Join Our Pack

Position Summary

This position includes working with other team members to plan and conduct mixed-methods research studies and program evaluations with a particular focus on federal nutrition assistance programs. Specific tasks many include conducting semistructured interviews, coding qualitative data, conducting literature reviews and other background research, analyzing quantitative and/or qualitative data, and contributing to reports and proposals. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated skills in both qualitative and quantitative research and excellent oral and written communication skills. Our staff currently conduct research projects focused on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (known as SNAP); the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (known as WIC); Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (known as TANF), and other safety-net programs.

Responsibilities

• Work with senior researchers on mixed-methods projects developing study designs, collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data, and drafting reports and other deliverables to address clients’ research needs.
• Perform data collection and analysis tasks, including conducting interviews, focus groups, surveys, or collection of administrative data.
• Manage project schedules, including working closely with a research team to ensure project activities are completed in an accurate and timely manner.
• Help develop proposals for new research projects.

Education

• Master’s degree in public policy, sociology, demography, statistics, psychology, education, economics, or related field, and at least 2 years’ work experience; or
• Bachelor’s degree plus 4 to 5 years’ related work experience in research and evaluation services to federal or state agencies

Qualifications

• Working knowledge and understanding of public assistance programs serving low-income or vulnerable populations
• Background and strong interest in public policy or safety net research
• Strong foundation in qualitative and/or quantitative research methods
• Experience with quantitative or qualitative analytic software such as SAS, STATA, R, NVivo, or Tableau
• Strong organizational skills with demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and work both independently and as part of a team
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Bilingual in Spanish is preferred

Contact

EEO: All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.

Contact: Send resume/curriculum vitae, a writing sample, and cover letter via email to—

Scott Barabander

Human Resources Generalist
sbarabander@insightpolicyresearch.com
Insight Policy Research
1901 North Moore Street, Suite 1100
Arlington, VA 22209

Position Summary

Insight Policy Research (Insight), a growing, dynamic, policy research organization, has an immediate opening for an entry-level Research Assistant. We are a well-established small business, having provided nationally recognized research and evaluation services to federal, state, and private sector clients since 2001. Our work addresses issues affecting at-risk and vulnerable populations. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, we conduct research in the areas of education, health, nutrition, family support services, and data improvement.

Responsibilities

• Provides basic research and administrative support on range of Insight projects employing varying methodologies, working across content areas on a diverse range of tasks
• Supports data collection activities, including survey administration, cognitive interviews, in-depth interviews, site visits, focus groups, coding qualitative data, and background research
• Conducts literature searches and reviews
• May contribute to manipulating statistical data, including importing and inputting datasets, maintaining databases, recoding variables, populating presentation and report templates, and reviewing data tables
• Provides logistical or content-related support for expert panels, advisory groups, and company events (e.g., brown bags, conference support)
• May participate in portions of the contract proposal process under supervision
• May support project management by taking notes at project meetings, contributing to client reports, monitoring project schedules, or other tasks
• Performs activities under supervision of senior staff

Education

Bachelor’s degree in social science or other relevant field; 0–1 year of experience

Qualifications

• Strong writing, communication, and organizational skills; ability to summarize or synthesize information for different audiences and purposes
• Flexibility to handle multiple tasks and work on multiple projects
• Excellent attention to detail
• Desire and ability to work as part of a research team
• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively to coordinate completion of projects and tasks
• Experience using word processing, spreadsheet, and/or database applications
• Interest in policy research focused on vulnerable populations
• Availability to start in winter 2021

Contact

EEO: All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.

Contact: No phone calls please. Submit resume/CV, cover letter, and a writing sample via email by January 15, 2021, to—

Claire Wilson

Director
Email: cwilson@insightpolicyresearch.com
Insight Policy Research, Inc.
1901 North Moore Street, Suite 1100
Arlington, VA 22209

Responsibilities

• Design and lead projects to analyze the policy and operations of safety net programs.
• Interpret the impacts of emerging policy issues based on thorough research of statutes, regulations, and policy guidance.
• Advise policymakers and program leaders on policy implementation.
• Lead project teams and oversee resources and staffing.
• Author reports, policy guidance, toolkits, and briefs; present regularly at client meetings and conferences.
• Lead proposal development efforts.
• Mentor and supervise staff across project and practice areas.

Education

• Ph.D. or master’s degree in economics, sociology, public policy, health, or related field preferred

Qualifications

• Ph.D. with 8 years of experience, or master’s degree with 11 years of experience, or bachelor’s degree with 13 years of experience
• Comprehensive knowledge of and experience with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC; and child nutrition programs. Experience with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid, and other safety net programs preferred
• Experience leading diverse and cross-disciplinary teams; demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across organizational units
• Demonstrated experience researching and analyzing policy, including statutes, regulations, and relevant program and economic data
• Demonstrated experience advising senior program officials on policy tradeoffs
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including an ability to explain complex policies to both expert and lay audiences
• Experience writing proposals, developing budgets, and monitoring project costs

Contact

EEO: All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.

