Behavioral and Social Scientist

Diversity at RAND

Diversity, equity, and inclusivity are essential operating principles at RAND. We are committed to maintaining a collegial environment that respects the contributions and dignity of all staff, where individual differences are recognized, appreciated, and responded to in ways that fully develop and utilize each person’s talents and strengths. This commitment is guided by an organization-wide framework for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and paired with significant investments to sustain and center these principles in leadership, research, and community and stakeholder engagement. An advisory council comprised of staff at all levels provides critical feedback and perspective on the organization's diversity, equity, and inclusion plans and activities. Employee Resource Groups are staff-driven grassroots communities that seek to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion at RAND by facilitating community, connection, and a greater sense of belonging and well-being among colleagues. In our recruitment and retention efforts, we seek unique backgrounds, original views, and diversity in academic training, work experience, and ideological outlook.

Position Description

RAND is seeking behavioral and social science researchers at all levels of experience. Researchers at RAND work on collaborative research teams, producing objective, scientific analyses in peer-reviewed journals and technical reports to guide policymakers on a diverse set of issues. These diverse, multidisciplinary teams include policy researchers, economists, psychologists, statisticians, social scientists, and others with relevant training. Researchers apply rigorous, empirical research designs to analyze policy issues and evaluate programs.

Staff members have opportunities to teach in the Pardee RAND Graduate School and to collaborate on projects across various research programs, including Education and Labor, Health Care, Homeland Security, National Security, and Social and Economic Well-Being. Current research at RAND focuses on a broad array of topics, including mental health services research, health care, disaster recovery, and national security. Research encompasses issues that affect the population at large, as well as vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups.

Successful applicants will have demonstrated quantitative and/or qualitative research skills, strong analytic skills, excellent verbal and written communication skills, an interest in building a policy research portfolio, the ability to work effectively as a member of a multidisciplinary team, and a strong commitment to RAND's core values of quality and objectivity.

Specializations of interest include:

• Criminology and/or law enforcement
• Cybersecurity
• Disaster or emergency management
• Evidence-based treatments for mental health conditions
• Economic equity
• Health and health care
• Immigration policy
• Mental health stigma, prevention, and population interventions
• Post-traumatic stress disorder and treatment
• Quality of care measurement
• Racial equity
• Reproductive health
• Resilience (individual and community)
• Risk management
• Sexual assault, harassment, and prevention
• Social media and youth
• Social services
• Substance use disorders and treatment
• Suicide prevention
• Workforce management and training

Education Requirements

PhD in psychology, criminology, anthropology, or relevant discipline (you may also apply if you are at the dissertation stage and expect to complete your PhD within 12 months); or PhD in other discipline or JD with evidence of extensive application of research methods to behavioral or social science issues; or Master's degree with 5+ years experience and demonstrable research leadership and proficiency in social science methods.

Experience

Positions are available at all levels of experience. A record of peer-reviewed publications and extramural funding consistent with experience is expected. We are particularly seeking candidates with experience in conducting applied and policy-oriented research, as well as strong theoretical, methodological, and quantitative skills.

Location

Santa Monica, CA; Pittsburgh, PA; Washington DC; or Boston, MA

Application Materials

• CV, cover letter, and writing sample are required (PDF documents are preferred). One writing sample is sufficient if it is a published journal article from a refereed source, otherwise two writing samples are required (e.g., a draft first-authored journal article or a job market paper).
• References: For researchers with fewer than 3 years of experience post-PhD completion, 3 letters of recommendation are required at the time of application. Letters of recommendation should be emailed directly to bpscts@rand.org. Applicants with more than 3 years of experience will be asked to submit contact information for references if selected to interview.

Salary Range: $100,000 - $262,500

Associate Researcher: $100,000 - $154,200

Full Researcher: $115,400 - $190,000

Senior Researcher: $152,700 - $262,500

Applications