Associate I, Research Quality and Support

The Strategy Portfolio within Program

Pew's program unit consolidates all of the organization’s programmatic activities into one department. Program organizes its work into five portfolios: Environment; Government Performance; Philadelphia; Scientific Advancement; and Strategy. The goal of the strategy portfolio within Program is to inform critical institutional decisions about Pew’s programs, strengthen the design and implementation of Pew’s work, and generate knowledge that advances Pew’s program objectives. We pursue this goal by (1) enhancing the organization’s efforts to generate ideas for new initiatives and larger bodies of work; (2) applying a wide range of planning approaches to help programs turn ideas into effective action; (3) using evaluation to improve program performance, inform decision-making, and support learning; (4) working with teams across the institution to help ensure Pew’s research meets the organization’s expressed standards for quality; (5) ensuring that staff has access to information that meets their needs to design, implement, and manage high-performing strategies, initiatives, and campaigns; and (6) collaborating with colleagues in preparing a wide range of planning and other types of documents for consideration by Pew’s board of directors.

Research Quality and Support 

Research quality and support (RQS) facilitates the research process across all Pew programs and projects. Staff help ensure the integrity and quality of all research outputs, including reports, surveys and polls, literature reviews, and data collection and analysis. This work involves taking a research concept from initial hypothesis and proposal through post-analysis data checks, fact checking, and peer review. RQS advises project teams on the best methodological or analytical approaches, datasets and, if appropriate, external vendors to achieve desired outcomes. RQS staff also provide direct research assistance, most commonly data collection and literature reviews, as required. 

 
Finally, RQS fosters a Pew research community that leverages and builds staff expertise, tools, and capacity across project teams and on a wide range of topics and disciplines. On behalf of projects, RQS coordinates with other Pew divisions and departments involved in the research process. The aim is to help ensure excellent, unimpeachable research outputs that advance Pew’s program aims.

Position Overview

The Associate I will lead the intake and tracking of all research plans and proposals submitted to RQS. These tasks make up the operational core of Pew’s research quality steps which includes responding to project team submissions, reviewing materials for completeness, scheduling, and documenting review discussions, and updating RQS’ systems of record. The associate will also offer some direct research support through data quality checks, selected literature reviews, replicating key calculations, and reviewing data submissions. The associate will communicate with a wide range of stakeholders via Microsoft Teams and email, navigating concurrent requests while maintaining and keeping up-to-date accurate electronic records (i.e., SharePoint/Teams).

The position, based in Pew’s Washington, D.C., offices, reports to the senior officer, research quality, and support. The position participates in Pew’s hybrid work program with core days in the office and the flexibility to telework the remaining days. Staff also enjoy four telework “flex weeks” per year.

Responsibilities

• Foster a work environment that inspires excellence, values impact, encourages transparency, builds mutual trust and respect, embraces and values diversity, and is collaborative, caring, and compassionate.

• Maintain accurate and contemporaneous records of research plan and proposal submissions in Microsoft SharePoint and related RQS research databases. Communicate and follow up with project teams to verify database accuracy and to collect added materials to ensure the completeness of RQS records.

• Schedule, collate and share materials, and initiate biweekly hybrid meetings with RQS subject matter leads, facilitating the discussion of previously assigned research projects. Also coordinate bi-monthly RQS leadership meetings to assess and update RQS staffing or operational practices.

• Compile selected RQS workflow and production metrics and draft preliminary reports reflecting Pew-wide research output and RQS’ role in ensuring the highest quality standards of those products.

• Support the production or validation of select research efforts, for example, collecting and assembling datasets, checking statistical code from other researchers, analyzing data, writing policy summaries, and making tables, charts, interactives, maps, and memos.

• Synthesize research and conduct literature reviews on policy issues, such as international environment and conservation, fiscal and economic policy, health and human services, and safety and justice, to identify key trends and insights for project teams’ policy exploration and new lines of research.

• Perform other duties as assigned by manager. This may include: (1) working with RQS leadership to track expenditure against the unit’s budget and prepare budget requests; (2) coordinate quarterly meetings for Pew’s research advisory working group, (3) maintain and update RQS’s landing page on Pew’s internal website.
   

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

• Generally, one year or more of applicable experience.

• Possesses effective organizational and time management skills and can prioritize while keeping multiple projects moving forward simultaneously. Self-disciplined and maintains awareness of and meet deadlines.

• Demonstrates attention to detail when tracking information and keeping records. Anticipates needs and is proactive in identifying and correcting errors.

• Has established skills with Microsoft Office products, particularly Word, Excel, Teams, and SharePoint. Experience with other project tracking, database management and research tools is highly desirable, including knowledge of Google Drive, Tableau, R, Stata, or Python.

• Effective interpersonal skills. Proactively develops and manages productive and collaborative relationships both internally and externally.

• Work effectively with colleagues as part of a team or independently to meet goals while maintaining a strong customer service demeanor. Experience and interest in working with researchers on research projects is a plus.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills including skills in synthesizing issues effectively and clearly. Apply a non-partisan, evidence-based approach to projects that require support across the political spectrum.

Travel

Travel is not anticipated for this position.

Work Authorization

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the country for which they are seeking employment without visa sponsorship.

Salary Range

The salary range represents a reasonable estimate of the annual salary based on Pew’s commitment to provide equitable and market-competitive pay. The actual salary offered will take into consideration many factors including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills and experience, internal pay equity, and business need.

Total Rewards

We offer a competitive salary and benefit program, including: comprehensive, affordable health care through medical, dental, and vision coverage; financial security with life and disability insurance; opportunities to save using health savings and flexible spending accounts; retirement benefits to help prepare for the future; and work/life benefits to maintain a good balance.

Pew is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, or any other protected characteristics.