Strategic National Security Economist

RAND Corporation; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 111,000 - 283,000; Full time

Job summary

RAND Corporation in Washington, DC is seeking a National Security Economics Researcher at all career stages to contribute to rigorous, policy-relevant research at the intersection of economics and national security. Your work will inform decisionmakers across defense, intelligence, and foreign policy communities with quantitative analyses and practical insights.

You will design, conduct, and communicate findings through short-form outputs for government partners and longer-form studies,

Qualifications

• Demonstrated training in quantitative research methods.
• Strong analytic skills and intellectual curiosity.
• Excellent verbal and written communication in English.
• Ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
• Commitment to RAND's core values of quality and objectivity.

Responsibilities

• Design and conduct rigorous economic analyses of national security problems.
• Frame priority questions and convene senior private-sector/practitioner groups to translate requirements into workable formats.
• Produce short-form analytic products for U.S. government decisionmakers and longer-form research on ongoing challenges.
• Develop reusable analytic frameworks, models, and tools, including AI-enabled capabilities for assessing economic leverage and resilience.
• Communicate research results to policymakers and the public through written products and oral presentations.
• Contribute to business development efforts, including proposal writing and sponsor relations.
• Mentor junior researchers and foster a collaborative, inclusive research environment.

Skills

Quantitative analysis

Policy research

Economic statecraft

Communication

Education

PhD in economics or related field

Master's with 10+ years research experience

Job description

RAND Corporation in Washington, DC is seeking a National Security Economics Researcher at all career stages to contribute to rigorous, policy-relevant research at the intersection of economics and national security. Your work will inform decisionmakers across defense, intelligence, and foreign policy communities with quantitative analyses and practical insights.

You will design, conduct, and communicate findings through short-form outputs for government partners and longer-form studies,