Research Jobs in District of Columbia
Research jobs in District of Columbia are concentrated in Washington, D.C., where think tanks, federal agencies, and major universities drive continuous demand for policy researchers, social scientists, and data analysts at every level from research associate to senior fellow. Top employers with a lasting D.C. presence include the Brookings Institution, the Urban Institute, and RAND Corporation, alongside a dense cluster of federal contractors and government agencies headquartered in the region. The most in-demand specialties are public policy research, health policy analysis, and social and behavioral science. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
Find Research JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 58+ Research jobs
Kids Are Our Everything.
Department
10265 NeurologyPay Range
$20.83 - $34.71The Clinical Research Assistant performs a variety of research, data and clerical duties of a routine and technical nature to support the conduct of clinical research under the direction of a senior research team member. The Research Assistant will develop a progressive functional knowledge of Good Clinical Practices (GCP), Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) regulations and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. In this role, the Clinical Research Assistant completes tasks including identifying eligible participants under the supervision of a senior research team member, preparing necessary documents, equipment, supplies, etc. for research visits and conducting and documenting visits and protocol-specific testing/interviews according to study protocol, operational plans of clinical departments and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for minimal risk studies or for other studies.
Minimum Education
BA/BS degree in a science, technical, health-related field or another applicable
discipline. (Required)
Minimum Work Experience
0 years experience working in a medical or scientific research setting (Preferred)
Functional Accountabilities
Responsible Conduct of Research
Consistently demonstrates adherence to the standards for the responsible conduct of research.
Plans, conducts and manages research projects within federal and institutional regulations and policies under the direction of the principal investigator.
Stays informed of and adheres to institutional policies and federal regulations (e.g. Titles 21 and 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations) and guidance (International Counsel on Harmonization) regarding human subjects research and use of protected health information.
Uses research funds and resources appropriately.
Maintains confidentiality of data as required.
Meets all annual job-related training and compliance requirements.
Research Administration
Maintains knowledge and comprehension of assigned research protocols, including study procedures, timelines and eligibility.
Accurately creates, completes, maintains and organizes study documents.
Accounts for study materials, including participant lists and visit logs, regulatory binders, case report forms, laboratory kits, investigational product(s) and participation incentives.
Uses and accounts for research funds and resources at performance level, including reconciling research subject billing if assigned.
Attends study meetings, which could include overnight travel, as requested by principal investigator.
Works well with other members of the research team and seeks and provides input when appropriate.
Participant Enrollment
Adheres to the IRB-approved recruitment plan.
Identifies participants that meet eligibility requirements under the supervision of a senior research team member.
Screens subjects for eligibility per the protocol and institutional policies.
Communicates effectively and provides information to a diverse, vulnerable subject population in accordance with institutional policies.
Interacts with study participants and/or legally authorized representatives (LARs) to communicate study purpose and participation details and to assess participation interest.
Engages participants/LARs in the informed consent process according to institutional policies.
Follows procedures for documenting participant incentive distribution.
Study Management
Plans, conducts and manages research activities in accordance with federal regulations and guidance documents and sponsor and institutional policies under the direction of a senior study team member.
Conducts and documents visits and protocol-specific testing/interviews according to study protocol, operational plans of clinical departments and SOPs for minimal risk studies or for other studies under direction.
Completes accurate IRB submissions within institutional timeframes.
Records participant visits in the appropriate tracking system.
Anticipates study needs and subject caseload in order to meet organizational objectives and deadlines in a timely manner.
Data Collection
Ensures data is collected as required by protocol and in accordance with research data principles (ALCOAC: Attributable, Legible, Contemporaneous, Original, Accurate and Complete).
Ensures that queries are resolved within sponsor and institutional timelines.
Plans and performs research specimen collection, labeling and storage/shipping if assigned; maintains accurate sample accountability/chain of custody documentation.
Ensures secure storage of study documents and assists in maintaining regulatory documents per sponsor and institutional requirements.
Benefits That Support You:
Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, prescription, infertility, and transgender health services.
Generous paid time off, including vacation accrual from
day one, sick leave, holidays, and a personal day.
Financial wellness support, including a 401(k) plan and healthcare and dependent care spending accounts.
Employer-paid life, AD&D, and long-term disability coverage, with optional supplemental plans.
