RAND Summer Associate Program - POLICY Research
Company: RAND Corporation
Location: Santa Monica
Posted on: October 23, 2024
Job Description:
Job Type: Adjunct Staff (Fixed Term)RAND is a nonprofit,
nonpartisan research organization focused on improving policy and
decision making through high-quality research and objective
analysis. Our research is enriched through diverse,
multidisciplinary teams that draw on a range of experiences and
perspectives. We are committed to striving for diversity, equity,
and inclusion. Research and analysis is enriched by diversity of
talents, experiences, and perspectives. We welcome all applicants,
including those who identify as part of historically marginalized
groups.Position Description RAND's Summer Associate Program
introduces outstanding graduate students in public policy, public
health and medicine, education policy, science and technology
policy, criminology, anthropology or other related fields to the
RAND Corporation, an institution that conducts research on a wide
range of domestic and international social policy issues as well as
national security problems.Summer Associates experience the
following at RAND:
- Typically work at RAND for a 12-week period (60 work days)
during the summer;
- Receive a bi-weekly paycheck during their assignment with
RAND;
- Conduct research that can be completed during their time at
RAND and present the results of this research to the RAND community
via a 15-30 minute briefing at the end of their three-month
assignment;
- Are closely mentored by one to two established RAND
researchers;
- Are highly encouraged to network and interact with other
researchers outside of their primary mentorship team and area of
expertise;
- Are invited to attend a number of seminars from researchers
both within and outside of RAND.Please note: Our summer 2025
program will be a hybrid model including in person work at one of
RAND's four offices with remote flexibility or working fully remote
from where you live.In person positions are typically available in
RAND's major U.S. offices-Santa Monica, CA; Washington, DC;
Pittsburgh, PA; and Boston, MA. Office placement decisions depend
on the availability of in-person mentorship.Students must reside in
the U.S. throughout their RAND summer assignment. International
students who are planning to live in the U.S. during the summer of
2025 are eligible to apply. Any applicant who does not plan to live
in the United States during the summer is not eligible for hire in
the 2025 cycle.QualificationsThe position is designed for full-time
doctoral students in public policy, public health and medicine,
education policy, science and technology policy, criminology,
anthropology or other related fields who (1) have completed at
least two years of graduate work leading to a doctorate or
professional degree (e.g., law or medical degree); and (2) are
within two years of completion of this doctorate or degree.A keen
interest in working on applied, policy-oriented research questions
is necessary. Applicants are strongly encouraged to explore RAND's
website () for details on RAND's ongoing research portfolio.
Unfortunately, we do not know in advance which projects may require
summer associates.Additional qualifications required:
- Excellent analytic skills;
- Proven ability in quantitative and/or qualitative research
methods;
- Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in English, both
verbally and in writing;
- Ability to work effectively as a member of a multidisciplinary
team;
- Strong commitment to RAND's core values of quality and
objectivity;
- Proof of legal right to work in the United States is required
upon hire;
- U.S. Citizenship is not necessary except when required for
certain types of project work (e.g., the project contract requires
it or the project work itself requires a security clearance)
- Residency in the U.S. (excluding U.S. territories) is
requiredWho is not eligible?The program does not hire high school
students, undergraduates, or postdoctoral fellows at this time.
Graduate students who will graduate prior to the summer of
employment are not eligible. The program typically does not
consider master's degree students except in the Engineering,
Computer or Information Science, and Operations Research
disciplines.Specializations of InterestCurrent RAND Health Care
research focuses on a broad array of topics, including:
- access to care
- poverty and welfare
- organization and financing of care
- quality of care
- utilization patterns
- medical anthropology
- public health
- international health
- health care reform
- bioterrorism
- risk perceptions
- health communication
- issues pertaining to health behaviorsResearch encompasses
issues that affect the population at large, as well as vulnerable
and hard-to-reach groups, such as the frail elderly, children with
special health care needs, those with mental health needs,
substance abusers, homeless and HIV-positive individuals.Current
RAND Education and Labor research areas include:
- school finance and incentives
- early childhood education and welfare
- child development
- assessment and accountability
- school choice
- anthropology of education
- out-of-school time
- school leadership
- training and professional development
- technology and education
- curriculum and instructional policy reforms
- social, economic, and policy contexts of education and
training
- marriage and familyCurrent RAND Social and Economic Wellbeing
research areas include:
- environment
- transportation
- information technology
- technology policy
- space
- energy
- economic development
- public safety
- corrections
- policing
- juvenile justice
- criminology/criminal justice
- international security criminology
- immigration
- homeland securitySecurity ClearanceU.S. Citizenship may be
required for positions requiring a U.S. government security
clearance.Pay Rate$32.00/hourRAND Summer Associate positions
receive bi-weekly compensation for hours that are worked. The
positions are also overtime eligible.Special NoteApplicants are
required to submit two documents and should be prepared to answer
three short answer questions as well as provide contact information
for two (2) individuals who may be asked to provide letters of
recommendation:
- Resume or curriculum vitae
- Cover Letter
- Short answer questions (which will be filled out on the online
application):
- Briefly describe your substantive interests and past experience
in those areas
- Briefly describe your skills and methodological expertise and
how you have used those tools in previous research experiences
- Briefly describe why you are interested in the RAND Summer
Associate Program and what role you see this experience playing in
your career development
- Please be prepared to provide the contact information for two
(2) professors or individuals (their name, their organization, and
their email address) familiar with your research work and who would
be willing to provide a letter of recommendation. If you are
selected for an interview, these individuals will be asked to
provide letters of recommendation. NOTE: You will be notified
before we contact your recommenders. We typically request letters
in late January/early February, so you may consider asking your
recommenders to have their letters ready to submit around this time
to allow sufficient time to prepare your
letters.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please
submit only one application. (Submitting more than one application
will not increase the chances of being selected as one application
will be randomly withdrawn)Applications will be reviewed throughout
the application period. All applications are due by December 2,
2024. Applicants will be notified of RAND's interest in conducting
an interview after the application period has ended. You will be
contacted directly only if you are selected for an interview.
Interviews will be conducted beginning in late January, continuing
as late as February and March. Offers are typically extended in
late March.Equal Opportunity Employer:
race/color/religion/sex/sexual orientation/gender identity/national
origin/disability/vet
Keywords: RAND Corporation, Palmdale , RAND Summer Associate Program - POLICY Research, Other , Santa Monica, California
Didn't find what you're looking for? Search again!
Loading more jobs...