Research Assistant

The Urban Institute
Washington, DC - United States
S: Competitive

Overview:
The nonprofit Urban Institute has been dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy research since 1968. The Urban Institute offers independent, rigorous analysis and evidence-based solutions to inform policymakers and the public about the challenges and opportunities confronting vulnerable populations. The tax policy center is currently seeking a Research Assistant to work with prominent public finance economists at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center analyzing the distributional effects of the current tax system and proposed policy reforms and the fiscal challenges facing the federal and state governments. The candidate will routinely see his or her analysis quoted by major media outlets such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and CNN.

Responsibilities:
The candidate will work with a large-scale microsimulation model of the U.S. tax system again under the supervision of senior economists. Duties will include programming code for the model and econometric analysis using large-scale data sets. The candidate will also conduct analysis of tax model output using spreadsheets and statistical packages such as SAS or STATA. The candidate also will help with dissemination of research on the Web, including publication of facts and information on U.S. tax policy.

Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree required. Economics majors with substantial training in mathematics or computer programming preferred. Candidates must have keen analytical and mathematical skills. Ideally, candidates will have SAS or STATA experience and/or training in a programming language. Successful candidates must be well organized with excellent attention to detail and be able to work independently and as part of a team. Ideally, candidates possess a keen interest in public policy issues and have completed an independent empirical project.

The Urban Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Disabilities/Veterans. Women and Minorities encouraged to apply. The Urban Institute values and welcomes diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages all qualified persons to apply regardless of any protected status under federal or local law. To learn more about the Urban Institute and its work, please visit www.urban.org.

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