Policy Associate - J-PAL Global

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of over 390 affiliated professors at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.

The Policy & Communications Group plays a key role in translating research by J-PAL affiliates into actionable poverty alleviation policies around the world. Staff connect the dots between economics and policy and are passionate about working with organizations to form partnerships for evidence-informed development policy. 

J-PAL encourages diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work, and we value the diverse perspectives our staff bring to their roles and to the broader J-PAL community. We encourage people from all backgrounds, especially those underrepresented in the field of economics, to apply to this role. In your cover letter, you are welcome to share how your background and lived experiences have influenced your desire to work at J-PAL (this is entirely optional, just an opportunity for us to get to know you a bit better).

Position overview

J-PAL is recruiting Policy Associates to contribute to this mission of promoting evidence-informed policy. The position will be based in Cambridge, MA, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with two in-person work days per week. There are currently openings on the Agriculture sector, Health sector, and AI for Social Good pillar, and potentially other sectors as well. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Only applications following all instructions at the bottom of this page will be considered.

Responsibilities

Your work provides the foundation and direction for J-PAL’s growing policy efforts. As a Policy Associate, your primary tasks will involve communication, analysis, and specialization.

• Evidence Communication and Dissemination (35%):
  • Write publications that “translate” economic research into lessons for policymakers around the world. Associates will write, publish, and disseminate evaluation summaries. Associates will have the opportunity to support senior staff to create materials for policy outreach, including publications, presentations, grant proposals, donor reporting, policy memos, blogs, social media content and newsletters, and website content among other sector-specific work. Associates also have the opportunity to help organize events and further their communication skills by presenting at conferences and participating in meetings with policymakers and partner organizations.
• Sector Specialization and Initiative Project Management (40%):
  • Develop in-depth knowledge of one or more of J-PAL’s sectors (Agriculture, Crime, Violence, & Conflict, Education, Environment, Energy, & Climate Change, Finance, Firms, Gender, Health, Labor Markets, Social Protection, and Political Economy & Governance) or pillars (AI for Social Good, Cost-Effectiveness and Welfare Analysis and provide evidence support to policymakers. Policy associates may also have the opportunity to support and manage the administration of a sector-specific, ongoing competitive research fund by hosting specific rounds of funding, processing grant proposals, coordinating with researchers, and supporting partnership development between implementing groups and research affiliates to spark new research projects. There are currently openings on the Agriculture, Health, and AI for Social Good sector or pillar teams. Please indicate in the Google application form below if you are interested in these or other sectors, which may have openings as well. 
• Other (25%):
  • Have the opportunity to support J-PAL’s overall mission in a number of ways. These can include performing internal tasks such as knowledge management, supporting recruitment and hiring, internal training and onboarding, supporting work on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and undertaking professional development opportunities. Associates may also serve as liaisons between J-PAL Global and one of J-PAL’s regional offices covering Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, North America, South Asia and and Southeast Asia, support our work with corporate impact partners, or assist with other broad J-PAL projects.  

Qualifications & skills

Your technical expertise, strong communication and organizational skills, passion for translating research into action, and interest in international development make you an ideal candidate for Policy Associate.

• Education: You hold at least a bachelor’s degree (master’s preferred) with significant training in economics, including intermediate-level economics and econometrics. Do you have a demonstrated academic interest in international development and public policy and/or international experience? Even better.
• Experience: Minimum two years of relevant full- or part-time work experience. Full-time work experience includes a relevant job or a master’s degree. Part-time experience includes related internships in research and/or policy work. You may be a recent or soon-to-be graduate with related internships, or you may have previous experience in research and/or development work.
• Skills: You are comfortable with intermediate-level economics and econometrics, especially randomized evaluation methodology, as well as working in or learning computer applications, including Google Suite, and Salesforce. English language fluency is required. Knowledge of Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, French, Portuguese, Spanish, or other languages spoken in our regions of work are a plus.
• Communication: You are detail-oriented and have advanced writing skills. You understand how to communicate policy lessons from technical academic research in ways that policymakers and practitioners understand. You are precise, clear, and creative.
• Organization: You are a strategic thinker. You can handle multiple projects at once, meet deadlines, and effectively manage your time.
• Cultural competencies: You are comfortable and adept at working in a diverse and multicultural work environment, with colleagues, partners and policymakers from around the world. You display sensitivity, adaptability, and inclusivity in your engagement with people from diverse backgrounds including age, ability, culture, gender, nationality, race and ethnicity, religion, sexuality, socioeconomic status, and other identities. We appreciate candidates who have familiarity with concepts and frameworks such as racial equity or gender analyses.
• Attitude: You love learning. You are passionate about international development policy and the rigorous research that informs it. You are agile, adaptable, self-motivated, hardworking, and collaborative.

Professional development

The Policy & Communications Group invests in your professional development. As a Policy Associate, you will learn, engage, travel, and grow.

• Learn: J-PAL supports a culture of learning with opportunities to attend weekly MIT-Harvard Development Seminars and take classes for credit with MIT’s generous tuition assistance program. All J-PAL staff are also eligible to take the innovative online MITx MicroMasters credential in Data, Economics, and Development Policy (DEDP) free of charge.
• Engage: Associates have the opportunity to work with J-PAL-affiliated researchers, as well as interact with J-PAL’s partners, including decision-makers and practitioners, alongside senior staff. As core content creators, Associates’ publications are distributed to development stakeholders worldwide.
• Travel: Associates have the opportunity to occasionally present at J-PAL’s regional offices, attend policy events worldwide, and participate in a unique “Associate-to-Field” international experience supporting on-the-ground research during their time at J-PAL.
• Grow: Associates can expect to join a peer group eager to build institutional knowledge and pass on lessons learned. Associates receive one-on-one mentorship from senior staff. Promotions to Senior Associate are based on performance, skills, and experience.

Compensation

Information about the pay range and pay grade for this position can be found here.

Benefits

As a member of the MIT community, you benefit from more than just your salary. 

J-PAL hires highly qualified staff and rewards them accordingly. Total compensation packages are competitive for the non-profit international development field with excellent MIT benefits, including comprehensive health insurance, a 401(k) match and pension-based retirement plan, tuition assistance, commuter benefits, MIT community discounts, a generous vacation policy, and more. We like working at MIT and think you will too. J-PAL also values work-life balance and offers flexible work days throughout the year; Cambridge-based staff are required to work in-person at least two days per week.