New Product Development Analyst

National Journal • Washington, DC

1d • $55,000 - $70,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

National Journal is seeking a highly analytical, intellectually curious self-starter to support the Associate Director of New Product Development and the SVP of Product at National Journal to help identify, scope, and scale new product offerings for the Government Affairs community. The role will have a dual focus: First, you will contribute to a recently launched intelligence service that monitors hundreds of influencers in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. Your job will be to translate the outputs of our sophisticated AI listening engine into relevant content for clients in the health sector. It requires keen analytical judgment to recognize when something small could become the next front line of a major policy battle. Second, you will play a key role in our new product development process, including discovery of unmet needs, product design & testing, and business model scaling.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree with strong academic achievement; up to two years of post- graduate experience preferred but not required.
• Demonstrated habit of building things independently—research projects, student publications, software tools, businesses, AI workflows, data analyses, newsletters, or other self-directed work.
• Prodigious intellectual curiosity and analytical instincts—equally comfortable in qualitative and quantitative work, and skilled at knowing when to go deep versus when to synthesize.
• Demonstrated tendency to pursue questions beyond what is required. You read broadly, investigate topics deeply, and frequently teach yourself new concepts, tools, or skills without formal instruction.
• Excellent writing and communication skills; proven ability to distill large amounts of information into concise, well-organized insight.
• Enthusiasm for AI tools, including generative AI and agents; a track record of figuring out new tools independently.
• Competence in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; experience with databases, data visualization tools, and task automation a plus.
• Some exposure to Python or demonstrated willingness to develop basic coding fluency on the job.
• Experience with primary research, including interviews and surveys.
• Outstanding time management; ability to manage competing priorities without losing quality or missing deadlines.
• Background in political science, public policy, journalism, economics, or a related field that has provided some familiarity with how Washington works.

Nice To Haves

• Up to two years of post- graduate experience preferred but not required.
• Experience with databases, data visualization tools, and task automation a plus.
• Demonstrated willingness to develop basic coding fluency on the job.

Responsibilities

• Translate AI-generated intelligence reports into concise briefings on the most significant, novel, and impactful developments.
• Identify emerging narratives, language, and influencer dynamics that represent meaningful opportunities or threats for client organizations.
• Regularly test AI automation tools and providing feedback on new processes and prompts to support efforts to improve output quality and efficiency.
• Investigate quantitative and qualitative inputs for an (in-development) Influence Power Index, and contribute to executing the creation and rollout of the Index into the existing alternative media intelligence product suite.
• Support primary research with government affairs professionals: synthesizing interview findings, clustering pain points, and building frameworks for evaluating product opportunities.
• Conduct secondary research to characterize client pain points, map the competitive landscape, and assess market size and differentiation potential.
• Prepare clear, compelling research synthesis that translates complex findings into recommendations for executive decision-making.
• Leverage AI tools and agents as a core part of daily work—and bring informed judgment about how AI could be part of the products we build.
• Build lightweight prototypes, workflows, and experiments to test product ideas quickly, using AI tools, spreadsheets, no-code platforms, or code as appropriate.
• Maintain spreadsheets, databases, and analytic tools to evaluate product concept and keep product development initiatives on track.

Benefits

• National Journal is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate against our applicants because of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level