We’re looking for both a Deputy Director and a Social Scientist to join our team! The Lab @ DC designs and tests innovative programs and policies that aim to improve the lives of District residents. We help policymakers use evidence to make informed decisions that strengthen our community. Check out some examples of our recent work on transit subsidies, road safety, career and technical education, food security, fire safety, and rental assistance.
Deputy Director:
This position closed on February 27. We are now reviewing applications.
Help lead and grow a team at the forefront of evidence-based policy and government innovation. We are seeking a Deputy Director to help guide our team of Data Scientists, Social Scientists, and Civic Design Researchers as they work to address DC's most critical problems.
Who we’re looking for:
Someone who is passionate about public service and the ability of governments to dramatically improve how they serve residents of all backgrounds.
Team player who wants to use evidence and design to make a positive difference in DC residents’ lives, particularly for historically disadvantaged populations.
Experienced leader with a deep background in one of the Lab’s focus areas (impact evaluations, data science projects, or civic design) or someone with working knowledge and experience across all three focus areas.
Effective communicator who can share our work with diverse audiences, including scientific experts, government practitioners, residents, and policymakers.
Creative problem-solver who enjoys tackling complex organizational challenges. A person that understands the outcome the team wants to achieve and engages with the constraints at hand to achieve that outcome.
Ability to develop partnerships and manage relationships with a diverse range of project partners and team members.
Someone who weighs hard decisions carefully but is not afraid to make them.
Someone with a graduate degree and substantial relevant experience who can start in DC no later than May 1, 2025.
What you’ll gain:
Shared leadership of a mature team with established staff, funding, protocols, and project relationships that is ready to expand the reach and impact of its work.
Skills and opportunities to influence policy decisions and program designs that impact your neighbors.
Experience designing and implementing evidence building alongside state/local government leaders and in collaboration with community members.
The opportunity to use your skills to contribute to key policy and budgetary decisions.
What you should know:
The salary range for this position is $127,030 - $177,839.
Our team is currently working a hybrid model of 4 days in the office and 1 day of telework each week.
Please be aware of the District residency requirement statement. For further details, reference the District Personnel Manual.
This is a management position reporting to the Director of The Lab @ DC. The specific staff the Deputy Director will supervise will be determined based on the subject matter expertise and experience of the person selected.
The Deputy Director will have a substantial role in shaping The Lab – both what we work on and how we do it. Applicants should expect to develop a vision that builds upon The Lab’s strong foundation and be willing to advocate for the decisions they think best serve The Lab and DC residents.
The link below will take you to the DC Office of Human Resources official job posting and application portal. The posting includes limited information about the role and responsibilities for the position, and we have limited control over the posting. If what we’ve described above sounds like a good fit for you, we encourage you to apply—it's relatively quick. If you make it through the initial screening, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the position and to demonstrate your qualifications through a performance task and structured interview process.
Social Scientist:
This position closed on February 18. We are now reviewing applications.
Who we’re looking for:
Team players who want to use scientific tools to make a positive difference in DC residents’ lives, particularly for historically disadvantaged populations.
Strong R or Python skills (be ready to share organized, annotated code).
Strong quantitative skills, including research design, statistics or econometrics, program evaluation, and/or experimental methods.
Effectively communicate about projects to a diverse audience, including scientific experts, government practitioners, residents, and policymakers.
PhD-Level (or equivalent education + experience)
Bonus: a passion for making a difference in at least one of the following areas: transportation, public safety, housing stability, food access, education, government efficiency, or workforce development.
Someone who can start in DC no later than April 14, 2025.
What you’ll gain:
Skills to influence policy decisions and program design that impact your neighbors.
Experience designing and implementing evidence building alongside government leaders.
The opportunity to use your skills to contribute to key policy and budgetary decisions.
Real world experience conducting rigorous science within local government.
Experience using granular administrative data (and all its fun quirks!) across education, housing, public benefits, transportation, public safety, and more to measure the outcomes that matter.
Publications (from tweet storms and blog posts to peer reviewed journals).
What you should know:
If you’re currently a University faculty or a pre- or post-doc, there is an opportunity to join the team through a Personnel Exchange Agreement, which would allow you to retain your university affiliation while working for the District.
Our team is currently working a hybrid model of 4 days in the office and 1 day of telework each week.