Senior Research Analyst, Data

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) is a nonpartisan research and policy institute that advances federal and state policies to help build a nation where everyone — regardless of income, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, ZIP code, immigration status, or disability status — has the resources they need to thrive and share in the nation’s prosperity.

CBPP combines rigorous research and analysis, strategic communications, and effective advocacy to shape debates, affect policy, and inform effective implementation both nationally and in states. It works closely with a broad set of national, state, and community organizations to design and advance policies that reduce poverty and promote economic justice; improve health; broaden opportunity in areas like housing, health care, employment, and education; and lower structural barriers for people of color and others in communities that continue to face systemic barriers to opportunity. CBPP promotes policies that will build a more equitable nation and fair tax policies that can support these gains over the long term. CBPP also shows the harmful impacts of policies and proposals that would deepen poverty, widen disparities, and worsen health outcomes. 

The Data Analysis and Research team works extensively with other CBPP teams on a range of policy issues and research topics affecting lower-income families and individuals. Topics may include the implications of policy choices affecting program areas such as food assistance, housing assistance, taxation, tax credits, cash assistance, and Medicaid and the ACA. The team collects, prepares, and summarizes data and academic research, develops graphics and written presentations of findings, and examines and writes about pending legislative and policy options. 

The team seeks a Senior Research Analyst to support a wide range of analysis and research across issue areas at CBPP during what is expected to be a period of intense policy debate. This role will help defend and advance effective economic security policies by analyzing survey and administrative data on economic security programs; writing and speaking publicly about the potential impact of policies affecting people with low and moderate incomes; and providing research guidance, technical assistance, and support to the Data team and CBPP’s other teams (including those focused on federal fiscal policy, state fiscal policy, health, nutrition, housing, income security, immigration, and legislative affairs). The Senior Research Analyst will also help build the advanced research capacity of staff at CBPP and in our State Priorities Partnership, a network of independent state fiscal policy organizations. This position is an exceptional role for people seeking to both contribute meaningfully to public policy debates in 2025 and 2026 and help lay groundwork for future policy. This position reports to the Vice President for Data Analysis and Research. 
 

Responsibilities:

• Analyze household survey microdata to help CBPP describe unmet needs and identify the human impact of current and proposed policies.
• Develop or contribute to analyses of major decisions before Congress and the executive branch and assess how they would affect different populations, including at the state and sub-state level, to help CBPP defend and improve successful economic security programs.
• Assess the implications of policy choices affecting cash assistance, taxation and tax credits, food assistance, housing programs, and health programs; eligibility restrictions tied to work or immigration status; and policy proposals’ potential effects on child well-being and the employment and earnings of participating adults.
• Analyze data and academic research on economic security, poverty, public health insurance, and anti-poverty policies in the United States and help CBPP develop and present findings to policymakers and the public. 
• Assist in documenting the value and reach of policies by, for example, calculating participation in and the anti-poverty effectiveness of government assistance programs, over time and for geographic and demographic groups. 
• Help CBPP frame longer-term policy challenges and the need to boost economic security, opportunity, and health insurance for low- and moderate-income households. 
• Assist in improving and updating CBPP’s tax microsimulation projects or other policy simulation efforts using Census and/or IRS microdata.
• Respond to requests from policymakers, the media, and other national and state-level organizations for government data and academic research related to income, poverty, and means-tested programs and their impacts on children and adults.  
• Educate and train other researchers at CBPP and partner organizations in a range of analytical methods to build data analysis capacity. Help researchers to compile national, state, and sub-state data from government sources to support their own work on behalf of those who are economically vulnerable.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned to support the team’s goals.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of seven years’ relevant work experience or a master’s degree in a relevant field and minimum of five years’ relevant work experience, or a doctoral degree in a relevant field and a minimum of four years’ relevant work experience. 
• Strong quantitative skills and a background in economics, mathematics, statistics, public policy, sociology, or a related field, and the ability to critically assess quantitative research. 
• Proficiency in Stata (or advanced proficiency in a variety of statistical software such as R and Python plus some familiarity with and willingness to use) and experience analyzing large household surveys. 
• Demonstrated commitment to accuracy. 
• Ability to communicate clearly and succinctly. 
• Ability to work on multiple tasks both independently and as part of a highly collaborative team, often on a time-sensitive basis. 
• Familiarity with U.S. poverty-related programs, policies, and concepts, such as food assistance and refundable tax credits, and with different measures of poverty. 
• Familiarity with GitHub or other means of collaborating with statistical software code.  
• Basic familiarity with geographic information systems, mapping software, or other geographical analysis. 
• An interest in reducing poverty and advancing opportunity and racial equity. 

This position is based in Washington, D.C. CBPP is currently operating on a hybrid work schedule of two full in-office days (Tuesday and Wednesday) per week as well as the first Thursday of each month.

This position reports to the Vice President for Data Analysis and Research.

Terms of Employment: Full-time; exempt; two-year term.

Bargaining Unit Status: This is a bargaining unit position.

Compensation: Salary for this position ranges from $95,000 to $160,000 per year. Pay is based on a number of factors including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience and internal pay equity. CBPP offers excellent benefits (including health insurance, vision and dental coverage, life and long-term disability insurance, retirement, MERP, and DCAP) and generous vacation, sick leave, and holiday schedules.

Please upload a cover letter and resume. In your cover letter, please include a discussion of what draws you to CBPP’s mission.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and welcomes diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages all qualified persons to apply regardless of race, color, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, credit information, pregnancy or parental status, family responsibilities, personal appearance, creed, military or veteran status, religion, ancestry or national origin, union activities, disability, or other status protected by applicable law.