Policy Analyst in Human Progress, Psychology

Description

YOU MUST COMPLETE THE TALENT MARKET APPLICATION TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION.

The Cato Institute seeks a policy analyst to work on the psychology of human progress. As the world improves along many material and moral dimensions, some people deny progress outright, while others point to possibly worsening psychological dimensions of progress, including the rise in anxiety and a crisis of meaning in wealthy countries. Successful candidates will analyze potentially negative psychological impacts of progress and those aspects of negativity bias that hinder widespread acknowledgment of real, measurable progress. They will help us understand ways to overcome that bias.

More broadly, a successful candidate will:

• Analyze the psychological impact of material abundance, plurality of values, and falling rates of violence on beings who evolved under opposite conditions.
• Identify motivations that lead to policies that undermine human well-being in the long run.
• Develop proposals that will help ensure the continuation of human progress while being compatible with economic and civil freedoms.

The successful candidate must have an advanced academic background in at least two of the following fields:

• Evolutionary psychology (e.g., negativity bias, zero-sum thinking, tribalism).
• Cultural psychology (e.g., decline in organized religion, apocalyptic thinking).
• Social psychology (e.g., social comparison, hedonic treadmill, envy).
• Existential psychology (e.g., meaning, scarcity vs. abundance mindset, protection vs. growth, anxiety, and unhappiness).
• Developmental psychology (e.g., excessive supervision of children, structure vs. play, social media and brain maturation, self-reinforcement groups).

The projected salary range for this role is $75,000–$110,000, based on educational background, experience, and skills.

The Policy Analyst will report to Marian Tupy, founder and editor of HumanProgress.org, a project of the Cato Institute. This position can be based virtually anywhere in the U.S., with a strong preference for candidates who can work in a hybrid capacity at the Washington, D.C. office.

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 society free from excessive government power. Those essays inspired the architects of the American Revolution. The simple, timeless principles of that revolution—individual liberty, limited government, and free markets—are even more powerful today in a world of global markets and unprecedented access to information. 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

• Engage with issues pertaining to the psychology of progress in print, media, social media, podcasts, conferences, etc.
• Survey progress-related output to identify the most important issues (e.g., problems, challenges, opportunities) and the most credible scholars working in those areas.
• Create working relationships with those scholars and cooperate on joint projects.
• In addition to writing articles and studies for Human Progress, commission, edit, and publish external scholars’ articles on Human Progress.
• Research, analyze, and synthesize complex information and evaluate the implications of various policy alternatives.
• Organize policy forums and other events on relevant policies.

Requirements

Education/Experience

• 3+ years of experience in public policy, research, or a related field (relevant postgraduate education considered).
• PhD in psychology (preferably evolutionary and social, but also cultural, existential, or developmental). Candidates currently finishing a PhD in these areas are welcome to apply.
• A commitment to Cato’s values of individual freedom and limited government.
• A demonstrated understanding of relevant psychological literature.

Skills

• Self-starter with the ability to work on multiple tasks independently or collaboratively on a time-sensitive basis.
• Ability to communicate complex policy ideas to a wide audience, including stakeholders in government, academia, and the media.
• Ability to synthesize complex information from various sources into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Exceptional writing skills and commitment to producing high-quality policy briefs, research papers, op-eds, and reports.
• Strong verbal communication skills for briefings, presentations, and debates.
• Ability to present policy ideas in an engaging and accessible way to both specialized and general audiences.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues and external partners.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team to address policy challenges.
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple research projects while meeting deadlines.
• Willingness to travel periodically (up to 5%).

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.

How to Apply

Qualified candidates should submit the following application materials in one PDF document:

1. Cover letter detailing your expertise in the psychology of progress, your philosophical interest in the Cato Institute, and why the position interests you.
2. Resume

Applications should be submitted via Talent Market: Apply Here

Questions can be directed to Bailey Drouant, Outreach Manager at Talent Market, who is managing the search: [email protected]

There is no application deadline. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

While we thank all applicants for their interest, we can only contact those selected for an interview. Only direct applications will be considered. No phone calls, please.

About Talent Market

Talent Market is a nonprofit entity dedicated to promoting liberty by helping free-market nonprofits identify talent for critical roles. We provide consulting and recruiting services at no cost to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that clearly and directly focus on advancing the principles of economic freedom, free enterprise, free trade, free speech, property rights, rule of law, and limited regulation.