Research Assistant Program

About the CFPB

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is an independent federal agency that aims to make consumer financial markets work for consumers, responsible providers, and the economy as a whole. We protect consumers from unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices and take action against companies that break the law. We arm people with the information, steps, and tools that they need to make smart financial decisions.

Office of Research

The Office of Research (OR) brings an empirical, data-driven approach to the analysis of consumer financial markets. OR has Ph.D. social scientists from different disciplines (e.g., economics, judgment and decision making, and cognitive sciences) that design and conduct foundational, policy-relevant research on consumer finance and household decision-making related to financial products and services. In addition, OR conducts essential analytics to support the Bureau’s actions in policy-making, supervision, and enforcement.

Why you should apply

As a Research Assistant for OR, you will:

• Collect and analyze primary data from surveys and lab trials conducted by OR, work with supervisory data, and explore de-identified credit databases.
• Conduct data analyses that directly impact our mission and help guide CFPB policies, procedures, and resources.
• Develop reliable reports and prepare economic, statistical, or financial analyses for well-defined policy questions while communicating to senior leaders across the Bureau through written and oral presentations.
• Get hands-on experience and exposure to critical areas of the consumer financial marketplace while mastering programming in Stata, R, Python, and/or SAS.
• Prepare for future graduate programs, including Ph.D. programs, Master of Public Policy, and other graduate fields.

What we’re looking for

Successful applicants demonstrate academic excellence in one of the following areas: economics, mathematics, statistics, computer science, or decision-making and cognitive research. Previous experience in Stata, R, Python, and/or SAS programming is also a key to success. Strong written and verbal communication skills are required, as is the demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced and multidisciplinary environment.

Ready for the challenge?

The position is a two-year term appointment that is extendable to four years and is located in Washington, DC with telework eligibility. Any formal job announcement will be posted on USA Jobs. All applicants must apply to the formal announcement to be considered. To request more information email: [email protected].

Please visit: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/careers/ to learn more and to apply once this position is available.

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