Job Description

Job Description

Job Description

Position Overview:

We are seeking a sharp, curious, and detail-oriented Policy Research Analyst to support the work of a writer producing public policy analyses and long-form documentary content. This is an ideal opportunity for a recent graduate or early-career professional interested in government, journalism, history, or political research. You will assist in researching complex policy issues, synthesizing information from legislative, regulatory, and media sources, and preparing structured briefs and story-building material for use in both analytical and narrative formats.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct in-depth research on federal, state, and local policy issues, legislative activity, regulatory developments, and historical precedent
• Prepare summaries, memos, and issue briefs tailored to documentary scripting or long-form narrative writing
• Track relevant government reports, GAO audits, committee hearings, and court filings
• Support development of story arcs by providing background, quotes, and timelines from source material
• Fact-check draft manuscripts, scripts, and editorial copy for accuracy and clarity
• Organize and maintain databases of primary sources, interviews, and archival materials
• Monitor think tank publications, press coverage, and advocacy group activity on targeted subjects
• Assist with FOIA requests, stakeholder mapping, and cross-referencing citations
• Collaborate on visual storytelling by coordinating with graphics, video, or data teams (optional)

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in public policy, Political Science, History, Journalism, Government, or related field
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Strong research and analytical abilities, including working with primary and secondary sources
• Demonstrated interest in public affairs, documentary storytelling, or longform journalism
• Proficiency in using online research tools (e.g., ProQuest, Congress.gov, LexisNexis, Google Scholar)
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational habits and intellectual curiosity

Preferred Qualifications:

• 0–2 years of professional experience in a research, policy, legislative, or editorial environment
• Familiarity with federal government structure, policy development processes, or public administration
• Prior experience with archival research or investigative journalism
• Working knowledge of citation management tools (Zotero, EndNote, etc.) as well as AI tools.
• Experience in transcription, oral history interviews, or audio-visual source organization is a plus

Personal Traits & Competencies:

• Intellectually curious with a passion for storytelling through facts
• Able to work independently while managing deadlines and competing priorities
• Comfortable toggling between short-term tasks and long-term investigative work
• Committed to accuracy, ethical research practices, and creative support

Job Tags

Similar Jobs