Graduate Research and Policy Fellow(s)

Job Description

Graduate Research and Policy Fellow(s) | After School Matters

The Tone:
This is a part-time role at After School Matters, located in Chicago, IL. After School Matters is a nonprofit organization that provides after-school and summer programs for Chicago high school teens, enabling them to explore and develop talents while gaining critical skills for college and careers. This role offers a powerful opportunity for current graduate-level students to contribute to rigorous research and evaluation, supporting evidence-based programs, legislation, and the organization’s advancement.

The TL;DR
• Role: Part Time
• Type: Academic Year
• Location: In-person, Chicago, IL
• Pay: $20 hourly
• Team: Research and Policy Department
• Mission: This person supports evidence-based programs, legislation, and organizational advancement through rigorous research and evaluation.
• Tech Stack: Microsoft Excel, STATA, SPSS, Tableau

What You’ll Actually Do
• Project Support: Provide project-based support to key initiatives of the Research and Policy Department, including YPQA/I, teen surveys and interviews, and demographic data analysis.
• Data Analysis: Collect, analyze, and interpret secondary data, including quality control checks, data reviews, and the creation of data visualizations and infographics.
• Research Development: Conduct literature reviews and support the development of analytic and policy briefs and reports, ensuring research integrity.
• Collaboration and Assistance: Collaborate with the Research and Policy Department to provide technical assistance to other teams across the organization.
• Advocacy Support: Contribute to collective advocacy campaigns and track policy developments at city and state levels to protect public funding.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Current Chicago-based graduate student working towards a Master’s degree in the social sciences, committed to After School Matters’ mission and diversity, equity, and inclusion principles.
• Experience: Knowledge of access and utilization of scholarly research.
• Skills: Strong analytical, oral, and written communication skills; ability to think creatively and strategically as part of a team and within broad coalitions; skill in Microsoft Excel.
• Bonus: Experience using statistical software (e.g., STATA, SPSS); experience or knowledge of social services or supportive programming; experience with data visualization tools like Tableau; experience in political or grassroots advocacy campaigns; bilingual (English and Spanish) language skills.