Research Associate: Center for Monetary & Financial Alternatives

America’s Future Foundation (AFF); Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 57,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Health Savings Account

Generous vacation and sick days

Paid parental leave

Employer-provided life and disability

401(k) employer match

Transit/ Parking benefits

Pet discount plan

Job summary

The Cato Institute’s Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives seeks a Research Associate for a full-time position in Washington, D.C., to help our scholars produce public policy scholarship in monetary and financial policy. This hybrid role offers mentorship, varied research tasks, and opportunities to grow as a policy leader.

Ideal candidates have strong research, writing, and communication skills, plus a commitment to limited government and individual liberty.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, political science, public policy, or related field.
• Interest in monetary and financial policy and ability to communicate ideals.
• Experience with MS Office and basic data handling.

Responsibilities

• Support the research of scholars within the Center and others as needed.
• Conduct general or detailed research, including statutory or regulatory work.
• Draft reports using original findings and peer-reviewed sources.
• Edit, fact-check, and review research products.
• Prepare charts and graphics for publications.
• Assist with administrative and organizational team needs.

Skills

Excellent written verbal skills

Strong organizational skills

Attention to detail and accuracy

Reliability and professional mindset

Problem-solving and learning mindset

Education

Bachelor’s in economics/political science/public policy

Graduate degree is a plus

Tools

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Job description

The Cato Institute’s Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives seeks a Research Associate for a full-time position in Washington, D.C., to help our scholars produce public policy scholarship in monetary and financial policy. The ideal candidate will have exceptional research skills; strong written and verbal communication skills, an interest in monetary and financial policy; and a commitment to advancing limited government and individual liberty. Successful candidates will be entrepreneurial, hard-working self-starters who are willing to adapt to the changing needs of a growing policy center. This role is available through our two-year Research Associate program, where you’ll have the opportunity to learn from senior Cato staff and guest lecturers across academia and the policy community. With ample opportunities to attend educational sessions, network with peers and scholars, and gain mentorship from some of the nation’s foremost public policy scholars, successful candidates will be able to excel as leaders in policy, academia, government, business, and beyond.

This is a hybrid position in Washington, DC.

The projected salary range for this role is $57,000-$62,000 per year. Compensation is based on the successful candidate's educational background, experience, and skills.

The Cato Institute is a public policy research organization—a think tank—dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Its scholars and analysts conduct independent, nonpartisan research on a wide range of policy issues. Founded in 1977, Cato owes its name to Cato’s Letters, a series of essays published in 18th-century England that presented a vision of a society free from excessive government power. Those essays inspired the architects of the American Revolution. And the simple, timeless principles of that revolution — individual liberty, limited government, and free markets – turn out to be even more powerful in today’s world of global markets and unprecedented access to information than Jefferson or Madison could have imagined. Social and economic freedom is not just the best policy for a free people, it is the indispensable framework for the future.

The Cato Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Responsibilities

• Support the research of the Center’s scholars, as well as other scholars on an as-needed basis.
• Conduct general or detailed research as required. Experience with statutory, regulatory, or legal research is a plus.
• Help draft reports or other research products using original findings and peer-reviewed academic research.
• Edit, fact-check, and/or review various research products.
• Assist in preparing charts and graphics.
• Other responsibilities as assigned, including supporting the administrative and organizational needs of the team.

Requirements

Education/ Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, political science, public policy, or related field (or equivalent work experience in these fields). A graduate degree in a related field is a plus.
• A demonstrated interest in monetary and financial policy.
• Expertise with Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• An understanding of the fundamentals of economics.
• A passion for Cato’s ideals, the skill to communicate these ideals, and a demonstrated ability to develop and nurture internal and external relationships.

Skills

• Ability to structure and write descriptive as well as persuasive material.
• Excellent verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills, with a keen attention to detail, quality, and accuracy.
• Reliability, a strong work ethic, and a positive, professional mindset.
• Problem-solving initiative and openness to learning new processes and skills.

Benefits

All Cato employees are offered the following benefits:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employer contribution to a Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Generous vacation and sick days
• Paid parental leave
• Employer-provided life and disability insurance
• 401(k) employer match
• Transit/ Parking benefits
• Pet discount plan