Research Policy Lead

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

The Ronald and Maxine Linde Center for Science, Society, and Policy (LCSSP), within the Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences, provides a forum for research and debate on topics at the intersection of science and society. The goal is twofold: To learn and educate about current science policy and its institutional stakeholders, and to shape science policy by building on Caltech's scientific expertise.

Join our policy team as a Policy Lead, where you'll be managing and shaping our approach to LCSSP issues through research, writing, and strategic outreach. In this role, you will collaborate with policymakers and connect with the bright minds of Caltech, both students and faculty, to bridge the gap between groundbreaking academic work and its policy implications. It's a chance to amplify your impact, steer important conversations, and ensure that innovation and scholarly insights translate to real-world policy change.

The Policy Lead will help manage day-to-day tasks, conduct policy research, write policy memos, assist with policy outreach related to LCSSP issues, meet with policymakers, and meet with Caltech students and faculty to help develop the policy relevance of their work.

This is a full-time, two-year term assignment.

Essential Job Duties

1. Organizing the programming for LCSSP workshops and events.
2. Writing and coordinating workshop reports and outputs.
3. Monitoring and aggregating information about relevant policy developments and initiatives in Washington, DC.
4. Meeting with students, faculty, and policymakers to develop and provide guidance on policy research.
5. Serving as a LCSSP liaison with Caltech administration and fundraising.

Basic Qualifications

1. BS or BA in a STEM (including social science) field
2. 2 years of experience providing project management, communication, coordination, and/or research support to academic, consulting, or industry projects.
3. Excellent professional writing skills
4. Must be dedicated, reliable, responsible, detail-oriented, well organized, independent and must have excellent communication skills.
5. Good general computing skills are required.

Preferred Qualifications

1. MS, MA or MPP and a background in one of the center's focus areas (climate & sustainability, biopolicy, and AI policy) is preferred.
2. Experience in supporting science and technology policy activities in legislative or executive agencies within government is highly desired.

Required Documents

1. Resume.
2. Cover letter.