Program Assistant, Research – View the full job posting and apply here: https://jobs-pct.icims.com/jobs/3716/program-assistant%2c-research/job

Overview:
The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today’s most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improving public policy, informing the public and stimulating civic life. Since transforming to a public charity in 2004, we have gained the ability to run our own projects and have greater flexibility to fulfill our public service mission. As a result, over the past seven years our organization has grown significantly, tripling in size and expanding the scope of our work nationally as well as internationally. We partner with a diverse range of donors, public and private organizations and concerned citizens who share our commitment to practical, fact-based solutions and goal-driven investments to improve society.

We are an independent nonprofit organization – the sole beneficiary of seven individual charitable funds, established between 1948 and 1979 by two sons and two daughters of Sun Oil Company founder Joseph N. Pew and his wife, Mary Anderson Pew. Our offices are located in Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Brussels and London, and our staff spans other regions of the United States and Australia.

Pew provides an exciting learning environment and the opportunity to work with highly talented individuals. We are a dynamic, rapidly evolving organization that values creativity and innovative thinking and fosters strong teamwork with mutual respect.

Project Description
Government Performance (GP), an internal operating division of The Pew Charitable Trusts, identifies and advances effective policy approaches to critical issues. It researches emerging topics, develops data-driven reports, and highlights innovative approaches to complex problems. When the facts are clear, GP advocates for nonpartisan, pragmatic solutions.

GP operates major state and local level initiatives in public pensions, children’s dental health, intensive home visiting/parent mentoring for at-risk families, sentencing and corrections, cost-benefit analysis, state budgeting and tax expenditures, and election reform, among others. GP makes use of the basic tools required to help states and localities explore and advance effective policies, regardless of the issue: credible, timely, and user-friendly research; assessments of public support for change; strategic outreach and dissemination to ensure that good information is widely communicated to decision-makers, media, influential stakeholders, and the public; the capacity to bring together diverse perspectives and find common ground; and the ability to identify and apply approaches that have proven successful elsewhere.

Position Overview

Pew is seeking to hire research assistants to serve in a cross-cutting role across the different project areas within GP, assisting in data collection and analysis in the early phases of project research, and in quality control in the later phases. Research assistants will be deployed and supervised by senior-level research review staff, in coordination with project-area directors and managers. Research assistants will also help with exploratory research to determine new project areas.

This position is located in Washington, DC and is term-limited to not exceed a period of three years from the date of hire.

Responsibilities:

• Under direction of and in consultation and collaboration with senior research staff, assist with research efforts that support particular project teams and cross-cutting efforts within GP.
• Research work will include managing datasets, writing computer programs and/or using research software to process and analyze data, producing literature reviews, and composing draft tables, charts, and write-ups for our research products.
• Research assistants will also assist other cross-cutting research staff in reviewing methodologies and other research strategies proposed by project teams in the early stages of research, and in checking data and calculations in the final stages of research before publication.

Requirements:

• A bachelor’s degree is required, but new graduates of master’s-level programs would also be well-suited.
• Relevant research experience in the form of summer internships and/or coursework research projects required; or 1-3 years of professional experience.
• The ideal candidate will have an interest in public policy and an educational background in economics, public policy, statistics/mathematics, computer science, or other social science field.
• Strong computer skills and experience. Experience handling large data sets and models preferred. Experience with software such as SPSS, STATA, and other statistical/econometric packages.
• Ability to synthesize and summarize large amounts of information and to focus quickly on the essence of an issue.
• Ability to communicate ideas, thoughts and concepts clearly and concisely, both in writing and orally.
• Ability to be responsive to the direction of research managers/supervisors while working with a high degree of independence within a creative, fast-paced, action-oriented and collegial environment.
• Demonstrated time- and project-management skills, including the ability to meet multiple deadlines by maintaining a high level of organization.

Travel
This position is based in our Washington, D.C. office, and is not anticipated to involve travel.