Senior Researcher- Human Services (Remote Eligible)

About Mathematica:

Mathematica applies expertise at the intersection of data, methods, policy, and practice to improve well-being around the world. We collaborate closely with public- and private-sector partners to translate big questions into deep insights that improve programs, refine strategies, and enhance understanding using data science and analytics. Our work yields actionable information to guide decisions in wide-ranging policy areas, from health, education, early childhood, and family support to nutrition, employment, disability, and international development.

Mathematica offers our employees competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package, as well as the advantages of being 100 percent employee owned. As an employee stock owner, you will experience financial benefits of ESOP holdings that have increased in tandem with the company’s growth and financial strength. You will also be part of an independent, employee-owned firm that is able to define and further our mission, enhance our quality and accountability, and steadily grow our financial strength.

Read more about our benefits here:
Benefits at a Glance.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Mathematica is seeking senior researchers to join our Human
Services department. We are especially interested in candidates with
substantial expertise in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and
employment and training programs that help parents and other adults in families
with low incomes obtain and sustain employment. We also seek candidates with
demonstrated expertise developing and using performance measures to monitor
program implementation, service delivery, participant engagement, and outcomes
and to support accountability and continuous improvement.

We are looking for people who are excited to solve complex
policy and programmatic challenges in ways that are evidence- and data-driven,
and who can agilely adapt to an evolving policy and technology landscape. This
position leads and supports project teams within the department and across the
company in the planning and execution of projects for clients such as, the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, state and local agencies, and
Foundations and nonprofits. This role is primarily focused on programs designed
to improve outcomes for children and families. Although TANF, employment
programs for families with low incomes, and performance measurement are
priority areas for this search, we will also consider candidates with
substantive expertise in family strengthening, economic mobility, early
childhood, child welfare, and related topics.

The role includes leading, conducting, and advising research,
monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities. This may include leading, designing,
and implementing program evaluations and other research studies; overseeing or
providing technical assistance focused on evaluation, performance measurement,
and program improvement to organizations serving families, youth, and adults; advising
clients on strategy and policy; and linking and using data to answer complex
policy-relevant questions. The role also includes identifying proactive
business development opportunities and responding to federal and non-federal
requests for proposals.

The type of work we do includes activities such as:

• Evaluating
  TANF policies, programs, and pilots and providing technical assistance to
  federal, state, and local agencies implementing TANF and related
  employment and training initiatives.
• Building
  evidence on effective strategies to help parents and other adults in
  families with low incomes obtain and sustain employment, increase
  earnings, advance in careers, and achieve greater economic stability.
• Developing,
  refining, validating, and using performance measures to assess program
  implementation, service delivery, participant engagement, employment and
  earnings outcomes, and continuous improvement.
• Designing
  studies and evaluating outcomes for programs that are focused on improving
  children, youth, couples, and families well-being and stability.
• Providing
  evaluation technical assistance to help grantees maintain high-quality
  impact and descriptive study designs and develop clear, and specific
  performance measures.
• Conducting
  systematic reviews to determine the effectiveness of programs across areas
  such as home visiting, education, and teen pregnancy prevention.
• Designing
  and implementing studies of early care and education, including Head Start
  and Child Care.
• Enhancing
  and supporting the data analytic capacity of state child welfare and
  Medicaid agencies to improve the delivery of services.

Duties may include:

• Leading
  multidisciplinary teams to implement research and evaluation studies and
  conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses.
• Engaging
  in proactive business development and responding to requests for proposals
  from a range of federal and other clients, particularly for work related
  to TANF, employment and training, economic mobility, and performance
  measurement.
• Overseeing
  and conducting monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities, including
  developing performance measurement frameworks and using performance data
  to support accountability and program improvement; and providing
  leadership, support, and mentorship in the successful completion of tasks.
• Leading
  technical assistance to TANF agencies and other programs serving families
  with low incomes to build evaluation capacity; develop and use clear,
  feasible, and meaningful performance measures; use data; support
  continuous quality improvement; and engage in rapid-cycle evaluation.
• Learning
  and applying new methods, tools, and technologies, including AI-enabled
  tools, data visualization platforms, and emerging analytic approaches.
• Designing
  rigorous mixed-methods evaluations, including primary and secondary data
  collection.
• Assessing
  the strength of study designs and summarizing large and diverse sets of
  existing research through systematic evidence reviews and meta-analyses.
• Applying
  innovative research approaches and advanced statistical methods to answer
  policy-relevant questions.
• Working
  with data scientists to link and analyze administrative data, including
  data used to calculate performance measures and monitor service delivery
  and outcomes.
• Guiding
  program staff and policymakers in the use of evidence to make decisions
  about program selection and adaptation.
• Synthesizing
  and presenting data in accessible formats for a variety of audiences,
  including writing briefs, reports, blogs, and articles; and developing
  interactive data dashboard and visualizations.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D.
  or Masters with equivalent experience in public policy, social work,
  sociology, psychology, education, economics, statistics, data science/data
  analytics, demography, or a related field and at least 10 years of relevant
  experience.
• Substantive
  expertise in one or more human services policy areas. Candidates with
  experience in TANF and/or employment and training programs serving
  families with low incomes will be prioritized.
• Experience
  developing and using performance measures or performance measurement
  frameworks, including defining indicators, assessing data quality and
  feasibility, monitoring implementation and outcomes, and translating
  results into actionable information for program leaders.
• Experience
  leading research and evaluation activities; mentoring staff; and
  delegating and supporting project workflows.
• Candidates
  with evidence of strong quantitative research skills will be prioritized.
  This includes experience with research design and analysis of primary,
  secondary, administrative, or survey data; current knowledge of the
  Pathways to Work Evidence Clearinghouse evidence standards; mixed-methods
  experience is also valued.
• Excellent
  written and oral communication skills, including an ability to translate
  complex research methods and findings for a practitioner and policy
  audience.
• Willingness
  to learn and apply new techniques or technology, including AI.
• Demonstrated
  ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams and contribute
  flexibly.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience
  directly providing evaluation technical assistance to federal grant
  recipients.
• Experience
  with, or knowledge of, large-scale federal and/or other administrative
  data sets.

A cover letter, CV, and writing sample or job market paper
must be submitted at the time of application via our online application system.

This position offers an anticipated base salary of
$125,000-$160,000.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

At Mathematica, we understand the importance of building relationships with colleagues. If you’re not located near one of our offices but would like opportunities to meet up with co-workers, we offer coworking spaces where available. Ask your Talent Acquisition partner for more information about this opportunity and whether it’s an option in your area.

Any offer of employment will be contingent upon passing a background check. Various federal agencies with whom we contract require that staff successfully undergo security clearance as a condition of working on the project. If you are assigned to such a project, you will be required to obtain the requisite security clearance. Additionally, if you participate in or complete the application process and are denied, Mathematica may choose to terminate your employment.

We take pride in our employees and in their commitment to excellence. We encourage staff to collaborate in developing creative solutions to difficult problems and to share the responsibility and enjoyment of carrying out complex projects. This collegial spirit has helped us earn our reputation for innovative and high-quality work.