A Job That Makes a Difference
At MDRC, we offer our staff a unique blend of rigorous research projects, hands-on involvement in real programs, and the chance to help turn research findings into better policies and programs that work to improve the lives of people with low incomes.
Our 300+ staff members are diverse and multidisciplinary: research assistants, economists and statisticians, sociologists and psychologists, public policy analysts and behavioral science experts, demographers and ethnographers, educators and urban planners, program operations and survey specialists, editors, accounting and budget specialists, IT systems analysts and programmers, and human resources professionals.
We’re committed to a culture of inclusiveness and an environment that fosters teamwork, information sharing, harmonious and productive working relationships, and mutual respect.
We are proud to have our employees represented by Social Policy Workers United (SPWU) – Local 57 of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
Career Opportunities
We have opportunities for recent graduates, experienced researchers and service providers, and nonprofit professionals.
Internships and Fellowships
The Gueron Scholars Program offers paid internships for undergraduates and master’s-level students and doctoral fellowships (with stipends) for students engaged in dissertation research. The program is designed to introduce students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the education and social policy research communities to MDRC.
Competitive Salaries and Excellent Benefits
- Group major medical, hospital, dental, and life insurance
- Prescription drug program
- Pension plan, with contributions made by MDRC
- Generous vacation package
- Paid family leave
- Benefits for domestic partners
- Adoption benefit
- Undergraduate tuition and training certificate assistance
- Identity theft protection
- Legal services
- Professional development opportunities and a robust mentoring program
MDRC complies with all federal regulations for Transparency in Coverage (TiC) in connection with our employee health plans. Access TiC machine-readable files.
In this four-minute video, Leigh Parise, Deputy Director of Program Development and a senior K-12 researcher, describes how her experiences as a former elementary school teacher and the head of a nonprofit championing school-aged kids inspire her work at MDRC.
Our Commitment to Diversity
To advance our mission, MDRC seeks to recruit and retain staff that encompass a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives, to ensure equity in our policies and practices, and to build a culture of inclusion and belonging, in which all our staff feel welcome and valued. Promoting these values at MDRC improves the quality and relevance of our research, as well as the daily experiences of our staff.
Our Departments
MDRC’s research and technical assistance staff are housed in five policy areas and two centers:
- Family Well-Being and Children’s Development
- K-12 Education
- Postsecondary Education
- Economic Mobility, Housing, and Communities
- Youth Development, Employment, and Criminal Justice
- Center for Applied Behavioral Science
- Center for Data Insights
In addition, MDRC is supported by units focused on administration, finance, legal, IT, HR, communications, program development, data collection and data security, and research technology.
Our Locations
MDRC has offices in New York City, Washington, DC, and Oakland and Los Angeles, California.
Learn what to expect from the MDRC hiring process.
