Research Associate, Healthcare & Human Services (Remote Eligible)

We currently have openings for entry-level Research Associates with a strong interest in managing and evaluating federal, state, or foundation-funded programs and policies across health, disability, education, and employment domains. The research associate role blends research, technical assistance, and project management.

We are seeking intellectually prospective employees with a passion for applied policy research and an interest in improving government programs and service delivery systems. Research Associates contribute to a variety of activities including evaluation design, data collection, analysis, technical assistance, and operational support to inform evidence-based decision making.

In particular, we are looking for individuals who can support current and emerging work across a range of areas spanning healthcare and human services, such as disability, population health, mental health and substance use, value-based purchasing and alternative payment models, and health care quality and outcomes, as well as education and employment domains including K-12 and postsecondary education systems, workforce development and training programs, employment services, and education-to-workforce transitions. Candidates do not need experience in all these areas but should have academic or professional experience in at least one. We encourage candidates who enjoy working in a collaborative environment that emphasizes quality, rigor, and critical thinking to apply.

Research Associates work across multiple policy areas, typically on 3-4 projects at a time in roles requiring team coordination and occasionally direct client contact. Research Associates may support projects across the Healthcare Evaluation & Disability (HED) and Education & Employment (EE) portfolios. Final team placement will align with candidate experience and business needs.

Across all projects, Research Associates are expected to perform a combination of the following tasks:

• Support project management activities, including creating agendas, tracking deliverables, scheduling meetings, and taking notes

• Learn complex policies and programs across health, education, employment, and disability domains to develop subject matter expertise

• Assist with interview scheduling, note-taking, and other qualitative data collection activities such as interviews, site visits, and focus groups

• Support quantitative and/or qualitative analyses, including cleaning, organizing, and summarizing data using tables, figures, and descriptive statistics

• Support recruitment and coordination with participating organizations such as schools, workforce programs, health care providers, or community-based organizations

• Compile and track project information in spreadsheets and databases

• Perform literature searches and reviews and synthesize findings from reports, policy documents, and academic articles

• Support administration and oversight of survey and data collection tasks, including preparing training materials, delivering training, and performing quality control activities

• Provide logistical and operational support for evaluations, including coordinating trainings, webinars, and expert meetings

• Provide or support delivery of technical assistance to programs, grantees, or government agencies

• Contribute to reports, issue briefs, client memos, and technical assistance tools

• Bachelor's degree in the social sciences, public policy, public health, education, economics, or a related field with an excellent academic record
• Strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously with a high level of attention to detail
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Highly motivated, detail-oriented, and self-directed, with strong interpersonal skills
• Interest in improving and researching government programs or providing technical assistance to public sector or nonprofit organizations
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Some travel may be required

Desired Skills and Experience:

• Knowledge of quantitative and/or qualitative research methods
• Experience conducting research, evaluation, or data collection in health, education, workforce, or human services settings, including work with federal or state agencies, foundations, or related organizations
• Experience with project management or collaboration tools such as Microsoft Project, Confluence, SharePoint, or Jira
• Experience with quantitative or qualitative analytic software such as R, Stata, SAS, SPSS, NVivo, or ATLAS.ti
• Strong communication and facilitation skills, including the ability to translate complex ideas for diverse audiences
• Curious, analytically minded, and comfortable responsibly incorporating AI tools into day-to-day work. Experience using AI to support research tasks, whether for literature reviews, data analysis, drafting, or synthesis, is a plus.

$57,000.00 - $65,000.00 / yr United States, Illinois, Chicago 111 East Wacker Drive (Show on map) May 13, 2026

About Mathematica:

Mathematica applies expertise at the intersection of data, methods, policy, and practice to improve well-being around the world. We collaborate closely with public- and private-sector partners to translate big questions into deep insights that improve programs, refine strategies, and enhance understanding using data science and analytics. Our work yields actionable information to guide decisions in wide-ranging policy areas, from health, education, early childhood, and family support to nutrition, employment, disability, and international development.

Mathematica offers our employees competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package, as well as the advantages of being 100 percent employee owned. As an employee stock owner, you will experience financial benefits of ESOP holdings that have increased in tandem with the company's growth and financial strength. You will also be part of an independent, employee-owned firm that is able to define and further our mission, enhance our quality and accountability, and steadily grow our financial strength.

Read more about our benefits here: Benefits at a Glance., This position offers an anticipated base salary of $57,000-$65,000 annually.