. You might be required to complete a work assessment as a part of this recruitment. We are looking for candidates who could join immediately.

We are accepting applications on a rolling basis with a priority deadline of August 5.

Application questions

1  Please describe your experience working on disability rights initiatives. What challenges did you face in your work, and what did you learn from them? (max. 250 words)

2  What values guide your work with the disability community? (max. 250 words)

3  What motivates you to work at the intersection of disability rights and technology policy? (max. 250 words)