Research Fellow

Adflegal; Lansdowne, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 141,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full medical & dental coverage

401(k) with 4% match

Paid time off + 12 holidays

Job summary

Alliance Defending Freedom is seeking a Research Fellow to advance legal and policy scholarship within its Research & Innovation team. You will support an assigned Senior Fellow, conduct rigorous research using AI-assisted tools, and help shape briefs, model legislation, and policy papers.

You will also draft testimony, talking points, and public commentary under senior supervision. You will participate in planning colloquia and events, coordinate with colleagues across the ministry, and

Qualifications

• J.D. or advanced graduate degree strongly preferred; candidates with strong undergraduate record and demonstrated research may be considered.
• 3+ years of experience.
• Alignment with ADF’s mission and ability to engage the conservative movement and the Church with credibility.

Responsibilities

• Conduct legal, policy, and interdisciplinary research using AI-assisted horizon-scanning tools and traditional methods.
• Monitor legislative, regulatory, judicial, and cultural developments; prepare summaries and briefing materials.
• Identify and synthesize threats and opportunities for the Senior Fellow.
• Draft model legislation, regulatory comments, amicus briefs, policy papers, and white papers.
• Prepare congressional testimonies, talking points, and public commentary.

Skills

Legal research

Policy analysis

Writing & editing

Communication

Education

J.D. or advanced degree in policy/related field

Job description

Lansdowne, VA, Scottsdale, AZ, Washington D.C

Make a difference with us! At Alliance Defending Freedom, we believe God has brought you here for His purpose—to stand for truth and defend the God-given right to live and speak it. Together, we protect religious freedom, free speech, the sanctity of life, marriage and family, and parental rights. Review our Statement of Faith to ensure we’re a fit for you.

Location: Lansdowne, VA, Scottsdale, AZ, Washington D.C

Team Overview

As a Research Fellow, you are a vital part of ADF’s Research & Innovation team, which exists to anticipate legal and cultural threats, generate consequential scholarship, and translate ideas into litigation, legislation, and cultural influence.

In this role, you will report to and support an assigned Senior Fellow in carrying out a dedicated research portfolio within of the team’s strategic focus areas, which include but are not limited to artificial intelligence and freedom of speech and religion; global censorship and concentrated power; the intersection of biosciences and assisted reproductive technology with the right to life; online child safety and free speech; education freedom and parental rights; and religious liberty and, public institutions. You may also be assigned to support other Fellows as workload requires. You will work under the direction of the Senior Counsel and Vice President for Research & Policy Innovation, and the Special Counsel to the President.

Key Responsibilities

Research Support

• Conduct legal, policy, and interdisciplinary research in support of your assigned Senior Fellow’s focus area, using both AI-assisted horizon-scanning tools and traditional research methods.
• Monitor legislative, regulatory, judicial, and cultural developments relevant to the team’s strategic focus areas and prepare timely summaries and briefing materials.
• Identify and synthesize emerging threats and opportunities for the Senior Fellow for evaluation and strategic development.
• Assist in researching and drafting model legislation, regulatory comments, suggestions for amicus briefs, policy papers, and white papers under the direction of the Senior Fellow.

Writing & Editorial Support

• Draft, edit, and prepare written work products in support of the Senior Fellow’s scholarship, including research memoranda, background papers, annotated bibliographies, and first drafts.
• Assist in preparing congressional and legislative testimony, talking points, and public commentary under the direction of the Senior Fellow.
• Ensure accuracy of citations, sources, and factual claims in all work products.

Event & Engagement Support

• Assist in planning and executing colloquia, symposia, pop-up salons, and strategic gatherings organized by the Senior Fellow, including logistics, participant coordination, background preparation, and post-event documentation.
• Prepare briefing materials, speaker profiles, and research summaries in advance of external engagements, media appearances, and speaking events.
• Support alliance-building activities by conducting background research on potential partners, institutions, and policy leaders.

Team & Organizational Contribution

• Contribute to ADF’s broader programmatic events, including conferences, panel discussions, and public lectures, as directed.
• Collaborate with other Research Fellows and team members across the ADF ministry to share research findings and support cross-team initiatives.
• Assist in maintaining ADF’s knowledge management systems and research infrastructure.

Minimum Qualifications

• J.D. or advanced graduate degree (M.A., M.S., or equivalent) in policy, theology, history, philosophy, political science, or a closely related field is strongly preferred; candidates with a strong undergraduate record and demonstrated research excellence may be considered.
• 3+ years of experience.
• Alignment with ADF’s mission and the ability to engage the conservative movement and the Church with credibility and authenticity.

At Alliance Defending Freedom, we offer a competitive compensation and benefits package to support your well-being and growth. While we do not disclose specific salary ranges, our compensation is competitive with top non-profit law firms. Our benefits include 100% covered medical and dental insurance, medical and dependent care reimbursement, paid disability, long-term care, life insurance, and a 401(k) plan with a 4% company match. We prioritize work-life balance with paid time off and 12 paid holidays each year.

This salary range is reflective of a position based in Lansdowne, VA. This range is a good‑faith estimate, and the actual salary may vary based on the candidate’s experience, skills, qualifications, and office location.

Virginia Salary Range

$89,900 - $141,100 USD

Statement of Faith

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Doctrinal Distinctives

• We believe in the spiritual unity and equality of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
• We believe that the Lordship of Christ requires us as disciples to seek to conform our actions, thoughts, and desires in obedience to Him.
• We believe God creates each person with an immutable biological sex — male or female — that reflects the image and likeness of God.
• We believe God designed marriage as a unique conjugal relationship joining one man and one woman in a single, exclusive, life-long union, and God intends sexual intimacy only to occur within that relationship.
• We believe God endows all human life with inherent dignity, and it must be respected and protected from conception to natural death.
• We believe that God has endowed all humans with the natural, and inalienable right of religious freedom to believe, pursue truth, and live within ordered liberty such that no civil government may justly infringe upon it.
• We believe that God, through His Son, Jesus Christ, calls all of us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him, knowing that He promises us abundant and eternal life.