Researcher​/Senior Researcher; Health & Safety Net

Home Careers Researcher/Senior Researcher (Health & Safety Net)

The California Policy Lab (CPL) generates research insights for government impact. Through hands‑on partnerships with government agencies, CPL performs rigorous research across issue silos and builds the data infrastructure necessary to improve programs and policies that millions of Californians rely on every day. We work on California’s most urgent issues, including homelessness, poverty, criminal justice reform, and education inequality. At its Berkeley site, CPL resides as a center within the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE).

CPL recognizes the value of having a diverse staff at all levels of the organization. We are looking for equity‑minded applicants who represent and understand the diverse racial and ethnic, gender identity, sexual orientation, educational, socioeconomic, cultural, and disability backgrounds present in California. When you join our team, you can expect to be part of an inclusive and equity‑focused community.

The Researcher will lead CPL’s research portfolio relating to the social safety net and health, in collaboration with and under the oversight of CPL’s faculty affiliates and Research Director. This is an exciting open‑rank role for a skilled safety‑net and/or health researcher who wants to design and conduct policy‑relevant quantitative research in partnership with state and local agencies throughout California. The Researcher conducts quantitative research, including conceptualizing research questions and design;

requesting, receiving, and cleaning data files; creating and implementing an analysis plan; conducting quality assurance reviews; summarizing results in documents for both academic and policy audiences; and generating replicability documentation. The Researcher can implement multiple research designs and analysis techniques, including but not limited to randomized control trials, quasi‑experimental designs using natural experiments or other such variation, and difference‑in‑difference and event study analyses.

Further, a successful candidate can lead research projects with small teams, write proposals to support research projects, and ensure timely and high quality completion of research tasks. The Researcher will mentor and supervise other research staff.

The position will report to the Research Director and will work directly with leading social policy researchers at UC and other top universities, state and local government agency staff, and CPL’s leadership team. The working job title (Researcher vs. Senior Researcher) and the campus job title (Associate Specialist vs Specialist) will be based on experience and qualifications.

This position is based in Berkeley, CA with an expectation of 3 days a week in the office.

• Under the oversight of the Research Director, conduct quantitative research, including conceptualizing research questions and design; requesting, receiving, and cleaning data files; creating and implementing analysis plans; conducting quality assurance reviews; summarizing results in documents for both academic and policy audiences; and generating replicability documentation.
• Annually publish multiple reports and policy briefs based on research.
• Implement multiple research designs and analysis techniques, including but not limited to randomized control trials, quasi‐experimental designs using natural experiments or other such variation, and difference‑in‑difference and event study analyses.
• Lead research projects with small teams, write proposals to support research projects, and ensure timely and high‑quality completion of research tasks.
• Supervise other research staff, provide feedback on performance.
• Partner effectively with state and local agency staff to build a joint research agenda.

• Training and experience that clearly demonstrates qualifications strongly preferred.
• Ph.D. in economics, public policy, or related social science field, or equivalent experience strongly preferred.
• Five or more years of post‑Ph.D.…