Research Assistant (Domestic Social Policy)

Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision.

Knowledge of domestic social policy Ability to apply knowledge of the analytic research process in a disciplinary area relevant to domestic social policy. Ability to identify, exploit, and manipulate research resources and tools to perform research tasks pertinent to a discipline relevant to domestic social policy. Ability to prepare written research materials related to a discipline relevant to domestic social policy. Ability to convey information orally through briefings, consultations, and other presentations.

Ability to collaborate. Ability to exercise objectivity in all phases of research, including written and oral presentations. Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.

This position is located in the Congressional Research Service, Domestic Social Policy Division. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) Domestic Social Policy (DSP) Division seeks a Research Assistant to support research tasks across a broad range of domestic social policy issues and program areas.

The Research Assistant (RA) provides research support tasks across a broad range of domestic policy and social program issues including: (1) Children and Families issues, especially as related to low-income populations; (2) Domestic Security and Immigration, including crime policy and border security; (3) Education and Labor, including training and the workforce; (4) Health Insurance and Financing, including Medicare, Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and private health insurance; (5) Health Services, including, the health care workforce, and public health; and (6) Income Security, including Social Security, pensions, disability, and unemployment.

The RA will join a team of RAs supporting objective, authoritative public policy analysis and consultation to congressional committees, Members, and staff by assisting CRS analysts and specialists preparing objective, non-partisan analytical studies and descriptive reports on nationally significant public policy issues; assisting CRS analysts and specialists providing personal assistance to Members and staff on public policy issues throughout the legislative process; and participating in multi-disciplinary research projects and seminars.

Candidates should have knowledge of one or more DSP issues or program areas, familiarity with the research process, and knowledge of the research materials and tools used in social science research. Candidates must be able to work as part of a collaborative team and must exhibit the intellectual flexibility and broad research skills set that facilitate effective work across a wide spectrum of domestic social policy issues.

Illustrative programs of study include economics, demography, sociology and other social sciences, public policy, and data science. Candidates with computer programming and data analysis skills, as applied to social science or public policy research are especially encouraged to apply. As the Research Assistant, you will: Review and evaluate professional journal articles, agency documents, and other analyses for authoritativeness, relevance, and currency.

Prepare abstracts of these descriptive and/or analytical materials, summarizing their key findings, methodologies employed, and other relevant information. Participate in collaborative efforts on research projects as a member of a team and undertake research and data analytical tasks in support of the development of an array of analytical and descriptive products or components.

Illustrative tasks might include: tracking congressional hearings and bills in specific areas; culling, synthesizing, and tracking state policies; fact checking and other quality control; building and maintaining a database of (specific) program authorizations and appropriations; and, for active legislation, developing and managing a database of amendments and conference documents. Prepare materials for use at consultations, briefings, and seminars for congressional clients.

Attend consultations, briefings, seminars, and outreach activities to gain familiarity with CRS's information and analytic capabilities, recording questions, gauging audience engagement, and capturing audience suggestions for future sessions. Create and populate databases and spreadsheets, reformatting and standardizing data from different sources, and perform data input, calculations, and analysis. Assist colleagues and/or instruct staff on the content, nature, and use of DSP data resources.

Format a range of tables, graphs, images, and other insertions to CRS products, review and verify this content for accuracy and completeness. Update statistics in CRS reports or other general distribution products. Recommend quality control procedures and make suggestions to improve and enhance contributions to CRS products.

Locate, extract, collect, and/or compile quantitative data and other information; evaluating data for accuracy, relevance, authoritativeness, and usefulness; in some cases, cleaning and manipulating quantitative data using Excel or via programming using software such as Python, R, Stata, and Power BI. CRS works exclusively for the United States Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to committees and Members of both the House and Senate, regardless of party affiliation. Perform other duties as assigned.

The position description number for this position is 460697. The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area. The incumbent of this position will work a Compflex or Flexitime work schedule. This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position.