[This page is under development. Feedback and comments welcome to [email protected].]
The tenure-track faculty path is the new "alternative career." It's not for everyone. You think you want to do something else, but what do these jobs even look like? Who hires social scientists and what skills do they value? How can you prepare yourself for a world beyond academia and academia-adjacent positions if you don't know what else is out there? How do you hear about these opportunities?
PhDs and soon-to-be PhDs reach out to me all the time with questions like these. This webpage is for you and includes (a) a curated list of a decade's worth of job postings for non-faculty social science PhDs, (b) links to fellowship opportunities that can help you make the transition, and (c) other resources to help you find your way.
PhDs and soon-to-be PhDs reach out to me all the time with questions like these. This webpage is for you and includes (a) a curated list of a decade's worth of job postings for non-faculty social science PhDs, (b) links to fellowship opportunities that can help you make the transition, and (c) other resources to help you find your way.
Curated List of Job Postings
What you will find here is not a random selection of jobs, nor a current job board, but instead a list of positions that I think are interesting (many DC-based and focused on child and family policy) that you can use to explore different organizations and types of work. Whether you are interested in applying to these positions as-is, looking for other opportunities at these organizations, learning about job descriptions and salaries, or using their language to design your dream position at another organization, I hope you find this a useful resource for getting closer to the type of career that works for you.
Below, you can browse jobs by title, organization, location, sector, and job function(s). [Note: This coding is incomplete as of August 2021.] Though there are many internationally-focused organizations who hire social scientists, the positions below are largely based in the U.S. and focused domestically.
Know of other great positions and/or organizations that I missed in the list below? Have ideas for making this tool better? I'd love to hear about it! Please email me.
Below, you can browse jobs by title, organization, location, sector, and job function(s). [Note: This coding is incomplete as of August 2021.] Though there are many internationally-focused organizations who hire social scientists, the positions below are largely based in the U.S. and focused domestically.
Know of other great positions and/or organizations that I missed in the list below? Have ideas for making this tool better? I'd love to hear about it! Please email me.
Affiliated Organizations with Offices in Many States
Can't or don't want to move to DC or New York? Note that some national organizations have state affiliates, such as the Annie E. Casey Foundation's KIDS COUNT state organizations and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' State Priorities Partners.
Many thanks to the AwesomeTable team for making their platform available free of charge in support of this effort.
Can't or don't want to move to DC or New York? Note that some national organizations have state affiliates, such as the Annie E. Casey Foundation's KIDS COUNT state organizations and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' State Priorities Partners.
Many thanks to the AwesomeTable team for making their platform available free of charge in support of this effort.
Fellowship Opportunities
Fellowships
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Government
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Non-Profit/University
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Industry/Other
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Before you finish your degree
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After you finish your degree
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Federal
State and Local Extended list of state and federal science policy fellowships (compiled by Dr. Kelly Singel) |
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Other Resources
The best way to find a job is always going to be to know someone. If you don't know people now, invest time in building your network.
Still not sure what you want to do yet? Here are a few things you can do to get started:
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is essential. If you don't have an account, I strongly recommend that you create one right now. LinkedIn can help you:
Translating Buzzwords and Jargon
TBC ...people analytics, business intelligence, strategic partnerships, user experience, organizational learning...
Job Boards
Don't underestimate the value of generic job search platforms like Indeed. That said, some specific job boards that may be useful to you include: APPOR, APPAM, Daybook, Idealist, Impact Opportunity, Progressive Data Jobs, National Council of State Legislatures, Child Welfare League of America, LeaderFit, PAA, Philanthropy News Digest, Jobs that are Left, and Tom Manatos Jobs.
USAJobs is the primary source for federal government ("fed") openings; however, note that none of the federal contractor positions (see below) will be listed on USAJobs. The most important thing to know about USAJobs is that the federal resume is a complex process that may take 20+ hours to develop. If your resume does not conform to the format--no matter how qualified you are--you will not be considered. Before applying for a position on USAJobs, read everything you can, ask someone for an example, and attend a federal resume workshop.
Federal Contracting
Many people who work for the federal government are contractors, meaning that they or their organization has a contract with the government to fill positions, complete projects, and/or provide products and services. For example, a person may work at the National Institutes of Health, but be hired by and receive a paycheck from the contracting organization. Though you may have heard of some of the larger contracting organizations, there are also many smaller firms who support specific agencies or branches/divisions within agencies. Here are some examples of federal contractors: Kelly Services, Jefferson Consulting Group, Deloitte, Booz Allen Hamilton, Palladian Partners, Boston Consulting Group, ICF, Guidehouse, McKinsey & Company, Accenture, and Noblis.
Recruiters & Executive Search
Often, these people and organizations serve a matchmaking function. Recruiters may work for HR within a larger company or may be hired (at some percentage of the salary price) to recruit for high-level or hard-to-fill positions. (You can find and connect with recruiters on LinkedIn!) Some larger firms, especially management consulting, have recruiting relationships with universities which are typically focused on MBA and Masters of Public Policy candidates. However, if you reach out to the point of contact at your institution, you may be able to participate in the recruitment cycle. Some PhDs have also had success working with staffing or "temp" agencies (e.g., Capital Staffing Solutions, Beacon Hill Staffing) to transition into a full-time role.
