WHO WE ARE:

The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) is a non-partisan, nonprofit research and policy advocacy organization that promotes financial fairness and economic opportunity for all, including families of color, rural residents, women, military personnel, low-income borrowers, low-wealth individuals, and early-career workers.

CRL provides a strong voice on both the state and national levels for these families to expand family wealth and financial stability through sustainable homeownership, affordable higher education, and support for small businesses, and protect their financial stability by preventing abusive products that trap families in debt and strip away their income, by ending payday lending and other predatory high-cost lending, exorbitant bank fees, and abusive debt collection practices. CRL's staff, allies, and funders reflect a collective commitment to eliminating systemic injustice in America's financial services.

CRL is an affiliate of Self-Help, a community development lender founded in 1980 that has provided more than $9 billion dollars in financing to help over 185,000 low-wealth borrowers buy homes, build businesses, and strengthen community resources.

THE OPPORTUNITY: We are seeking a Researcher to join our Durham, NC team!

The Researcher plays a critical role in the advancement of CRL's mission by delivering trusted, groundbreaking primary research to highlight issues, identify workable solutions, and shape policy discussions. Participating in major quantitative and/or qualitative research projects from inception to publication, team members conduct research, policy, and market analysis related to predatory lending and other abusive financial practices. Working with members of the Policy teams and communicating with the public, regulators, and other policymakers about CRL's research, this is an exciting opportunity to affect policy through research and drive meaningful impact at state and federal levels.

The ideal candidate for this role may be hired with a focus in either quantitative or qualitative research. The individual in this role will have the opportunity to grow as a researcher, using novel and proprietary data sets to pioneer innovative research around the racial wealth gap.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

Research

Design, manage, and execute large multi-phase research projects on housing and consumer finance issues relevant to CRL's mission both independently and as part of a team.
Collect, clean, and code data from existing primary and secondary sources, including large datasets (cloud-based and locally-stored), and design collection protocols for new primary data.
Perform and interpret quantitative statistical and/or qualitative analyses on mortgage and consumer finance data sets, including writing code or developing and analyzing themes.
Report on findings to a variety of audiences internally and externally.
Maintain familiarity with outside research, academic and otherwise, including conducting formal critiques where necessary to advance CRL's policy goals.
Provide research support for internal staff, including conducting and reviewing ad-hoc analyses.

Collaboration with Policy & Advocacy Teams

Collaborate with colleagues across teams, including informing and revising policy briefs, to support CRL's policy goals through research.
Represent CRL externally, disseminating research findings through panels and media inquiries.
Present research findings to internal and external audiences.
Work closely with CRL's policy, communications, and outreach staff to ensure CRL research is relevant to policymakers and the general public.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

Bachelor's degree in data science, economics, statistics, urban planning, public policy, or a related field.
At least 2 years of applied research or policy-related experience, ideally on or related to consumer finance issues and the racial wealth gap.
Strong knowledge of inferential statistics, which may also include causal inference or survey weights and analysis, or qualitative methods, such as interview and focus group design, facilitation, and analysis (including experience with deductive and inductive coding).
For quantitative researchers: Advanced proficiency with R, Stata, Python, SAS, or comparable data analysis packages, including ability to clean and code real-world data, generate variables from existing data, and write syntax. Experience with creating data dashboards and visualizations a plus.
For qualitative researchers: Advanced proficiency with ATLAS.ti, NVivo, or comparable data analysis packages.
Strong understanding of how to support policy campaigns through research, including an ability to translate policy aims into a methodological design, communicate findings to non-technical audiences, and connect research to real-world impact.
Intermediate proficiency with Excel, including an ability to share findings with various audiences using pivot tables and charts.
Proficient with PowerPoint and other Microsoft Office products.
Preferred: Understanding of housing and consumer finance issues, such as small dollar, small business, mortgage origination and servicing policy and practice, fintech, green lending, or student debt.

WHO YOU ARE:

Deeply committed to meaningful financial system reform, sensitivity to issues of low-wealth borrowers and communities, and a desire to work in a racially and socially diverse organization.
Highly collaborative, adept at balancing stakeholder needs with high-quality research standards and equally skilled at translating complex findings for different audiences.
Patient and persistent, willing to confront challenges in applied research including imperfect data, a changing policy landscape, and evolving timelines.
Creative and resourceful, ready to explore novel approaches to thinking about existing and untapped data sources.

The essential functions are listed above and reasonable accommodations will be made to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

WORK ARRANGEMENTS

The Researcher is a hybrid role, based out of Durham, NC. Staff are expected to be in-office three days per week, with Monday and Wednesday as communal days and the third day determined by each individual.

COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY & BENEFITS

CRL believes that wealth inequality undermines the security and strength of families, communities and the US economy. For that reason, we maintain a minimum salary floor well above the federal minimum wage for our staff, to help them meet their basic needs and save for the future. We also cap salaries at the higher end of our compensation scale, where many staff, including the CEO and other senior leaders, earn the same salary, subject only to geographic adjustments.

Salary

Compensation ranges are based on local market rates and will be determined by geography, role, and experience. The compensation range for the Researcher role is $83,900 - $117,058.

The higher end of each range represents the current organizational salary cap, which increases annually based on cost of living and organizational performance.

Health

Medical, dental & vision insurance for employees and eligible dependents, with 80% to 100% of premiums paid by CRL depending on coverage levels selected
Employee Assistance Program access

Paid Time Off

Vacation accrued at 15 days/year; sick time accrued at 12 days/year
11 paid holidays
Paid parental leave of 12-16 weeks, prorated for staff with less than 1 year of service

Financial Wellbeing

401k match - 3% company contribution, plus an additional $1 for $1 on first 6% that employee contributes
CRL-paid life insurance of $50,000, plus long-term disability and accidental death & dismemberment coverage
Tuition reimbursement
As a 501(c)(3) organization, employment with CRL may provide an opportunity for student loan forgiveness. Candidates should review the provisions of their student loans to determine if this is applicable.

JOIN THE TEAM!

Visit the Center for Responsible Lending Careers page to submit your resume. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, starting in early January.

CRL's work focuses on those who may be marginalized or underserved by the existing financial marketplace, or in many cases, people who are targeted for unfair and abusive financial products that leave them worse off. This includes people of color, women, rural residents and low-wealth families and communities. We strongly encourage applicants from these communities to apply, even if they may not meet every listed qualification. Diverse perspectives drive innovation, and we are committed to building a team that reflects the identities and lived experience of the communities we serve.

Interview Process

CRL's aim is that the hiring process is both robust and efficient, ensuring that there is time for mutual discovery along the way. For this role, candidates can expect a short phone screen, an interview with the hiring manager, and a panel interview. Once the interview process begins, we anticipate it will take up to 6 weeks until an offer is made and communicated. Questions about the role or interview process can be directed to [redacted].

Center for Responsible Lending is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all persons, regardless of race, religion, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression (including transgender status), age, sexual orientation, military and veteran status, class or family status.

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Researcher