• Internships with nonprofits, fellowships in local government, and organizations, like the U.S. Digital Corps, Coding it Forward, and National Security Innovation Network, provide inroads to hands on PIT learning. 

• Job boards: Code for America, Impactful, Fast Forward Nonprofit, The Bridge, Tech Congress, Responsible Tech, and Tech for Good

• Internships with nonprofits, fellowships in local government, and organizations, like the U.S. Digital Corps, Coding it Forward, and National Security Innovation Network, provide inroads to hands on PIT learning. 

• Job boards: Code for America, Impactful, Fast Forward Nonprofit, The Bridge, Tech Congress, Responsible Tech, and Tech for Good

Public interest technology (PIT) uses the best practices of human-centered design, product development, process reengineering, and data science to help solve public problems. PIT refers to the application of technology expertise to advance the public interest/generate public benefits/promote the public good.

Technology affects everything community based and data related, such as COVID response economic recovery, cybersecurity, racial equity, social justice, and climate change. Local government and nonprofits are creating or re-envisioning roles to address social problems that require technological skills employed with an ethical lens.

Working in public interest technology commands an interdisciplinary skillset. PIT technologists are often required to translate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders who represent diverse groups and ensure that the work remains user-centered/human-centered from start to finish.

Public interest technology (PIT) uses the best practices of human-centered design, product development, process reengineering, and data science to help solve public problems. PIT refers to the application of technology expertise to advance the public interest/generate public benefits/promote the public good.

Technology affects everything community based and data related, such as COVID response economic recovery, cybersecurity, racial equity, social justice, and climate change. Local government and nonprofits are creating or re-envisioning roles to address social problems that require technological skills employed with an ethical lens.

Working in public interest technology commands an interdisciplinary skillset. PIT technologists are often required to translate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders who represent diverse groups and ensure that the work remains user-centered/human-centered from start to finish.

• Follow the conversation on Twitter by going to the source — key figures and organizations already doing the work.

• Sign up for email lists, attend virtual events, such as the Public Interest Technology University Network Annual Convening, Responsible Tech Summit, and A Better Tech. 

• Get involved on campus through student groups, searching for PIT courses, and talking to professors. (Students can petition to get course credit for volunteer/other PIT work they do off-campus with local governments and/or nonprofits.)

• Reading books, such as Power to the Public, We the Possibility, and A Civic Technologist’s Practice Guide, read firsthand accounts from students who a pursued PIT career path, and more about the emerging field.

• Follow the conversation on Twitter by going to the source — key figures and organizations already doing the work.

• Sign up for email lists, attend virtual events, such as the Public Interest Technology University Network Annual Convening, Responsible Tech Summit, and A Better Tech. 

• Get involved on campus through student groups, searching for PIT courses, and talking to professors. (Students can petition to get course credit for volunteer/other PIT work they do off-campus with local governments and/or nonprofits.)

• Reading books, such as Power to the Public, We the Possibility, and A Civic Technologist’s Practice Guide, read firsthand accounts from students who a pursued PIT career path, and more about the emerging field.