For higher level positions (likely 3+ years post-PhD), some organizations will hire external firms to lead an executive search. These openings may or may not be posted on the jobs pages of the hiring organization. Here are examples of some of these firms: Bridgespan; Koya Partners; Talent Citizen; Issacson, Miller; Odgers Berndtson; and Insight Executive Search.
Resume Banks
Some organizations allow you to post your resume directly (e.g., U.S. House of Representatives) or via staffing agencies.
International/Global Orgs
Recognizing that most of the information above is focused on U.S.-focused positions and policy issues, there are many opportunities for social scientists in the international space. For example: U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL).
Tips for Folks who are not U.S. Citizens
Still not sure what you want to do yet? Here are a few things you can do to get started:
- Complete the myIDP Science Careers tool for thinking about your skills, interests, and values and the kinds of career paths that may align. Note that this tool was created for science PhDs broadly (not specific to social science) and some categories may be less relevant to you. That said, if you're like me and you see that "researcher at a research-intensive institution" is ranked last based on your interests, you may want to make note of that.
- Talk with a career counselor at your undergraduate, graduate, postdoctorate, and/or current institution
- Attend career expos and events
- Browse professional societies' websites (e.g., Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology, Applied Worldwide) and guides from relevant organizations (e.g., National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families' Guide to Nonacademic Careers, Versatile PhD, Cheeky Scientist).
LinkedIn is essential. If you don't have an account, I strongly recommend that you create one right now. LinkedIn can help you:
- stay connected with your network over time (e.g., high school, undergraduate, graduate, fellowship),
- build relationships (e.g., people who have interesting career paths, work at organizations you are interested in),
- share your accomplishments and congratulate others for theirs, and
- find out about opportunities (e.g., through posts from your network, LinkedIn Jobs, or changing your settings to let people know that you're looking for a new position).
Translating Buzzwords and Jargon
TBC ...people analytics, business intelligence, strategic partnerships, user experience, organizational learning...
Job Boards
Don't underestimate the value of generic job search platforms like Indeed. That said, some specific job boards that may be useful to you include: APPOR, APPAM, Daybook, Idealist, Impact Opportunity, Progressive Data Jobs, National Council of State Legislatures, Child Welfare League of America, LeaderFit, PAA, Philanthropy News Digest, Jobs that are Left, and Tom Manatos Jobs.
USAJobs is the primary source for federal government ("fed") openings; however, note that none of the federal contractor positions (see below) will be listed on USAJobs. The most important thing to know about USAJobs is that the federal resume is a complex process that may take 20+ hours to develop. If your resume does not conform to the format--no matter how qualified you are--you will not be considered. Before applying for a position on USAJobs, read everything you can, ask someone for an example, and attend a federal resume workshop.
Federal Contracting
Many people who work for the federal government are contractors, meaning that they or their organization has a contract with the government to fill positions, complete projects, and/or provide products and services. For example, a person may work at the National Institutes of Health, but be hired by and receive a paycheck from the contracting organization. Though you may have heard of some of the larger contracting organizations, there are also many smaller firms who support specific agencies or branches/divisions within agencies. Here are some examples of federal contractors: Kelly Services, Jefferson Consulting Group, Deloitte, Booz Allen Hamilton, Palladian Partners, Boston Consulting Group, ICF, Guidehouse, McKinsey & Company, Accenture, and Noblis.
Recruiters & Executive Search
Often, these people and organizations serve a matchmaking function. Recruiters may work for HR within a larger company or may be hired (at some percentage of the salary price) to recruit for high-level or hard-to-fill positions. (You can find and connect with recruiters on LinkedIn!) Some larger firms, especially management consulting, have recruiting relationships with universities which are typically focused on MBA and Masters of Public Policy candidates. However, if you reach out to the point of contact at your institution, you may be able to participate in the recruitment cycle. Some PhDs have also had success working with staffing or "temp" agencies (e.g., Capital Staffing Solutions, Beacon Hill Staffing) to transition into a full-time role.
For higher level positions (likely 3+ years post-PhD), some organizations will hire external firms to lead an executive search. These openings may or may not be posted on the jobs pages of the hiring organization. Here are examples of some of these firms: Bridgespan; Koya Partners; Talent Citizen; Issacson, Miller; Odgers Berndtson; and Insight Executive Search.
Resume Banks
Some organizations allow you to post your resume directly (e.g., U.S. House of Representatives) or via staffing agencies.
International/Global Orgs
Recognizing that most of the information above is focused on U.S.-focused positions and policy issues, there are many opportunities for social scientists in the international space. For example: U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL).
Tips for Folks who are not U.S. Citizens
- Federal Government
- This 2011 Citizenship Guide from Harvard provides an overview of visas and employment law for non-citizens, including opportunities within the federal government. This guide is tailored for public interest lawyers and may not be perfectly up-to-date, but can be used as a starting point.
