Pennsylvania Legislative Science & Technology Policy Fellow (Center for Rural Pennsylvania)

Penn State University•University Park, IL

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Pennsylvania Legislative Science & Technology Policy Fellow is a one-year fellowship embedded in the Center for Rural Pennsylvania (CRP), a bipartisan, bicameral legislative agency serving as a resource for rural policy within the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The fellowship aims to bridge the gap between the scientific community and the General Assembly by providing science and technical expertise to lawmakers. The Fellow will contribute expert knowledge and advanced research, analysis, and writing skills to support CRP's research-grounded policy work, focusing on themes such as health and wellness, economic and workforce development, and agriculture and the environment. The fellowship includes training in Pennsylvania state government, policy processes, applied research, policy writing, and science communication to non-scientific audiences, emphasizing an "honest broker" approach to providing objective, evidence-based research. CRP staff will manage the day-to-day work of the fellow.

Requirements

Ph.D. or terminal degree in a relevant field (e.g., M.D., D.V.M., M.P.H., M.Eng., or equivalent).

Nice To Haves

Strong quantitative empirical research and experience with inferential statistics.
Proficiency in statistical software such as SPSS, Stata, and R.
Exceptional data visualization and writing skills.
Ability to communicate with nontechnical audiences.
Ability to translate complex ideas into easily digestible information particularly around the research themes that have been adopted by the agency.
Ability to take initiative and manage time well.

Responsibilities

Conduct and synthesize research, write and edit reports or fact sheets, and create policy recommendations as assigned by the host office.
Meet both in-person and virtually with experts and stakeholders who have experience in the topic areas being studied.
Support the review and administration of the CRP grant program, which includes a number of external research projects on a variety of topics.
Assist in preparing meeting materials, including presentations.
Attend legislative committee meetings, Board of Directors meetings, seminars, conferences, and other events at the direction of the host office.
Manage schedule and workflow to ensure reports are completed in a timely manner.
Work in team settings.
Perform other office and administrative functions as needed.
Attend trainings and weekly or bi-weekly check-ins with LPE/COPA-STEP and provide feedback, as requested.
Support occasional LPE/COPA-STEP programming.