Overview:

The Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) is an independent, non-profit, federally funded research and development center that provides objective analyses to the Department of Defense and other federal government agencies. Economists at IDA support senior government leaders by applying economic theory and analytic methods to issues of National Security policy and resource management. We apply proven tools to new problems and data, develop new models, and generate new theory.

Recent examples of our work:

• Training machine learning models to predict individuals’ career events using a rich set of administrative personnel records.
• Estimating causal effects of staffing levels and characteristics on mission effectiveness.
• Designing a personnel retention experiment impacting thousands of service members.
  Exploring alternative organizational structures and delivery methods for educating and training military medical personnel.
• Evaluating the accuracy of the 2020 Decennial Census and Post-Enumeration Survey.
• Evaluating the impact of non-response on Federal surveys that inform employment, inflation, and housing estimates.
• Modeling the economic impacts of changes to tornado early-warning policies.

Click the link to access our recent publications: https://www.ida.org/research-and-publications/publications#pageSize=12&pageIndex=0&sortby=publicationdate&sortdir=Desc

Who will you get to work with?

Work at IDA is conducted in a collaborative environment with multi-disciplinary teams. Researchers work closely with and are in frequent contact with government sponsors. Consequently, we value strong interpersonal skills.

What will you gain?

As an IDA economist, you will have unique access to sensitive and proprietary data to address questions of National Security. You will have the opportunity to use your expertise to make a meaningful impact. Our work regularly informs federal policy and resource management decisions. We take pride in the high caliber and timeliness of our analyses, our independent thinking, and our objective results.

 Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Economics or related discipline.
• Demonstrated research excellence and a strong interest in applied research.
• Demonstrated superior skills in quantitative, econometric, statistical, or computational methods
• We will consider job market candidates preparing to graduate, recent graduates, and mid-career individuals.
• US Citizenship is required.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance is required.
   

Why work at IDA?

• Competitive salary and benefits, including diverse health insurance options, generous 11% contribution to retirement, 6 weeks 100% paid parental leave, 20 days paid time off plus 11 Federal holidays, and relocation reimbursement.
• Mission-oriented work at a non-profit that supports and protects our Nation’s warfighters; as a non-profit, IDA employees are eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSFL).
• Organization-wide commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace by fostering a culture of active citizenship and community.
• Professional development including tuition reimbursement, internal and external trainings, and funding for researcher-driven projects and publications.
• A strong employee and corporate culture of work-life balance, including commitment to average 40-hour work weeks through flex time, telework options, and expectation of communication only during core business hours.
• Located near Washington, D.C., in Alexandria’s high-tech corridor, IDA’s brand new Potomac Yard facility is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, workspaces, and amenities.

Application Process:

Interested candidates must follow a 2-step process and apply on-line to BOTH of the following:

1) Apply here by uploading a CV and cover letter

AND

2) Submit a CV, three letters of recommendation, unofficial transcripts, and your job market paper (or equivalent) with your application to JOE using the following link: https://www.aeaweb.org/joe/listing.php?JOE_ID=2024-02_111474788

We will be conducting first-round interviews virtually.

Research has shown that candidates from underrepresented backgrounds are less likely to apply unless they meet all of a job’s requirements. Learning and professional growth are foundational to IDA’s culture. If you think that your skills and experience are a fit for this role, IDA encourages you to apply.

We support transparency, equity, and fairness in our compensation program and provide a reasonable estimate of the salary range based on data-driven market analysis for each position. While it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range, a reasonable estimate of the salary range for this role is $112,924-$263,335. Individual salary within this range will be commensurate with the incumbent’s experience, unique skills and qualifications, and other relevant factors.