Special Note
This is a full-time overtime-exempt, “at-will” appointment, exempt from Washington State Civil Service rules and the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime requirements.
Position Purpose
The Research Manager is WSIPP’s central advisor on conducting high-quality quantitative research, including problem formulation, literature reviews, outcome evaluation design, analysis, report writing, and presentations. The Research Manager is the in-house expert on evaluation methodology, providing advice and expertise to WSIPP staff.
The Research Manager also works with the Associate Director for Research to support the internal technical review process and the ongoing development and utility of technical workgroups.
The Research Manager is an essential part of WSIPP’s Leadership Team, working closely with the Director, Associate Director for Operations, and the Associate Director for Research.
Nature and Scope
Washington State Institute for Public Policy Profile
The Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) is a nonpartisan public research group located in Olympia, the hub of Washington State government. WSIPP is a team of multidisciplinary researchers who conduct applied policy research for the state legislature in a creative and collaborative environment.
WSIPP is strongly committed to the core values of nonpartisanship, quality, and impartiality. Created in 1983, WSIPP has become nationally and internationally recognized for the design, depth, and quality of its research reports and benefit-cost analyses.
Nature and Scope
The Research Manager has primary responsibility for the quality of the research products produced by WSIPP researchers. The Research Manager works with WSIPP staff, leadership, and external partners on organizational research plans and methods. These activities include consulting with WSIPP staff on research design, methodology, and analysis plans as part of the organizational technical review process; reviewing the methodology, findings, and technical appendices for reports; advising the Director and Associate Director for Research on project staffing needs and resources; participating in interagency research work groups; leading internal work groups on methodology; and consulting with legislative members and staff on legislative research needs. As needed, the Research Manager may also lead, coordinate, or direct high-quality quantitative research projects.
Work Environment
The Research Manager works in an office environment with occasional meetings in a group setting. Flex scheduling is allowed, and a partial telecommuting schedule may be approved by the Director.
Essential Functions
- Lead the research design and analytic components of WSIPP’s technical review process, ensuring that WSIPP work meets high-quality standards
- Review and edit methodologies, results, and the technical appendices of all WSIPP reports
- Advise and train WSIPP staff on research design and methods in support of all research assignments
- Maintain a working knowledge of causal inference methods and empirical designs, develop relevant resources for WSIPP staff, and lead internal technical workgroups
- Facilitate WSIPP’s participation in external research workgroups
- Participate in the development of project budgets, timelines, and staffing patterns
- Develop strong working relationships with a variety of external stakeholders including legislative staff, policymakers, and researchers in academia and related research communities
- Respond to requests from staff and policymakers regarding potential legislative research proposals
- Support and lead strategic projects related to WSIPP research
Additional Duties
- Lead, coordinate, or direct high-quality quantitative research projects on an as-needed basis
- Supervise senior research staff on an as-needed basis
- Complete other projects upon request. The work portfolio may vary depending on new legislative assignments
- Develop and maintain strong working relationships with relevant stakeholders
Knowledge Skills and Abilities
- Ability to work diplomatically, professionally, and in a nonpartisan manner on controversial issues
- Ability to design and conduct rigorous outcome evaluations and perform advanced statistical analyses
- Strong presentation, public speaking, and writing skills for both technical and lay audiences
- Ability to coordinate and plan multi-faceted, long-term projects
- Presents and expresses ideas and information effectively and concisely in an oral and/or written mode; listens to and comprehends what others are saying; shares information with others and facilitates the open exchange of ideas and information; is open, honest, and straightforward with others; provides a complete and timely explanation of issues and decisions in a manner appropriate for the audience; and presents information and material in a manner that gains the agreement of others
- Ability to work across multiple disciplines and with a variety of state agency partners
- Displays knowledge of the roles, responsibilities, and duties of supervisors, project leads, and researchers; accurately assesses the impact upon others of role performance; and supports and promotes organizational decisions, policies, programs, and initiatives
- Is aware of, responds to, and considers the needs, feelings, and capabilities of others; deals effectively with others in favorable and unfavorable situations regardless of their status or position; accepts interpersonal and cultural differences; manages conflict/confrontations/disagreements in a positive manner that minimizes personal impact, to include controlling one’s own feelings and reactions; and provides appropriate support to others
Minimum Qualifications
- PhD or Masters degree in relevant discipline—economics, public policy, education, political science, psychology, sociology, or closely related field
- Eight years of experience coordinating the conduct of sophisticated quantitative research (can include graduate-level research experience)
- Four or more years of full-time, paid work experience as a researcher.
- Demonstrated experience communicating the results of research to non-technical audiences
- Significant experience designing and conducting analyses using advanced quasi-experimental research designs and causal inference methods such as regression discontinuity or fixed effects
- Significant experience conducting analyses in multiple statistical packages, such as STATA, SAS, R
- Experience analyzing complex survey and/or administrative datasets
- Experience leading teams of researchers
- Experience mentoring and supervising junior staff
- Commitment to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture
- Strong interpersonal skills and experience collaborating successfully with a variety of internal and external stakeholders
- Demonstrated interest in public policy issues and the translation of rigorous research for use by policymakers
Desired Qualifications
- Ph.D. in relevant discipline—economics, public policy, education, political science, psychology, sociology, or closely related field
- Significant experience designing and conducting mixed methods research projects
- Established record of publishing rigorous research.
- Experience working with sophisticated data visualization packages such as Tableau, PowerBI, R, ARCGis
- Familiarity working with data sharing agreements and institutional review board applications
- Demonstrated experience working with Washington state administrative data
- Experience working in government
- Experience working in a legislative setting
Conditions of Employment
- Must provide proof of identity and employment eligibility within three days of beginning work.
- Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position.
Benefits
A full state benefits package which includes: paid sick and vacation leave; paid campus holidays; a generous medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents; retirement; deferred compensation and optional supplemental retirement accounts. For more information about Evergreen’s excellent employee benefits, please view http://www.evergreen.edu/payroll/benefits.htm