CEIR is Hiring: Research Fellow, 2024-25
CEIR is seeking one or more Research Fellows to join our team in 2024-25 and contribute to our research on elections that voters should—and do—trust.
Location: Washington, DC (Remote Possible)
Application Deadline: 9 pm EDT / 6 pm PDT on June 12, 2024 (application review will begin June 3)
Position Overview
The Research Fellow will work under the direction of the Research Director and in collaboration with other colleagues to support CEIR’s research initiatives. These initiatives include matters pertaining to election administration, voter registration, voter access, and election integrity and security. The Research Fellow will conduct policy research, perform data analysis, and draft reports and other written materials for CEIR’s diverse audience of election officials, policymakers, the media, and other key stakeholders. The Research Fellow will be closely engaged in the Research Team’s efforts to plan and execute research during the 2024 general election and 2025 state legislative sessions. If interested, the Research Fellow may have an opportunity to lead one or more projects supporting CEIR’s efforts to provide election officials with practical analysis about election administration and inform voters about how elections actually work.
This is a one-year full-time Fellowship, with the possibility of extending or transitioning to a permanent role at CEIR based on performance, interest, and organizational needs. This Fellowship is intended for recent graduates of advanced degree programs, but all interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. This Fellowship will focus on research of interest to election administration practitioners and policymakers, and therefore is best suited to researchers interested in career paths outside of academia.
Key Responsibilities
- Conduct research into public policy issues related to CEIR’s research initiatives using rigorous policy research and/or data analysis methods
- Translate research into (1) external documents, such as issue briefs and research reports, and (2) internal documents, such as policy memos or plain language bill summaries
- Develop deep expertise on issues relevant to CEIR’s mission, including policies affecting election administration, voter registration, voter access, and election integrity and security
- Play a key role in discussions around project planning and research design
- Monitor trends, research, and publications in the election space to inform CEIR’s research portfolio
- Contribute to a team culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning, quality, collaboration, positivity, and transparency
- Maintain effective communication with team members and participate in regular team meetings
Qualifications
- Advanced degree (e.g., MA, MPP, JD, PhD) in a related field completed in the last three years
- Demonstrated interest in topics of election administration, voter registration, voter access, election integrity and security , or related topics
- Demonstrated experience in public policy research and/or data analysis, which may include: analyzing provisions in state and federal legislation; data collection, manipulation, and management; and qualitative or quantitative research methods
- Proficiency with legal research tools (e.g., LexisNexis, Westlaw, BillTrack50), statistical and data management tools (e.g., R, Stata, SPSS, Python, SQL), and/or data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, R, Python)
- Aptitude for analyzing, interpreting, and summarizing complex information from a variety of sources
- Ability to work objectively and in a nonpartisan manner with respect to CEIR’s research
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with an emphasis on detail and accuracy
- Excellent interpersonal skills and comfort working in a hybrid or remote environment
- Commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion both in your work and in the workplace
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications
- A passion for getting nerdy about the details of election policy
Benefits
- Salary: $65,000
- One-year, full-time position
- Comprehensive benefits package, including:
- up to 100% of health, dental, and vision insurance premiums paid for by CEIR
- a 401(k) plan that vests immediately and with up to 5% match (i.e., CEIR matches 100% of your contributions up to 5% of your annual pay)
- Flexible work schedule
- Professional development and training opportunities
- Hybrid work environment (if approved for remote work, must travel occasionally for in-person meetings)
How to Apply
Please do not include your name on any of your submitted materials. The application form will ask for your name and contact information in a separate field.
Interested candidates should submit the following:
- Resume or CV
- Cover letter describing the topics within CEIR’s research area which you would most like to work on during the fellowship and your experience/qualifications for such work (no more than 500 words)
- A relevant writing sample (e.g., issue brief or excerpt from published paper; no more than five pages or 2000 words)
About Us
The Center for Election Innovation & Research (“CEIR”) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, whose core mission is to work with election officials and build confidence in elections that voters should trust and do trust. CEIR has a proven record of working in a nonpartisan manner with election officials from around the country and from both sides of the aisle. To achieve its goals, CEIR seeks to increase informed civic engagement by educating the public, providing support to election officials, and conducting practical research on best practices for election administration.
Questions? Email us at jobs@electioninnovation.org
CEIR is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to diversity and creating an inclusive environment for all employees.