The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) seeks a research assistant to work on its education, labor, & worker justice team.

Salary range: $55,000-$63,000

About CLASP

The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) is a national, nonpartisan, anti-poverty organization advancing policy solutions that work for people with low incomes and people of color. We advocate for public policies and programs at the federal, state, and local levels that reduce poverty, improve the lives of people with low incomes, and advance racial and economic justice. Our solutions directly address the barriers that individuals and families face because of race, ethnicity, low income, and immigration status.

For more than 50 years, we have kept our vision alive through trusted expertise on policy and strategy, knowledgeable and committed staff, partnerships with directly impacted people and grassroots leaders, and approaches to economic and racial justice that are bold, innovative, and inclusive.

Within our broad anti-poverty mission, CLASP is organized around five policy teams: Child Care and Early Education; Education, Labor & Worker Justice; Income and Work Supports; Immigration and Immigrant Families; and Youth Policy.

CLASP Values for Racial Equity

We understand that inclusion is only the first step toward fostering sustainable racial equity, in our society and organizational culture. At CLASP, we value the importance of including multiple perspectives in shaping our organizational culture and engaging in our policy and advocacy efforts. However, we also know that to move beyond inclusion and achieve true racial equity, we must be intentional in centering and prioritizing the voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of people of color. At CLASP, racial equity is our core value and informs all aspects of our organizational culture and the way we think about and approach our policy, issue, and advocacy areas. For true and sustainable change to happen in our country, historically white-founded and led policy and advocacy organizations must commit to full and immersive racial equity.

About the Education, Labor, & Worker Justice Team

The Education, Labor & Worker Justice (ELWJ) team  advocates for bold, worker-centered policies to address the inequitable and unjust nature of work paying low wages, including the root causes and disproportionate impact of those inequities on BIPOC workers. Supporting this north star goal are the twin strategies of creating pathways to better jobs for workers earning low wages—with a specific focus on workers of color—and improving the jobs workers currently have. To create pathways to better jobs, we advocate for accessible and equitable workforce development opportunities, subsidized jobs programs, and postsecondary education. To improve existing jobs in low-wage sectors, we work to increase worker power—including the right to organize—and advocate for specific policies that improve job quality, such as access to paid leave and sick days, fair scheduling, and more robust enforcement of current labor law.

Our commitment to advancing economic justice would be incomplete without acknowledging the disproportionate impact our criminal legal system has on individuals living in poverty and communities of color. The ELWJ team works in close partnership with our Youth and Justice teams on efforts to combat the disparate and draconian decades-long impact of mass incarceration.

This position is based in the Washington, D.C. office and reports to the Education, Labor, Worker & Justice Director. CLASP is currently working under a hybrid office model.

The Research Assistant will support members of the Education, Labor & Worker Justice team by working on a range of projects that will require:

• Gathering and analyzing academic research; statistical data; and federal, state, and local policy information;
• Participating in and summarizing interviews with various stakeholders;
• Drafting newsletters and other electronic communications;
• Writing short commentaries and blogs, with a focus on summarizing research and policy information so it is understandable to a broad audience;
• Supporting, and potentially co-authoring, policy briefs and similar papers;
• Developing written and graphic presentations of research;
• Assisting in the production of CLASP reports, testimony, comments, and presentations; and
• Representing CLASP on internal committees and at various coalitions, events, and briefings.

Duties will also include spending a portion of time on substantive administrative assistance including, but not limited to:

• Preparing for and taking notes at special events and meetings;
• Organizing and coordinating audio calls, video conference calls, webinars, Twitter chats, etc.;
• Assisting in developing social media content;
• Coordinating schedules with internal and external partners for meetings and events;
• Managing CLASP’s contact lists and other digital communications; and
• Communicating with external groups about CLASP’s work.

Candidates for this position must have:

• Strong research, analysis, communication, and writing/editing skills;
• An understanding of racial equity;
• Proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint;
• Office/administration experience and project management skills (strongly preferred);
• Demonstrated ability to work on multiple detail-oriented tasks, often on a time-sensitive basis;
• The ability to work independently and as part of a team;
• A bachelor’s degree or comparable advocacy experience; and
• A demonstrated commitment to improving the circumstances of people with low incomes, immigrants, and communities of color.

COVID Policy:

We have a mandatory vaccine policy as a condition of employment (applicable accommodations apply).

Compensation

$55,000-$63,000 (Salary is commensurate with experience.)

CLASP offers exceptional benefits, including several health insurance options (most that currently require no employee-paid premiums). In addition, we provide the following benefits that currently require no employee-paid premiums: dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, and long-term care insurance. Additionally, we offer a 403(b)-retirement program with employer contributions, flexible spending accounts, and a no-cost gym onsite at our D.C. office. Finally, we provide generous vacation (4 weeks in the first year), paid sick leave (3 weeks annually), two personal days a year, paid family and medical leave, and paid holiday schedule.

Applicants

Please submit a resume and cover letter. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Due to the high volume of applications, we cannot respond to every applicant. NO PHONE CALLS, PLEASE.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

CLASP is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.