Financial Innovation Scholar

Organization: Cato Institute
Location: Washington, DC
Date Posted: 05/22/2025

Job Type

Full-time

Description

The Cato Institute’s Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives (CMFA) is seeking applications for a Financial Innovation Scholar focusing on issues relating to the regulation of innovative financial products and services. The scholar’s primary responsibilities will be to conduct original policy research on financial innovation, competition, and relevant regulation that advances the CMFA’s policy priorities, influence policy conversations with federal and state regulators, and collaborate closely with the Center’s other scholars. The ideal candidate has expertise in topics relating to financial innovation and an interest in financial regulatory reform. A CMFA policy scholar must be an entrepreneurial, hard-working self-starter willing to adapt to the changing needs of a growing policy center.

This is a hybrid position in Washington, DC.

The projected salary range for this role is $90,000 – $175,000 per year.

Salary is based on the successful candidate’s educational background, experience, and skills.

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 a society free from excessive government power. Those essays inspired the architects of the American Revolution. And the simple, timeless principles of that revolution – individual liberty, limited government, and free markets – turn out to be even more powerful in today’s world of global markets and unprecedented access to information than Jefferson or Madison could have imagined. Social and economic freedom is not just the best policy for a free people, it is the indispensable framework for the future.

The Cato Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Responsibilities

Produce, solicit, edit, summarize, and promote policy research on issues relating to financial innovation, including financial technology, digital assets and decentralized finance, payment and lending system technologies, and artificial intelligence.
Stay informed of regulatory developments and current events relating to financial innovation and relevant regulations and provide timely analysis and insights.
Engage with policymakers, members of the media, and other policy organizations to advance CMFA’s mission.
Actively participate in all CMFA initiatives.
Organize and participate in Cato policy forums and other events.

Requirements

Education/Experience

Advanced degree in Law, Economics, Finance, Public Policy, or related field.
A demonstrated understanding of issues relating to financial innovation and the framework of laws and regulations impacting it.
4+ years working in public policy or a public policy-adjacent field is preferred.
Additional experience working on innovative finance issues and/or other financial regulatory expertise is a plus.

Skills

Must have a strong commitment to Cato’s libertarian values.
Superior research, writing, and communication skills.
A demonstrated ability to develop and nurture internal and external relationships.
Self-starter with a proven ability to work independently.
Commitment to identifying and promoting alternatives to the existing monetary and financial regulatory systems that are more conducive to a stable, flourishing, and free society.
Detail-oriented with an ability to multitask and thrive in an intense, public-facing work setting.