Education Policy Researcher

RAND • Santa Monica, CA

12d

About The Position

RAND's Economics, Sociology and Statistics (ESS) department is seeking Education Policy Researchers to conduct impactful, rigorous research on career and technical education (CTE) and education-to-workforce transitions. Researchers lead and contribute to projects that provide objective evidence to policymakers, state and federal agencies, and funders. They work on multidisciplinary teams examining how secondary CTE programs shape students’ postsecondary and labor market outcomes, including multi-year state CTE alignment studies and program evaluations. The work involves extensive use of state administrative data linking K-12 records with postsecondary enrollment and workforce wage data.

Successful candidates will be hired as an Associate Researcher or Full Researcher, based on their education and experience. Applicants should be completing a PhD or have 1 to 4 years of post-graduate experience in a research setting. The preferred candidate has a PhD in economics, policy analysis, statistics, sociology, or a closely related field. The position may be based in Santa Monica, California; Washington, DC; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; or Boston, Massachusetts.

Applicants must submit a CV, cover letter, peer-reviewed writing sample of at least three pages, and three letters of recommendation. Candidates invited to interview will be required to present a seminar describing recent research. The salary range is $110,900–$183,300, with separate ranges for Associate Researchers ($110,900–$152,500) and Full Researchers ($126,400–$183,300). RAND also offers benefits including health insurance, life and disability insurance, a savings plan, and paid time off.

Requirements

• Demonstrated training in quantitative research methods.
• Strong analytical skills and intellectual curiosity.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Ability to work effectively on inclusive, multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong commitment to RAND's values of quality and objectivity.
• Demonstrated expertise in at least one relevant content area: CTE policy, program design, or evaluation; secondary or postsecondary education policy and student outcomes; education-to-workforce transitions; state longitudinal data systems linking administrative records; or labor market analysis and workforce development policy.
• Demonstrated quantitative research skills, including experience with at least two of the following: causal inference methods; linked administrative data analysis; multilevel or longitudinal statistical modeling; or machine learning and data science methods applied to large-scale education or workforce data.
• Strong evidence of research experience, such as authorship of academic publications, conference presentations, or prior professional reports.
• Ability to conceptualize research studies, contribute to proposals, and communicate findings to nontechnical policy audiences.
• Currently completing a PhD or have 1 to 4 years of post-graduate experience in a research setting.

Nice To Haves

• PhD in economics, policy analysis, statistics, sociology, or a closely related field.
• Experience working directly with state education or workforce agencies.
• Experience working on externally funded research grants.

Responsibilities

• Design and conduct rigorous empirical research on transitions from high school to postsecondary education and the workforce.
• Link and analyze state administrative datasets spanning K-12, postsecondary, and workforce systems to track student pathways longitudinally.
• Apply causal inference and other advanced quantitative methods to evaluate programs related to education-to-postsecondary and workforce transitions.
• Use technologies such as AI and machine learning responsibly to improve research quality and efficiency.
• Communicate findings to policy audiences through peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, and presentations to state agency partners and funders.
• Contribute to business development, including proposal writing and cultivating relationships with state agencies, IES, and private funders.
• Mentor junior researchers and contribute to a collaborative, inclusive research environment.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Savings plan
• Paid time off
• RAND sabbatic pay, providing additional compensation above base pay when vacation is taken

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree