The Government Performance Lab ( GPL ) seeks to hire fellows with a passion for improving government performance and solving social problems. Research & Writing fellows do so through the development of publications and other resources that elevate and spread insights from GPL project work to governments ac ross the country.
The Research & Writing fellow hired in this round will initially be assigned to work with the Children & Families team in addition to working on GPL-wide projects and ac tivities .
GPL Research & Writing fellows manage a dynamic portfolio of projects, including research reports , policy frameworks, case studies, project briefs, learning series calls and recaps, and grant reports and proposals . Examples include:
Research & Writing fellows’ responsibilities :
Writing , Editing , and Dissemination Strategy
Write clear , compelling , ac cessi ble, error-free content that captures key insights, evidence, and lessons learned from GPL projects. Example s (from ac ross our three policy areas) include:
Using qualitative and other research methods to develop policy-relevant reports on police ac countability
Conducting landscape analyses on state reform efforts and alternative 911 emergency response
Creating tools and templates for child and family well-being pr ac titioners in areas such as kin-first care
Documenting early findings and lessons from the GPL’s homelessness and housing projects
Supporting GPL-wide needs in website content development
Support policy team members in mapping audiences, sharpening goals for publications , craft ing dissemination plans , and otherwise developing the strategy , purpose , and plan for written publications.
Offer peer editing support to other members of the R&W team .
Provid e drafting and editing support to GPL senior leaders for resources such as blog posts, grant reports, and conference presentations.
I ncorporate edits from peers and senior leaders on written products and f ac ilitate conversations among stakeholders to re ac h consensus on edits.
Research & Analysis
Work with policy teams to generate ideas for imp ac tful publications that build on existing knowledge and high light new findings. This process may include:
Conduct ing literature reviews and b ac kground research
Interview ing stakeholders to gather insights
S ynthesiz ing findings from GPL projects
M easure and tr ac k the imp ac t of publications .
Project Management
Manage and coordinate all aspects of the research and writing project lifecycle from brainstorming through distribution. This includes managing stakeholders , developing workplans , enforcing timelines, and balancing multiple project workstreams simultaneously and in a timely manner .
Help to manage GPL-wide communications tools such as email lists, newsletters, and the GPL website.
Stakeholder Management
Plan and f ac ilitate meetings with GPL policy leads and other staff to develop and a dvance research and writing projects.
Ac t as a thought partner to GPL senior staff on external strategy.
Required Qualifications :
Many kinds of experiences could prepare an individual to thrive in this role. Illustrative examples include writing or editing policy-oriented publications; working in solutions-oriented journalism; working at a think tank; working with state and local government to produce tools and written products; holding a leadership role in a high-volume university newspaper or magazine; developing training materials for pr ac titioner s; and more.
Qualified applicants will have several years of relevant work experience, either through full-time positions or through s ubstantial student experience that demonstrates readiness for the role. Please apply if you think you are a good fit!
Additional required qualifications include:
Research Translation: Ability to identify core insights from complex project work and synthesize them into clear messages tailored to strategic audiences .
Clear and Insightful Writing: Abilit y to w rite error -free, professional, actionable , and strategically aligned work products . Our audiences are often government practitioners who value concise, accessible language.
Project Management: Cap ac ity to independently manage projects from start to finish, establish priorities among simultaneous deadlines, remain organized ac ross several projects, and respond quickly to shifting timelines and requests.
Relevant Professional Experience: Significant experience producing policy-oriented or similar written products in a fast-p ac e d and professional environment.
Stakeholder Management: Abilit y to develop trust with senior leaders, build relationships among diverse groups of stakeholders , and troubleshoot differences of opinion in the writing process .
Passion: Passion for improving government performance and solving social problems .
Learning Mindset: Self-motivated appro ac h with a learning mindset and an orientation toward results. Continuous learning is a key part of the fellowship experience.
Awareness and Sensitivity: Ability to collaborate with people from diverse cultures, b ac kgrounds, and orientations.
Compensation : This role is funded at an annual salary of $92,000 plus benefits. This position is a term appointment ending one year from date of hire, with the possibility of renewal. The role will receive a Harvard appointment as a Fellow.
Fellows based in the states where Harvard is registered to do business—CA, CT, GA, IL, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, RI, VT, VA, and WA—will have their pay and benefits administered through Harvard. Team members residing in other states will have their pay and benefits, including medical insurance, administered through Harvard’s payroll service provider, DZConnex , and will formally be an employee of DZConnex . Regardless of the state of residence, successful applicants will receive Harvard appointments as a Fellow at the GPL.
Location: Flexible. Requires ac cess to a major U.S. airport for occasional travel.
Start date: Candidates will ideally be able to start by early November. We will review applications on a rolling basis.
To apply: S ubmit an application using the GPL’s o nline a pplication f orm . The applicat ion includes one short answer question a nd a request for a resume and three relevant writing samples totaling no more tha n 15 pages . Please submit writing samples that are solely authored by the candidate; if that is not possible, please indicate if a sample was co-written. Samples can include: ??
A policy-oriented written product?( e.g. , policy brief, memo, case study, handout, etc. ) ?
Job Location City
Cambridge
Job Location State
Massachusetts
Job Location Zip
02138
Job Location Country
United States
Compensation
Salary From: $92,000.00 To: $92,000
Job Category
Social Services
Prefered Experience
2 year(s)
Job Type
Full time
Job Posting Date
Aug. 8, 2025
Organization Name
Organizational Focus
Affordable Housing, Communications, Crime, Safety, and Victims Issues, Homelessness, Housing, Social Services, Youth Services
Contact Person
Kevin Josephs
Contact Phone
Kevin Josephs
Contact Email
GovLab@hks.harvard.edu
Web Address
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