Contact: Send resume/curriculum vitae via email to—

Elizabeth Weber

Associate Director for Policy and Program Development
Insight Policy Research
1901 North Moore Street, Suite 1100
Arlington, VA 22209
Email: eweber@insightpolicyresearch.com

Responsibilities

• Lead quantitative and qualitative research projects, particularly focused on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC; and child nutrition programs such as the National School Lunch Program and the Summer Food Service Program.
• Identify appropriate analytical methods, conduct analyses, write reports, and present findings to policy and professional audiences.
• Direct research teams and oversee data collection, analyses, and other aspects of projects.
• Design approaches for studies and lead proposal development efforts for new research projects.
• Supervise and mentor junior staff.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. with 8 years of experience or master’s degree with 11 years of experience; preferred fields are economics, public policy, sociology, public health, anthropology, demography, statistics, or psychology
• Working knowledge/experience with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service programs, including SNAP, WIC, and child nutrition programs
• Proven track record of directing projects, communicating effectively and constructively with teams, ensuring projects are completed on time and meet or exceed client expectations, and monitoring costs
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including an ability to translate research findings for a policy audience
• Experience developing research proposals, developing budgets, and monitoring project costs
• Expertise in quantitative and qualitative research methods
• High level of competency in MS Office Suite, data collection and virtual collaboration tools, and quantitative or qualitative analytic software such as SAS, STATA, R, Tableau, or NVivo

Contact

EEO: All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.

Contact: Send resume/curriculum vitae and a writing sample via email or postal mail to—

Stacy Gleason

Associate Director, Food and Nutrition Research
Insight Policy Research
1901 North Moore Street, Suite 1100
Arlington, VA 22209
Email: sgleason@insightpolicyresearch.com

Position Summary

The successful candidate will use rigorous quantitative and/or qualitative research methods to answer pressing questions for our government, philanthropic, and nonprofit clients. The researcher will support projects in one or more of our key practice areas. Essential functions include the following:

• Designing and implementing mixed-methods research studies and program evaluations
• Developing and managing project workplans
• Overseeing and conducting quantitative and qualitative data collection, literature reviews, and analyses
• Communicating directly with clients and external collaborators
• Authoring reports, proposals, briefings, and other deliverables
• Presenting results at conferences and to clients

The researcher will work as part of interdisciplinary teams and receive mentoring on research methods, project leadership, and quality assurance.

Education

• Ph.D. in economics, public policy, sociology, or a related field (or a master’s degree with minimum of 3 years of experience)

Qualifications

• Exceptional analytic skills employing quantitative and/or qualitative research methods
• Proven experience synthesizing results across multiple data sources and research methods
• Exceptional writing skills with the ability to communicate clearly and succinctly, including experience communicating research methods and research findings to nontechnical audiences
• Strong organizational skills with demonstrated ability to conduct multiple tasks with competing timelines and ensure tasks/projects are completed on time
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Prior experience working at a human services agency is a plus

Contact

EEO: All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.

Contact: No phone calls, please. Send resume/CV, cover letter, and writing sample via email to—

Dominick Esposito

Vice President, Health
Insight Policy Research, Inc.
1901 North Moore Street, Suite 1100
Arlington, VA 22209
Email: desposito@insightpolicyresearch.com

Position Summary

The successful candidate will use rigorous statistical methods to answer pressing questions for our government, philanthropic, and nonprofit clients. The statistician will support projects across multiple practice areas. Essential functions include the following:

• Designing and executing multivariate statistical analyses
• Designing and executing variance estimation, sample weighting, and imputation
• Providing specifications and guidance to programmers
• Conducting quality assurance reviews of statistical methods
• Communicating directly with clients and external collaborators
• Authoring reports, proposals, briefings, and other deliverables
• Presenting results at conferences and to clients.

The statistician will work as part of interdisciplinary teams and receive mentoring on statistical methods, project leadership, and quality assurance.

Education

• Ph.D. or master’s degree plus 3 years’ experience in statistics, data science, or mathematics

Qualifications

• Exceptional skills in applied multivariate statistical modelling
• Knowledge of variance estimation, sampling, sample weighting, imputation, and disclosure risk
• Knowledge of Bayesian statistical methods for prediction, small area estimation, and program evaluation
• Experience with nonparametric supervised machine learning approaches a plus
• Experience with R, SAS, Python, and/or Stata
• Strong writing skills with the ability to communicate clearly and succinctly, including experience communicating statistical methods and research findings to nontechnical audiences
• Strong organizational skills with demonstrated ability to conduct multiple tasks with competing timelines and ensure tasks/projects are completed on time
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team

Contact

EEO: All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.

