Associate I, Research Review and Support

The Strategy Portfolio within Program

The goal of the strategy portfolio is to inform critical institutional decisions about Pew’s programs, strengthen the design and implementation of Pew’s work, and generate knowledge that advances Pew’s program objectives. We pursue this goal by (1) enhancing the organization’s efforts to generate ideas for new initiatives and larger bodies of work; (2) applying a wide range of planning approaches to help programs turn ideas into effective action; (3) using evaluation to improve program performance, inform decision-making, and support learning; (4) working with teams across the institution to help ensure Pew’s research meets the organization’s expressed standards for quality; (5) ensuring that staff has access to information that meets their needs to design, implement, and manage high-performing strategies, initiatives, and campaigns; and (6) collaborating with colleagues in preparing a wide range of planning and other types of documents for consideration by Pew’s board of directors.

Research Quality and Support

Research quality and support (RQS) facilitates the research process across all Pew programs and projects. Staff help ensure the integrity and quality of all research outputs, including reports, surveys and polls, literature reviews, and data collection and analysis. This work involves taking a research concept from initial hypothesis and proposal through post-analysis data checks, fact checking, and peer review. RQS advises project teams on the best methodological or analytical approaches, datasets and, if appropriate, external vendors to achieve desired outcomes. RQS staff also provide direct research assistance, most commonly data collection and literature reviews, as required.

Finally, RQS fosters a Pew research community that leverages and builds staff expertise, tools and capacity across project teams and on a wide range of topics and disciplines. On behalf of projects, RQS coordinates with other Pew divisions and departments involved in the research process. The aim is to help ensure excellent, unimpeachable research outputs that significantly impact major policy changes at the federal, state, local, and international levels.

Position Overview

The Associate I, Research Quality and Support, will assist in data collection and analysis, literature reviews and knowledge-building, and other requested tasks in the early phases of research and critical data verification in the latter phases to help ensure research quality. Reporting to the Senior Manager, Research Quality and Support, the Associate I supports data verification processes, conducts background research, and assists with other priorities.

Located in Pew’s Washington D.C. office, this position participates in Pew’s hybrid work program with core days in the office and the flexibility to telework the remaining days. Staff also enjoy four telework “flex weeks” per year.

Responsibilities

• Foster a work environment that inspires excellence, values impact, encourages transparency, builds mutual trust and respect, embraces and values diversity, and is collaborative, caring and compassionate.
• Verify data analyses and replicate statistical findings from other researchers using raw data and code in statistical programs, such as Excel, STATA, SPSS, R, ArcGIS, and Python, in Pew’s research publications.
• Support data collection and analysis, for example, collecting and assembling new datasets, checking statistical code from other researchers, analyzing data, writing policy summaries, and making tables, charts, interactives, maps, and memos.
• Synthesize research and conduct literature reviews on policy issues, such as international environment and conservation, fiscal and economic policy, health and human services, and safety and justice, to identify key trends and insights for project teams’ policy exploration and new lines of research.
• Assist other RQS staff in facilitating the research activities of project teams and program-level initiatives across different areas, particularly in the use of LLMs and AI tools.
• Participate in activities and meetings that support program and Pew-wide objectives.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Skilled at informing and influencing internal and external audiences through written and oral communications.
• Works effectively with colleagues and leverages a variety of technical systems to advance complex projects to successful completion with measurable results.
• Aptitude to apply a non-partisan, evidence-based approach to projects and campaigns that require support across the political spectrum.
• Experience working on complex projects and achieving measurable results.
• Proficiency in analyzing numerical data, including working with software such as R, STATA, Python, Excel, SPSS, Tableau, ArbGIS, and other statistical tools.
• Familiarity with current and emerging LLMs and AI tools and models used in research.
• An interest in public policy and an educational background in statistics/mathematics, computer science, economics, political science, international relations/development, psychology, sociology, public policy, or another social science field.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Generally, one year of applicable experience.

Key attributes and preferred experience

• Naturally develops and manages productive and collaborative relationships.
• Experience with statistical software (e.g., R, Stata, Python, etc.).
• Experience conducting background research, including performing literature reviews, integrating, and condensing a lot of information to quickly identify the core of an issue.
• Follows the direction of managers/collaborators while working independently in a creative, dynamic, and cooperative environment.
• Meets multiple deadlines by being very organized and attentive to details.

Travel

Travel is not anticipated for this position.

Work Authorization

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the country for which they are seeking employment without visa sponsorship.

Salary Range

The salary range represents a reasonable estimate of the annual salary based on Pew’s commitment to provide equitable and market-competitive pay. The actual salary offered will take into consideration many factors including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills and experience, internal pay equity, and business need.

Total Rewards

We offer a competitive salary and benefit program, including: comprehensive, affordable health care through medical, dental, and vision coverage; financial security with life and disability insurance; opportunities to save using health savings and flexible spending accounts; retirement benefits to help prepare for the future; and work/life benefits to maintain a good balance.

Pew is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, or any other protected characteristics.