Senior Fellow, Human Services

Position Description:

We are seeking senior fellowswho are passionate about using evidence to improve public well-being. Senior fellows partner with clients and programs to use research and evidence to inform program improvement, strategy development, policymaking, and product and tool development. We are currently seeking senior fellows who are leading experts in any of our Human Services areas: child nutrition, child welfare, early childhood, education, employment, food assistance, pregnancy prevention, and programs to support families with low income.

New senior fellows will join Mathematica’s growing interdisciplinary staff with backgrounds in education, child or human development, psychology, sociology, economics, public policy, and data science in the Human Services unit. They will contribute to growth in the unit by leading and supporting projects, identifying and obtaining new work, and mentoring early career staff. The senior fellow:

• Demonstrates thought leadership in one or more subject matter areas through published material including papers, journal articles, blog posts and other communications
• Acts as project director or principal investigator for major Mathematica projects
• Assists substantially in developing strategy and priorities around which clients to pursue, how to best leverage Mathematica expertise, and where to build additional capabilities
• Represents Mathematica to clients as project director or subject matter expert; able to engage clients to work through challenges and offer research, technical, or program expertise to help solve problems
• Regularly leads proposal content development, and leads the quality assurance reviews of other proposals in their field of expertise
• Serves as mentor and thought leader at Mathematica for staff in one or more areas of subject matter expertise; develops ways to engage staff and share knowledge
• Represents Mathematica externally by speaking at conferences, leading panel discussions, serving on technical expert panels, and/or providing testimony

Position Requirements:

Education and Experience

• Nationally recognized as an expert in an area of Human Services research or program operations; plus:
• PhD, MA, or MS in economics, sociology, psychology, public policy, statistics, another social science, or another relevant field and 15 years of relevant experience in a policy research environment, or
• A combination of equivalent education and work experience may be substituted for the above requirements

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong managerial skills of both projects and staff
• Demonstrated commitment to anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion through prior work.
• Accuracy with work, strong organization skills, and attention to detail
• Ability to develop research and policy questions and establish policy and technical frameworks for addressing them
• Ability to develop and implement solutions to critical issues facing government and private program providers
• Experience with public speaking
• Ability to discern policy, infrastructure, and data needs for one or more Human Services program areas
• Experience with quality assurance procedures
• Ability to develop and deliver presentations to internal and external audiences
• Experience working with technical and contracting personnel from government and/or foundations. Direct experience working with clients that represent Human Services federal programs, including the Administration for Children and Families, USDA, ED, other federal agencies, states and local agencies, or foundations is desirable.
• Flexibility to handle multiple priorities, sometimes simultaneously, under deadline pressure
• Ability to work tactfully and diplomatically with others
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including an ability to translate complex research methods and findings in non-technical language to program practitioners, state and federal agency staff, and program funders for a practitioner and policy audience

Our work is more robust because it is informed by a variety of diverse perspectives, and we encourage applications from senior fellows from under-represented backgrounds.

This position offers an anticipated annual base salary range of $175,000 - $220,000. This position is eligible for an annual discretionary bonus based on company and individual performance. We offer flexibility to work remotely or in an office. Available office locations: Princeton, NJ; Washington, DC; Cambridge, MA; Ann Arbor, MI; Oakland, CA; Seattle, WA; Chicago, IL.

A cover letter and resume must be submitted at the time of application via our online application system. Candidates will be considered on a rolling basis in the order that applications are received.

More about Mathematica

Mathematica applies expertise at the intersection of data, methods, policy, and practice to improve well-being around the world. We collaborate closely with public- and private-sector partners to translate big questions into deep insights that improve programs, refine strategies, and enhance understanding using data science and analytics. Mathematica offers our employees competitive salaries, and a comprehensive benefits package, as well as the advantages of being 100 percent employee owned. As an employee stock owner, you will experience financial benefits of ESOP holdings that have increased in tandem with the company’s growth and financial strength. You will also be part of an independent, employee-owned firm that is able to define and further our mission, enhance our quality and accountability, and steadily grow our financial strength. Read more about our benefits here: https://www.mathematica.org/career-opportunities/benefits-at-a-glance.

One of Mathematica’s core values is a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our efforts are more robust because they are informed by a variety of diverse perspectives, and our mission to improve societal well-being is strengthened by a greater understanding of issues and challenges facing the populations we serve. Mathematica’s ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion is woven into our everyday actions, policies, and practices—including decisions regarding recruitment, training, compensation, and promotion. We are dedicated to maintaining a work environment in which everyone is treated with respect and dignity. We offer Employee Resources Groups on a variety of topics, local diversity and inclusion activities in each office, and a Diversity council.

We take pride in our employees and in their commitment to excellence. We encourage staff to collaborate in developing creative solutions to difficult problems and to share the responsibility and enjoyment of carrying out complex projects. This collegial spirit has helped us earn our reputation for innovative and high-quality work. As a winner of the "Excellence in Diversity Award," we know that building an inclusive culture based on the diverse strengths of employees from different backgrounds is key to our success.

Various federal agencies with whom we contract require that staff successfully undergo a background investigation or security clearance as a condition of working on the project. If you are assigned to such a project, you will be required to obtain the requisite security clearance.

In accordance with Executive Order 14042 and its implementing guidelines, all Mathematica employees must provide documentation that they have been fully vaccinated or obtain an accommodation through Human Resources by providing documentation from a licensed health care provider that they are unable to be vaccinated against COVID-19 because of a disability (which would include medical conditions) or provide an attestation that they are entitled to an accommodation because of a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance.
Available locations: Princeton, NJ; Washington, DC; Cambridge, MA; Ann Arbor, MI; Oakland, CA; Seattle, WA; Chicago, IL; Remote