Job Description

Job Overview

The Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University is seeking a Researcher to join our Research offering team.

The Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University is dedicated to improving how people experience government by strengthening the design and delivery of public services. As a nonprofit, nonpartisan center, we catalyze cross-sector collaboration to advance people-first, digitally-enabled approaches through applied research, peer learning, and hands-on support—helping government deliver better outcomes for communities.

The Beeck Center collaborates across sectors to improve the design, delivery, and experience of public services. We focus on practical, people-centered, digitally-enabled approaches that lead to lasting impact by strengthening how government works. As one of our core offerings, we conduct practical, applied research driven by the challenges governments face today. Drawing on evidence, people’s lived experiences, and emerging practices, we develop insights and guidance that help leaders make informed decisions and put solutions into practice. Our research focuses on key topics in digital government delivery including human-centered design and product development, data, AI, and teams and capacity; and often with a specific policy focus such as improving public benefits delivery.

We are seeking a Researcher to join the Research offering team and support our efforts. The new Research team member should have familiarity with the policies for core public benefits programs (e.g., SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, child care, TANF, unemployment insurance), the challenges and opportunities for technology in their delivery; and openness to conducting research on other areas of digital government delivery.

Researchers at the Beeck Center bring open curiosity to the opportunities and challenges presented by our government practitioners and the people they serve. Our researchers are versed in ethical, equitable research practices, which guide how we conduct and publish research. They build on diverse expertise and experiences to help others tell their stories, document promising practices, and provide replicable insights. Our researchers are comfortable experimenting with publication formats and media to reach the target audiences, including short and long format publications, datasets, landscape analyses, multimedia, and prototypes. We work in a highly collaborative, iterative format to give and receive feedback on work products. In addition to developing Beeck Center research insights and publications, our researchers build trusted expertise that is called upon by peer organizations and practitioners for advice, events, and research sourcing.

Work Interactions

The Researcher is a member of our Research offering team and reports to the Senior Director, Ariel Kennan, who leads the team. They will work closely with the Senior Managers for Research + Engagement. They will work collaboratively across our offerings teams including Networks, Training and Technical Assistance, Operations, and Communications. They may have the opportunity to mentor and manage Student Analysts.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree and 3-5 years of work experience
2+ years of experience conducting and publishing applied research in policy, public administration, civic tech, government technology, social impact, or related fields
Familiarity with the policies for core public benefits programs (e.g., SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, child care, TANF, unemployment insurance) and the challenges and opportunities for technology in their delivery; and openness to conducting research on other areas of digital government delivery.
Experience planning research projects and attention to detail in project management
Ability to work independently to meet deadlines and produce high-quality results
Exceptional oral and written communication skills
Demonstrated capacity to translate technical concepts across audiences

Ideal candidates for this position should also have:

Familiarity in working with an Institutional Review Board, ethical and equitable research practices, and human-subject protection
Experience synthesizing complex information into actionable insights for practitioners
Commitment to centering equity in supporting government officials and public interest practitioners as they aim to better serve the public, including alignment with our vision that “we believe in a people-centered, digitally-enabled government for all.”
Enthusiasm and willingness to work in a university environment and leverage its strengths to support public service, including alignment with our mission to connect “government and the civic tech ecosystem to tackle problems no one can solve alone.”

Work Designation

The Beeck Center operates as a distributed team, with some team members working remotely and others working in-person in our Washington, DC offices. A distributed team means there will be heavy reliance on asynchronous communication channels such as Slack, Asana, and Gmail, while also having many meetings fully virtual or hybrid to include remote employees, using Zoom.

This position has been designated as Remote. Please note that work mode designations are regularly reviewed in order to meet the evolving needs of the University. Such review may necessitate a change to a position’s mode of work designation. Complete details about Georgetown University’s mode of work designations for staff and AAP positions can be found on the Department of Human Resources website: https://hr.georgetown.edu/mode-of-work-designation.

The Beeck Center has two office spaces in Washington, D.C.: one on Georgetown University’s Main Campus and a second downtown on Georgetown’s Capitol Campus. We prioritize spending time in person with our student analysts for collaboration and career development as well as building relations across the various other centers on campus. Remote employees will have the opportunity to, and are expected to, travel up to 10% for team retreats, conferences, and in-person workweeks.

Responsibilities

Research Design and Execution (30%)

Design qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods research projects
Conduct research through interviews, surveys, landscape analyses, and document review on key topics (e.g., digital government service delivery, public benefits, data, AI, government teams and capacity)
Collaborate with research team to develop research project timelines and track progress based on research plans in Asana

Research Publishing and Dissemination (35%)

Publish and disseminate research on key topics in approachable, accessible formats such as:
- Written reports, such as: case studies, white papers, and policy briefs
- Blog posts documenting best practices, digital transformation processes and/or research processes
- Technical documentation of specific processes discovered through the landscape research
- Ad-hoc outputs, such as podcast interviews, conference presentations, slide decks, or webinars
Collaborate with the Communications team to develop and execute dissemination strategies for research outputs, including identifying key messages, target audiences, and appropriate formats. This includes the researcher drafting materials to promote research outputs, including social media posts, emails, webinars, etc.

Research Team Engagement and Stewardship of High-Quality Research (20%)

Review and provide feedback on content created by team members and students
Manage and mentor student analyst(s) conducting research
Promote a culture of high quality research on the team, by:
- Supporting colleagues to ensure the collection and proper management of sufficient and appropriate data for analysis
- Advise on research approaches (e.g., to support ecosystem building and coordination goals)
- Anticipate and manage risks, including methodological and ethical risks and organizational and logistical challenges
Collaborate with the Research team to research and publish on rapid response and exploratory topics
Represent the Beeck Center at select webinars, conferences, and research convenings

Cross-Center Coordination (15%)

Collaborate with Research team and Beeck Center colleagues to mature research resources, guidance, and processes for the Beeck Center
Build and support Beeck Center understanding of new research from academic communities and ecosystem partners
Coordinate with Network and Training + Technical Assistance colleagues to generate research ideas and disseminate findings
Support grant reporting, project proposals, and other reporting to highlight project activities and impact
Participate in center-wide initiatives (e.g., staff liaison groups, review of internal policy documents)

Salary, Benefits, and Employment Term

The Researcher position is a full-time, term role, through June 30, 2027. The annual salary band for this position is $65,000-$80,000, commensurate with experience, and includes full benefits. See the Georgetown University Benefits Guide here. Benefits include paid sick and holiday leave, as well as comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance, as well as generous 401k program and Tuition Assistance Program after one year of service.

Application Process

Step 1: Beeck Center Supplemental Application (contact details, short-answer questions, interview logistics)

Step 2: Georgetown University Application (standard resume — no cover letter needed)

DEADLINE: The application deadline to be considered for this role is April 6, 2026, at 9:00am EDT.

Application Review begins promptly after the application deadline.

The anticipated start date for this role is June 8, 2026.

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Need some assistance with the application process? Please call 202-687-2500. For more information about the suite of benefits, professional development and community involvement opportunities that make up Georgetown’s commitment to its employees, please visit the Georgetown Works website.

EEO Statement:

Georgetown University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer fully dedicated to achieving a diverse faculty and staff. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and expression, and sexual orientation), disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

AI Usage Statement:

During the recruitment process, we trust and expect candidates to represent their skills and experience. Candidates may use AI tools to support and strengthen their submissions. AI tools should not be used to fully respond to application questions or exercises.