Researcher – Journal

About the Role

We are seeking a like‑minded researcher who will support a new team focused on misgovernance and public accountability in California. The team will operate through City Journal, MI’s magazine of urban affairs, and be helmed by Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow and investigative journalist Christopher

F. Rufo. It will focus on issues of waste, fraud and abuse in the Golden State, working to hold public actors accountable and preserve the public trust. The researcher will support a team of reporters, acting as the deep‑dive backstop to their work.

A successful candidate will be able to research across a number of domains, including public records and quantitative analysis. They should be familiar with records requests, know where to dig up Census figures or campaign contributions, and be able to turn around a handy visualization quickly. In general, this role is the team’s Swiss army knife, offering the ability to find and aggregate large quantities of information quickly.

This is an “impact journalism” role, with the goal of not only reporting the facts, but making real and immediate change. The researcher should see himself or herself as part of that project, and be eager to contribute.

• California‑based. Experience doing research, public policy, or government affairs work in the state is a plus.
• Three‑plus years of experience in a research‑related role.
• Competency with public records, including CPRA requests and publicly available data in California.
• Skills with quantitative analysis (R, Python, Stata, etc.) and visualization.
• Dogged commitment to accuracy.
• Significant familiarity with the work of Rufo, CJ, and MI, and a desire to work in support of MI’s mission.

Candidates will be expected to be based in California, or relocate if hired.

MI offers generous benefits, including a hybrid work environment, four weeks paid vacation, a Flexible Fridays program, paid paternity/maternity leave, medical and dental coverage, medical and dependent care FSA, mental health benefits, remote medicine, paid company cell phone, life insurance, and a 401(k) with a company‑funded match. MI staff also benefit from the opportunity to collaborate and socialize with prominent scholars in our policy space.

The salary range for this position is $75,000 to $200,000
/year. The salary offered to a candidate will depend on skills, experience, and education.