Quantitative Policy Researcher – Human Services

Mathematica, Inc.; United States; Remote; USD 100,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Mathematica, Inc. is hiring researchers for our Human Services department to advance quantitative research, causal inference, and policy studies on TANF, child welfare, and economic mobility. You will support data-driven projects for federal, state, and nonprofit partners.

We seek Ph.D. or equivalent, strong analytic skills, experience with R/Python/STATA, and the ability to translate findings for policymakers. Collaboration and adapting to evolving data and AI tools are valued.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or equivalent in economics, psychology, sociology, statistics, data science/data analytics, demography, or a related field. In lieu of a PhD, a Masters’ degree with coursework in causal inference and demonstrated experience applying it to research will be considered equivalent
• Strong quantitative analytical skills. Training in causal inference methodologies is strongly preferred
• Experience working with programming languages, such as R, Python, or STATA
• Willingness to learn and apply new techniques or technology, including AI
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including an ability to translate complex research methods and findings for a practitioner and policy audience
• Understanding of federal human services policies and programs is strongly preferred
• Experience with, or knowledge of, large-scale federal and/or other administrative data sets is desirable

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with senior staff in a multidisciplinary environment to apply rigorous quantitative research methods, including study design, causal inference, data management, and statistical and econometric analysis for describing or evaluating programs and policies
• Learning and applying new methods, tools, and technologies, including AI-enabled tools, data visualization platforms, and emerging analytic approaches
• Designing rigorous mixed-methods evaluations, including primary and secondary data collection
• Applying innovative research approaches and advanced statistical methods to answer policy-relevant questions
• Working with data scientists to link and analyze administrative data
• Helping to develop proposals for new research projects
• Guiding program staff and policymakers in the use of evidence to make decisions about program selection and adaptation
• Synthesizing and presenting data in accessible formats for a variety of audiences, including writing briefs, reports, blogs, and articles; and developing interactive data dashboard and visualizations

Skills

Quantitative analysis

Causal inference

Communication skills

Adaptability to new tech

Policy knowledge

Education

PhD or equivalent

Masters with causal inference coursework

Tools

R

Python

STATA

Job description

Mathematica, Inc. is hiring researchers for our Human Services department to advance quantitative research, causal inference, and policy studies on TANF, child welfare, and economic mobility. You will support data-driven projects for federal, state, and nonprofit partners.

We seek Ph.D. or equivalent, strong analytic skills, experience with R/Python/STATA, and the ability to translate findings for policymakers. Collaboration and adapting to evolving data and AI tools are valued.