Senior Researcher, Program Evaluation

WHO WE ARE: At Fors Marsh, we take on issues that matter. We are a team of researchers, advisors, and communicators working together to shape the systems that shape our lives. We look at human behavior from all angles to design targeted solutions that influence decision-making and move people to action. We are committed to the problem, not just the project, and we are intentional about taking on work and forming partnerships that balance purpose, people, planet, and profit. We are a certified B Corporation, a Just employer, and a 2019-2023 Top Workplace. We hold ourselves accountable to the values that have always defined us. And those values drive us to be the best possible versions of ourselves-for each other, our communities, our clients, and the world.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR: The Fors Marsh Program Evaluation and Policy Analysis (PEPA) practice is seeking an experienced, intelligent, and motivated Senior Researcher to contribute to evaluation projects in emergency preparedness, public safety, elections, and economic opportunity and mobility topic areas. This individual will contribute to the design and execution of complex evaluations; conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses; work collaboratively with research teams; collect, manage, and analyze data; summarize and report findings; contribute to business development efforts, and provide general support to federal clients.

*This position is a contingent hire, meaning it is contingent on Fors Marsh winning an upcoming proposal. The interview process will be the same as our standard process, the offer letter (should we decide to move forward) will serve as a letter of commitment.

Responsibilities include:

• Thinking creatively to help emergency preparedness clients answer the questions, “did this work”, “will this work”, and “how can it work better”.
• Leading the design, execution, and interpretation of evaluation research across a variety of quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
• Leading evaluation projects and/or substantive project tasks, including the management of other staff, timelines, and quality of deliverables.
• Prepare written products such as research reports, presentation decks, and other project deliverables summarizing research methods, findings, and recommendations.
• Working with clients to understand needs, manage expectations, and build long-term relationships.
• Managing and analyzing large datasets.
• Providing quality checks on client deliverables.
• Contributing to proposals and business development efforts.
• Balancing roles and responsibilities across multiple concurrent projects.
• Working as part of a team on a day-to-day basis in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications:

• Graduate degree in Economics, Public Policy, Political Science, Sociology, Statistics or other social science field.
• A minimum of 6 years of post-graduate applied experience contributing to and leading evaluation research projects, preferably for federal clients.
• Understanding of statistics, econometrics, and quantitative methodology.
• Experience cleaning, manipulating, and merging data from both primary and secondary sources.
• Proficient in at least one statistical analysis software package (STATA preferred, R, Python, and/or SPSS acceptable).
• Experience and strong proficiency using MS Excel for data management and analysis.
• Understanding of methods for collecting and analyzing qualitative data.
• Demonstration of strong verbal and written communications skills.
• Meticulous attention to detail.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen and consent to a full background check due to our federal contract requirements.
• Applicants will be subject to a low-level government security investigation and must meet the eligibility criteria for access to sensitive information.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Data science experience, including proficiency with machine learning and/or R modules (e.g., Shiny, Tidyverse).
• Experience developing data visualization dashboards (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).
• Experience conducting systematic evidence reviews.

We Offer:

Our benefits typically meet or exceed our competitors’ packages. Ways we are unique?

• Ability to make an impact on people’s lives, both internal and external to the organization.
• Top-tier health, dental, vision, and long and short-term disability coverage all covered at 100% for employee coverage.
• Remote work.
• Our company culture, which values balance and allows each employee to take leave as they require it to balance the responsibilities of both their work and home li