Policy Associate

The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) is seeking a Policy Associate, Analyst or Counsel for its program on Equity in Civic Technology. This early career position will conduct research, oversee tracking of external affairs, and develop subject matter expertise on topics related to the responsible use of data and technology by public agencies. They will also support CDT’s advocacy and thought leadership through written communication, partnership management, and event coordination and attendance. This position reports to the Director of Equity in Civic Technology. CDT offers substantial autonomy as well as the opportunity to work collaboratively across a wide variety of technology policy issues. Responsibilities Public agencies and civic institutions increasingly rely on data and technology to carry out their responsibilities, from designing educational programs and providing healthcare options for uninsured families, to allocating unemployment benefits and addressing food and housing instability. As governments expand their use of technology and data, it is critical that they do so in ways that affirm individual privacy, respect civil rights, foster inclusive participatory systems, promote transparent and accountable oversight, and advance just social structures within the broader community. CDT furthers these goals by providing balanced advocacy that promotes the responsible use of data and technology in K-12 education and public services while protecting the privacy and civil rights of individuals. We engage with these issues from both technical and policy-minded perspectives, creating solutions-oriented resources and actionable technical guidance. This is an early career role that offers opportunities to grow subject matter expertise, enhance project management skills, and cultivate substantive advocacy capacity on a dynamic and high-achieving team. This position involves supporting and conducting in-depth research and analysis, including CDT’s annual polling of teachers, parents, and students, stewarding external relationships, creating and implementing cross-team tracking processes of external developments (e.g., breaking news, state executive orders), and organizing events ranging from coordinating CDT-hosted events to leading public presentations. We seek a committed advocate who will work collaboratively with other CDT staff as well as with external partners and support an ambitious advocacy agenda before policymakers, practitioners, and civil society peers. The responsibilities of this position on the Equity in Civic Technology Program include: Directly manage and support communications efforts around the Equity in Civic Technology Program’s qualitative and quantitative research, including survey research, policy analysis, monitoring of current events and state actions in education and technology policy, and other research needs; Develop subject matter expertise on foundational and emerging policy issues regarding the ethical and responsible use of data and technology for service delivery like civil rights, human services, AI governance, state actions, and other emerging topics; Develop policy recommendations and advocacy documents such as policy papers, blog posts, press releases, and social media content; Support, maintain, and evaluate external engagement strategies and activities to reach targeted stakeholders including national conference identification, presentation, and representation; Help plan and execute CDT convenings with a focus on logistics and organizational details, as well as represent CDT at other events; Assist with other duties as needed including crafting funding proposals and reports, providing regular updates to funders, assisting with outreach to external stakeholders, and other administrative duties related to the efficient functioning of the Equity in Civic Technology team; Serve as a project manager for the team – taking responsibility for the procurement and contract process; leading communications between our contractors; managing timelines; tracking external work products; and shepherding deliverables through the writing and review process. Qualifications Required qualifications include: A knowledge of education policy, technology policy, or privacy, with 1-2 years of experience in these areas preferred; Excellent research and writing skills, and an ability to explain technical topics clearly to general audiences; Attention to detail in written deliverables and project coordination, as well as the ability to organize events and manage multiple projects; A passion for supporting policies and practices that ensure that technology works for everyone; An energetic, entrepreneurial and collaborative working style. Preferred qualifications include: Experience working in or with Congress or federal agencies, state agencies, school districts, and charter management organizations; Basic data literacy and familiarity with quantitative analysis techniques; Experience analyzing policy and legislation. Compensation, Title and Location The compensation for this position ranges from $60K-$80K. Compensation is determined on a tiered pay scale based on years of experience and the responsibilities of the role. Experienced candidates may be eligible for a title of Policy Analyst/Counsel, which is typically available to people with advanced degrees and/or significant experience (the title of counsel is reserved for lawyers). Candidates may request guidance on where they would fall within the salary range and whether they would be eligible for the position of Policy Analyst or Counsel during or prior to their first interview. This position is based in CDT’s Washington, D.C. office, which operates on a hybrid schedule with three days in office per week (generally Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday). A different hybrid schedule may be considered in exceptional cases, and is available if needed as a disability accommodation. #J-18808-Ljbffr