Researcher, Employment and Economic Opportunity

Join AIR as a Researcher and use your experience and expertise to help us deliver on our mission: to generate evidence and apply data-driven solutions that expand opportunities and improve lives for all. The Researcher will lead components of complex projects, develop innovative research designs and analysis plans, and contribute to project execution, thought leadership, and business development across a range of policy and programmatic areas. Researchers work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to analyze and interpret data, manage project tasks, mentor junior staff, and support the production of high-quality deliverables for clients and stakeholders. This position will report to the Employment and Economic Opportunity Program Area. 

Candidates hired for the position may work remotely within the United States (U.S.) or from one of our U.S. office locations. This does not include U.S. territories.

About AIR:

Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to address some of the most pressing challenges in the United States and globally. We generate evidence and apply data-driven solutions that expand opportunities and improve lives for all.

Responsibilities:

• Lead or contribute to the design and execution of rigorous research and evaluation projects.
• Apply appropriate qualitative and/or quantitative methods to collect, manage, analyze, and interpret data.
• Translate complex findings into clear, actionable insights and recommendations for client reports, technical memos, and presentations.
• Support proposal development through writing technical sections, developing budgets, and contributing to proposal strategy.
• Manage small to mid-sized tasks or project components, including planning timelines, tracking deliverables, and liaising with clients while maintaining positive and collaborative relationships.
• Mentor and guide junior staff through regular feedback, training, and modeling of research best practices.
• Engage with stakeholders and partners through meetings, briefings, and dissemination activities.
• Contribute to a collaborative, inclusive work environment that values diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. 

Qualifications:

Education, Knowledge, and Experience

• PhD in related subject area (Economics, Statistics, Public Policy, Public Health, Human Development, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, or related field), or a master’s degree with a minimum of 4 years of relevant applied research experience.
• Experience working on research or evaluation projects for federal, state, or local agencies or other public or nonprofit entities.
• Demonstrated experience with research design, data analysis, and reporting.
• Experience with data collection activities from the field using a variety of methodologies and data collection techniques such as interviews, focus groups, observations, and/or survey research.   

Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with proficiency in at least one statistical or qualitative analysis tool (e.g., R, Stata, Python, NVivo, Dedoose). 
• Excellent communication skills, with an ability to convey complex information, and collaborate efficiently in a virtual work environment. 
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment. 
• Proven ability to coach junior staff and foster inclusive team dynamics. 
• Strong organizational and time management skills with attention to detail. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and virtual collaboration tools (e.g., Zoom, Teams, SharePoint). 
• Attention to detail and commitment to accuracy in data analysis and report writing. 
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.  
• Experience using STATA or R.

Disclosures: Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for this position. Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet certain residency requirements.

American Institutes for Research is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law, including, but not limited to, actual or perceived race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locs, and twists), creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition (e.g., cancer), sex, gender, gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, civil union status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, genetic information, or military or veteran status. AIR adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo reference and background checks. AIR maintains a drug-free work environment.

ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE: If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process due to a physical or mental disability, please send an email to [email protected] or call 202.403.5000.

Fraudulent Job Scams Warning & Disclaimer: AIR is aware of individuals falsely presenting themselves as AIR representatives. Fraudulent job scams seek to extract sensitive information or money from victims. To protect yourself, please be aware that AIR recruitment will only email you from an "@air.org" domain. Please take extra caution while examining the email address. For example, [email protected] is correct, while [email protected] is not a legitimate AIR email address. If you are unsure of the legitimacy of a communication you have received, please reach out to [email protected].

If you see a job scam, or lose money to one, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also report it to your state attorney general. Learn more about how to avoid scams at ftc.gov/scams.

AIR’s Total Rewards Program, is designed to reward our staff competitively and motivate them to achieve our critical mission. This position offers the anticipated annual salary as listed. Salary offers are made based on internal equity within the institution and external equity with competitive markets. Please note this is the annual salary range for candidates that are based in the United States.

Anticipated Annual Salary Range

$87,000—$110,000 USD