Research Associate

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) seeks a relentless, detail-oriented research associate to join our research team and help us secure our democracy. This position is a unique opportunity to be on the front lines of the fight for a more ethical, equitable and accountable government, while working alongside smart, dedicated and kind people.

As a leading nonpartisan, nonprofit government watchdog, CREW is dedicated to defending our democratic institutions, rooting out government corruption and fighting the influence of money in politics through legal action and communications grounded by in-depth research. If you are a creative, results-driven, problem solver committed to protecting our democracy this is the position for you. Demonstrating a strong interest in data work — particularly with campaign finance data — is a plus, but we welcome diverse skills and experiences.

Responsibilities:

• Research and Investigation: exhaustively uncover and investigate government corruption, including reviewing and analyzing government documents, news reports, databases, public information, and other resources
• Synthesis: synthesize information into accurate, concisely written products, both for internal use and for publication
• Data input and cultivation: this position will involve extensive monitoring, data input, and data analysis
• Content Production: draft article-length investigations and longer reports
• Generating Ideas: spot trends to generate innovative project ideas and investigative report proposals
• Fact-checking: fully vet CREW products like investigations, graphics, reports, and legal filings before they go to press contacts, submitted into legal filings and to the general public.

A great candidate has:

• A Bachelor’s degree;
• Outstanding research and analytical skills;
• A deep, demonstrated interest in searching through public documents and other sources to find obscure information;
• Must work well under pressure, adapt to changing situations, and prioritize numerous projects and tasks;
• Experience or interest in core democracy issues and government ethics issues;
• The position is based in Washington, D.C. but will be hybrid with employees splitting their time between working at home and working in the office.

The salary range for this position is $52,000-$62,000 based on experience and qualifications. CREW offers a compensation and benefits program that creates a supportive, respectful, sustainable environment that allows our employees to show up as their authentic selves and perform at their best. We’re in this work for the long-haul, and that means investing in our most important asset: our staff. We are always working to improve our benefits program, currently they include:

• Generous paid time off
• Platinum medical insurance (100% of premium covered for employees; 55% of premium covered for dependents)
• Dental and vision insurance (99.9% of premium covered for employees and 55% of premium covered for dependents)
• 10 weeks paid family leave for non-birthing parent and 16 weeks paid family leave for birthing parent
• Family planning and gender affirming care benefits that include a $10k annual employer contribution with up to $30k over the term of your employment for employees AND their partners
• Option to enroll in FSA and dependent care FSA accounts with a $2,500 employer contribution to dependent care FSAs
• Option to enroll in commuter benefits
• Flexible, hybrid work environment
• Fully vested 401k with 3% employer contribution starting on day one
• Paid holiday closures between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, as well as major national holidays
• Employee assistance program
• Summer Fridays all year long
• Free in-office lunches weekly (and snacks daily!)
• Free virtual yoga classes