Graduate Research & Policy Fellow

Summary of Position: The Graduate Research and Policy Fellow(s) will support the work of After School Matters’ Research and Policy department during the 2026 – 2027 academic year. This role is designed for current graduate-level students in social sciences and is a powerful opportunity to contribute to rigorous research & evaluation to support evidence-based programs, legislation, and organization advancement of After School Matters.

This role involves working 24 hours/week during the school year, with the potential option to start in the summer or work through the following summer (depending on ASM’s needs and applicant’s schedule).
 

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide project-based support to key initiatives of the Research and Policy Department, including YPQA/I, teen surveys and interviews, teen demographic and performance data, to help inform understanding of and better serve Chicago teens.
• Collect, analyze and interpret secondary data, including quality control checks and data reviews, as well as support the creation of data visualizations and infographics.
• Conduct literature reviews and support the development of analytic & policy briefs and reports while ensuring the integrity of research used by the organization.
• Collaborate with other members of the Research and Policy Department to provide technical assistance to other teams/departments, including (but not limited to) Programs, Communications, Advancement, Operations, etc.
• Contribute to collective advocacy campaigns in partnership with various local and state coalitions and organizations.
• Track and analyze policy developments at the city and state levels.
• Support annual efforts to protect public funding through regular budget advocacy communications.
• The role will also involve administrative and miscellaneous tasks as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong analytical, oral and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of access and utilization of scholarly research.
• Ability to think creatively and strategically as part of a team and within broad coalitions.
• Skill in Microsoft Office applications required, especially Excel.
• Experience using statistical software (e.g., STATA, SPSS) to conduct data analysis preferred.
• Experience or knowledge of social services or supportive programming preferred, but not required.
• Experience working with data visualization tools such as Tableau and infographics preferred, but not required.
• Experience working in political or grassroots advocacy campaigns preferred, but not required.
• Bilingual (English and Spanish) language skills preferred, but not required.

Qualifications:

• Cover letter and writing sample are required with application.
• Chicago-based graduate student working towards a Master’s degree in the social sciences.
• Committed to the organizational mission to provide Chicago public high school teens opportunities to explore and develop their talents, while gaining critical skills for work, college and beyond.
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – Committed to a workplace that values different backgrounds and life experiences and allows everyone to bring their authentic self to work. Builds equity into structure, systems, and processes for our employees and the teens we serve.