Are you eager to revolutionize American welfare policy? Fed up with stale political debates on merely tweaking existing programs? Do you have the courage to advocate for significant reductions or—dare we say it—retire means-tested welfare in the United States? Have we got the job for you: The Cato Institute is seeking a full-time scholar to work on poverty and social welfare policy in Washington, DC. 

The welfare and poverty scholar will be responsible for analyzing social welfare policy, poverty, and critiquing social welfare policy in written and oral communications, proposing welfare reforms consistent with Cato’s libertarian principles, and communicating broadly on this issue area to the general public, the media, policymakers, and others. The scholar’s written analyses will be published in multiple formats, including policy analyses, working papers, op-eds, blog posts, and white papers, as well as others on www.cato.org and elsewhere. The scholar will be expected to speak widely with policymakers on Capitol Hill, members of the media, public events, and other scholars.

This position is open to scholars with different degrees of experience. Recent graduates, academics, seasoned policy experts, and those with intermediate levels of experience should apply. Are you a recent graduate who wrote a dissertation about American welfare policy? Are you a former Hill staffer more interested in ideas than your colleagues or boss? Are you a research assistant who has what it takes? Is your current employer holding you back from reaching your full potential as a welfare and policy scholar? The Cato Institute could be the right place for you.

The scholar will report directly to the Vice President for Economic and Social Policy Studies. The successful candidate will have knowledge of the economics of social welfare policy, knowledge of existing welfare programs, understanding of the public debate over poverty and its causes, be able to work well independently and with others, capable of developing new social welfare reform proposals, and be industrious, motivated, and principled. Job title and compensation are competitive and will be based on the experience and skills of the successful candidate.

Please include a list of your published written pieces as part of your resume or in a separate CV. 

This is a hybrid position in Washington, DC.

About Cato

The Cato Institute is a public policy research organization—a think tank—dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Its scholars and analysts conduct independent, nonpartisan research on a wide range of policy issues.

Founded in 1977, Cato owes its name to Cato’s Letters, a series of essays published in 18th-century England that presented a vision of a society free from excessive government power. Those essays inspired the architects of the American Revolution. And the simple, timeless principles of that revolution — individual liberty, limited government, and free markets – turn out to be even more powerful in today’s world of global markets and unprecedented access to information than Jefferson or Madison could have imagined. Social and economic freedom is not just the best policy for free people, it is the indispensable framework for the future.

Cato Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

 Responsibilities

• Analyze and write about poverty and social welfare policy and its effects.
• Write detailed analyses of welfare policy for Cato Institute publications such as policy analyses, briefs, blog posts, op-eds, working papers, and other forms. 
• Propose libertarian reforms to social welfare policy, including retiring means-tested welfare programs.
• Speak with policymakers, public audiences, and members of the media about social welfare policy and poverty.
• Organize policy forums and other events.
• Commission and edit studies from outside experts.

• A strong commitment to Cato’s libertarian values and the courage to defend them in adversarial settings. 
• Knowledge of the effects of social welfare policy.
• Knowledge of existing social welfare programs and how they function.
• Knowledge about the social science of poverty.
• Strong research skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work on multiple tasks independently on a time-sensitive basis, a commitment to accuracy, and creativity in developing new welfare reforms consistent with libertarian principles. 

Pluses

• Experience analyzing welfare policy on Capitol Hill, think tanks, academic institutions, or other policy-related positions is a plus. However, those with limited experience should also apply.
• An advanced degree in economics, other social sciences, or law is preferred. 
• Familiarity with data analysis and modern statistical methods is a plus.

Benefits

All Cato employees are provided with:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• Employer contribution to a Health Savings Account (HSA)

• Generous vacation and sick days

• Paid parental leave

• Employer-provided life and disability insurance 

• 401(k) employer match

• Transit/ Parking benefits 

• Pet discount plan