Contact: No phone calls, please. Send resume/CV, cover letter, and writing sample via email to—

Scott Cody

Senior Vice President
Insight Policy Research, Inc.
1901 North Moore Street, Suite 1100
Arlington, VA 22209
Email: scody@insightpolicyresearch.com

Position Summary

The successful candidate will oversee Insight’s Food and Nutrition research practice area. The Food and Nutrition practice area focuses on nutrition assistance programs serving disadvantaged populations, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); school meals programs; and other Child Nutrition programs. Insight teams work collaboratively with federal and state agencies to design and execute rigorous data collection, evaluation, and analysis strategies. These strategies yield actionable intelligence regarding the characteristics of program beneficiaries, the effectiveness of policy reforms, and the overall impact these programs have on beneficiaries’ lives.

As Director of Food and Nutrition Research, the successful candidate will have primary responsibility for ensuring successful execution of Food and Nutrition research and evaluation projects. The Director will develop and execute a strategy for the practice area, oversee capture planning and business development activities, monitor performance of active projects, and lead relevant staff development activities.

Candidates must have an advanced degree in public health, public policy, economics, sociology, or related fields, plus at least 15 years of experience conducting research and evaluation work on nutrition programs for federal agencies. Candidates must possess subject matter expertise in at least one of the following programs (expertise in multiple programs preferred): SNAP, WIC, and/or the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Candidates must have a successful track record in leading business development activities, including capture planning, pricing strategy, and proposal development. Candidates must possess exceptional writing and communication skills, work collaboratively in a close-knit team environment, and have a demonstrated track record of producing research and evaluation products of the highest quality.

Responsibilities

• Update and execute Insight’s strategy for Food and Nutrition research
• Oversee teams leading research and evaluation on Food and Nutrition topics
• Build and manage relationships with federal, state, and local agencies as well as universities and associations seeking Food and Nutrition research
• Oversee business development activity for Food and Nutrition research
• Monitor the quality and performance of all Food and Nutrition research projects
• Mentor staff at all levels to ensure consistent and high-quality project delivery
• Keep abreast of legislative and regulatory changes related to Food and Nutrition programs

Education

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in public health, public policy, economics, sociology, or related field

Qualifications

• 15 or more years’ experience leading high-quality research and evaluation for federal clients examining relevant Food and Nutrition programs
• Subject matter expertise in SNAP, WIC, and/or NSLP
• Methodological expertise in data collection, food security measurement, policy analysis, policy simulation, and/or impact evaluation
• Demonstrated experience mentoring staff to ensure successful project execution and professional growth
• Demonstrated ability to oversee capture planning and business development activities successfully
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including demonstrated experience in public speaking
• Experience managing a large portfolio of contracts
• Experience supervising teams of staff
• A strong track record of working collaboratively within and across organizations

Contact

EEO: All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.

Contact: Send resume/curriculum vitae and a writing sample via email, fax, or postal mail to—

Scott Cody

Senior Vice President
Insight Policy Research, Inc.
1901 North Moore Street, Suite 1100
Arlington, VA 22209
Email: scody@insightpolicyresearch.com
Fax: 703.504.9481

Position Summary

The essential functions of this position include working with other team members in the planning and conduct of mixed-methods research studies and program evaluations, leading intermediate-sized projects, conducting semi-structured interviews and coding qualitative data, conducting literature reviews and other background research, analyzing quantitative and/or qualitative data, and contributing to reports and proposals. Our staff are currently conducting projects in public health, quality of care, maternal and child health, patient-centered outcomes research, Medicare, Medicaid, disabilities, and long-term care.

Responsibilities

• Leading mixed-methods projects requiring quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, including developing study designs, determining analysis methodology, and outlining format and content of client deliverables.
• Conducting research that applies rigorous and impartial data collection, analysis, and reporting using quantitative and/or qualitative techniques.
• Interpreting and summarizing quantitative and qualitative findings in reports and presentations to address clients’ research needs.
• Developing proposals for new research projects
• Interacting with various stakeholders in the form of focus groups, interviews, and surveys.
• Working closely with a research team to ensure that project activities are completed in an accurate and timely manner.

Education

• Ph.D. or equivalent in public health, epidemiology, public policy, economics, health services research, social sciences, or other relevant discipline with 5 or more years of related work experience in federal contracting and health care research/policy.

Qualifications

• 5-8 years of healthcare research/policy or private sector consulting experience
• Possess working knowledge/experience other public health programs of the agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Strong organizational skills with demonstrated ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Ability to manage competing deadlines, while keeping projects on schedule and within budget
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (writing sample required)
• Experience preparing final deliverables and writing comprehensive research reports

Contact

EEO: All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.

Contact: No phone calls please. Send resume/CV via email, fax, or regular mail to—

Terry Moore

Senior Vice President
Insight Policy Research, Inc.
1901 North Moore Street, Suite 1100
Arlington, VA 22209
Email: tmoore@insightpolicyresearch.com
Fax: 703.504.9481