Quantitative Researcher, Education & Employment (Remote Eligible)

Mathematica Inc • Cambridge, MA

4d • $100,000 - $135,000 • Remote

About The Position

Mathematica is seeking a quantitative researcher to support rigorous, data-driven evidence-building and program improvement and evaluation in education and employment. The researcher will join a division supporting projects for public- and private-sector clients, including federal agencies, philanthropic organizations, and state and local agencies. Work may include quasi-experimental studies, randomized controlled trials, descriptive research, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Depending on projects and interests, the role may involve designing studies; analyzing survey and administrative data; reviewing and synthesizing evidence; applying innovative methods, including machine-learning techniques; using artificial intelligence tools for data collection, processing, and preliminary analysis; preparing reports and briefs; creating data visualizations; and presenting findings to policy, practitioner, and researcher audiences. The researcher will also help program administrators and policymakers use evidence to make decisions and may collaborate with state and local organizations on evaluations and program refinement. The position is remote eligible, with coworking spaces available where offered. Applications are considered on a rolling basis. A cover letter, CV, and writing sample or job market paper are required at application; the cover letter should state the desired start date. Letters of recommendation will be requested from candidates who reach the final interview stage. Any offer is contingent on passing a background check, and some projects require security clearance.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in economics, public policy, sociology, education, statistics, data science/data analytics, or a related field; alternatively, a master's degree with coursework in causal inference and at least 3 years of demonstrated experience applying it to research.
• Strong quantitative analytical skills, including training in causal inference methodologies.
• Experience with programming languages such as R, Python, or Stata.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to translate complex research methods and findings for practitioner and policy audiences.
• Ability to work well in teams.
• Submit a cover letter, CV, and writing sample or job market paper with the application.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working at a human services program or agency, school district, state or federal government, or foundation.

Responsibilities

• Participate in evaluation activities, including developing rigorous study designs and analyzing quantitative data from survey and administrative sources.
• Review and synthesize existing evidence, including conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
• Apply innovative analytic methods, such as machine-learning techniques.
• Design and deploy approaches using artificial intelligence tools for data collection, processing, and preliminary analysis.
• Clean, organize, analyze, and present large amounts of data to help program administrators and policymakers make decisions.
• Assess study-design strength and summarize diverse sets of research.
• Guide program staff and policymakers in using evidence to make decisions about program selection and adaptation.
• Collaborate with state and local organizations to conduct evaluations or refine programs.
• Contribute to briefs and reports and develop data visualizations to make findings accessible.
• Present findings and disseminate information to policy, practitioner, and researcher audiences.

Benefits

• Competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package.
• Employee ownership through ESOP holdings, with financial benefits that have increased in tandem with the company's growth and financial strength.
• Coworking spaces where available for employees who are not located near an office.

What This Job Offers

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