Policy and Research Manager, Education Initiatives

Position Overview

MIT Blueprint Labs is recruiting a Policy and Research Manager at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA. Blueprint is an economics research lab devoted to answering major policy questions related to education, the workforce, and inequality. Based in the Department of Economics at MIT, Blueprint Labs consists of academic affiliates who represent leading economic thinkers, full-time staff, and graduate researchers. The team partners directly with leading academic, government, and nonprofit institutions to address major social policy challenges.

The Policy and Research Manager is a team player and strategic thinker who implements and oversees multiple programs within the education team, in conjunction with Blueprint’s leadership. The Policy and Research Manager supports ongoing education research projects, including the AI in K-12 Schools Initiative and the Charter School Research Collaborative. Primary responsibilities include supporting policy outreach, facilitating relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and research management.

The selected candidate will be a motivated and organized project manager, with demonstrated research experience in economics, education, public policy, or a related field. The Manager should be a clear communicator who can effectively represent the organization in person and in writing.

The Policy and Research Manager position is a full-time staff appointment that is renewable annually, contingent on funding and mutual agreement. A term of at least two years is strongly desired. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship, and applicants must have US work authorization by the start of employment. The anticipated salary range for this role is $106,606 to $122,584 and is likely to fall in the lower half of the range. Employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Research Management

• Conduct outreach to data providers and annual charter school lottery data collection efforts; manage data transfers
• Support common research milestones, including research requests, paper submissions, and publication releases
• Facilitate execution and management of data use agreements; ensure compliance with human subjects regulations and maintain documentation

Charter Collaborative

• Review funding letters of inquiry; screen applicants for eligibility criteria
• Monitor funded projects for deliverables, with a focus on policy outputs; liaise with research teams to support dissemination
• Manage the conflict-of-interest disclosure and review process with the Executive Committee (EC)
• Support EC and Advisory Committee (AC) meeting planning: scheduling, agenda preparation, materials distribution, and follow-up
• Help staff regular office hours sessions for prospective applicants

AI in K12 Education Initiative

• Serve as primary point of contact and project manager for the Initiative; liaise with funders, partners, researchers, and media
• Recruit school and district partners to participate in research; maintain strong relationships with external partners
• Develop a public presence for the Initiative; facilitate events and outreach to share research findings nationally and locally

Media Relations

• In collaboration with the policy team, build out a media relations strategy and contact list for charter school and broader research communications
• Draft press materials, pitch stories, and manage media inquiries as they arise

Communications

• Write and publish quarterly blog posts highlighting research findings, events, and more
• Draft and publish summative 1-pagers aggregating research findings

Fundraising Support

• Support proposal development and grant reporting
• Research and prepare background materials on potential funders to inform outreach strategy
• Assist with drafting concept notes, pitch decks, and other funder-facing materials
• Conduct funder scans

Other duties as needed or required.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Education: Master’s degree in economics, public policy, public administration, business administration, political science (or a related field) required.
• Experience: Six or more years of accumulated experience, including at least four years of full-time, post-undergraduate experience.
• Work Environment: Candidates must be strategic thinkers who can handle multiple projects at once, manage relationships with external stakeholders, meet deadlines, and effectively manage time. Must be comfortable working in a high-volume, independent, and fast-paced environment.
• Management: Must have strong people and project management skills and the ability to prioritize and deliver results. Project management skills include the ability to plan projects, determine staffing, set timelines, and execute plans to meet organizational goals.
• Communication: Strong writing and speaking skills and proven ability to communicate across multiple stakeholders are required. Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy, particularly when communicating about research.
• Preferred Experience: Experience with data management is preferred.

How to Apply

Submit your application via MIT’s hiring website. If this link doesn’t work, please visit hr.mit.edu, Click “Search Open Positions,” and search for Job Number 26090.

• Compile the following materials in a single PDF packet. Applications that do not contain all materials will not be considered.
  • Cover letter
  • Resume
  • Writing sample

• In the “Submit a Resume” section, upload your packet by clicking “Upload an existing Resume”
  • Upload your packet here as a single PDF.
• In the “Submit a Cover Letter” section, select “no cover letter”

Candidates who advance to further stages can expect the following additional activities:

• A brief phone interview
• Interview with Blueprint staff
• A short, timed task to understand your job readiness
• Interview with Blueprint faculty and staff
• Provide professional references

Please consult our Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about the hiring process. Questions not addressed in the FAQ should be directed to hiring@mitblueprintlabs.org.

MIT is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin.