Research Assistant – Arlington, VA

Organization: The RAND Corporation

Job Title: Research Assistant

Location: Arlington, VA

Hours and Compensation: Temporary position(Limited duration position; not to exceed 2-3 years), salaried

Position Dates: Start ASAP

Application Deadline: Send in ASAP

Posted On: July 31st, 2012

Organization Overview

The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. For over 60 years, decision makers in the public and private sectors have turned to RAND for objective analysis and effective solutions that address the issues that matter most, such as health, education, national security, international affairs, law and business, and the environment. Our research is commissioned by a global clientele that includes government agencies, foundations, and private-sector firms. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, RAND has approximately 1,700 people from more than 50 countries working in offices in North America, Europe, and the Middle East, with research organized across ten units and annual revenues of more than $250 million.

Description

RAND seeks well-rounded individuals who have demonstrated excellent academic performance in challenging undergraduate programs for the position of research assistant. Research assistants work on a variety of education, labor, population, infrastructure, and environmental policy projects with teams of experienced economists, statisticians, behavioral scientists, and policy researchers. Current research projects focus on a range of policy issues, including teacher quality, youth unemployment, financial literacy, retirement planning, climate change, and poverty alleviation. Research assistants provide quantitative and qualitative research support on tasks including data preparation and management (e.g. data extraction and merging); data analysis (e.g. summary statistics and regression analysis); preparation of tables and research presentations; and detailed literature reviews. Research assistants may travel with project teams and may have the opportunity to co-author reports and journal articles.

Qualifications

We seek applicants who have training in econometrics or mathematical statistics. Persons with experience conducting undergraduate research in economics or statistics are strongly encouraged to apply. Successful candidates will have a BA/BS in economics, statistics, mathematics, finance, computer science or related fields and have strong writing skills.

Specific technical skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications required
• Experience with statistical software package Stata required
  Familiarity with other computer programming languages such as R, SAS, SPSS and/or Matlab preferred
• Applicants should be highly motivated, organized, flexible, and have the ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Education:

BA/BS in economics, statistics, mathematics, finance, computer science or related fields

Experience

Related experience required: 0-2 years

How to Apply