Additional perks, including tuition assistance, fitness resources, employee assistance, commuter benefits, and more.
Why Join Us:
Nationally Recognized Excellence – Consistently ranked among the Top 10 Children’s Hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
Leading Pediatric Care – One of the largest and most comprehensive children’s hospitals in the country, offering nationally ranked specialties and cutting-edge treatments.
Innovation & Research – A premier academic medical center with a strong commitment to pediatric research, education, and advancing the future of child health.
Mission-Driven Culture – Dedicated to providing family-centered care while fostering a collaborative, supportive environment for clinical teams.
The disclosed salary range includes the minimum and maximum rates within which Children’s National believes an individual’s base pay rate will fall for this position. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the maximum of the pay range. The exact pay rate for this position will be based on a variety of factors in alignment with the Children’s National compensation philosophy. These factors are legitimate and non-discriminatory including, but not limited to, the current market conditions; organizational needs; the individual’s combination of prior work experience, level of education, knowledge, skills, and other qualifications. Children’s National is committed to providing a fair and competitive total rewards package to each of our employees. This base salary range does not include our comprehensive benefits package or any additional compensation for which this position may be eligible.
Childrens National Hospital is an equal opportunity employer that evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, identity, or other characteristics protected by law. The “Know Your Rights” poster is available here: and the pay transparency policy is available here: Know Your RightsPay Transparency Nondiscrimination Poster.
Please note that it is the policy of Children's National Hospital to ensure a “drug-free” work environment: a workplace free from the illegal use, possession or distribution of controlled substances (as defined in the Controlled Substances Act), or the misuse of legal substances, by all staff (management, employees and contractors). Though recreational and medical marijuana are now legal in the District of Columbia, Children's National and its affiliates maintain the right, in accordance with our policy, to enforce a drug-free workplace, including prohibiting recreational or prescribed marijuana.
Kids Are Our Everything.
Department
10265 NeurologyPay Range
$20.83 - $34.71The Clinical Research Assistant performs a variety of research, data and clerical duties of a routine and technical nature to support the conduct of clinical research under the direction of a senior research team member. The Research Assistant will develop a progressive functional knowledge of Good Clinical Practices (GCP), Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) regulations and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. In this role, the Clinical Research Assistant completes tasks including identifying eligible participants under the supervision of a senior research team member, preparing necessary documents, equipment, supplies, etc. for research visits and conducting and documenting visits and protocol-specific testing/interviews according to study protocol, operational plans of clinical departments and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for minimal risk studies or for other studies.
Minimum Education
BA/BS degree in a science, technical, health-related field or another applicable
discipline. (Required)
Minimum Work Experience
0 years experience working in a medical or scientific research setting (Preferred)
Functional Accountabilities
Responsible Conduct of Research
Consistently demonstrates adherence to the standards for the responsible conduct of research.
Plans, conducts and manages research projects within federal and institutional regulations and policies under the direction of the principal investigator.
Stays informed of and adheres to institutional policies and federal regulations (e.g. Titles 21 and 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations) and guidance (International Counsel on Harmonization) regarding human subjects research and use of protected health information.
Uses research funds and resources appropriately.
Maintains confidentiality of data as required.
Meets all annual job-related training and compliance requirements.
Research Administration
Maintains knowledge and comprehension of assigned research protocols, including study procedures, timelines and eligibility.
Accurately creates, completes, maintains and organizes study documents.
Accounts for study materials, including participant lists and visit logs, regulatory binders, case report forms, laboratory kits, investigational product(s) and participation incentives.
Uses and accounts for research funds and resources at performance level, including reconciling research subject billing if assigned.
Attends study meetings, which could include overnight travel, as requested by principal investigator.
Works well with other members of the research team and seeks and provides input when appropriate.
Participant Enrollment
Adheres to the IRB-approved recruitment plan.
Identifies participants that meet eligibility requirements under the supervision of a senior research team member.
Screens subjects for eligibility per the protocol and institutional policies.
Communicates effectively and provides information to a diverse, vulnerable subject population in accordance with institutional policies.
Interacts with study participants and/or legally authorized representatives (LARs) to communicate study purpose and participation details and to assess participation interest.
Engages participants/LARs in the informed consent process according to institutional policies.
Follows procedures for documenting participant incentive distribution.
Study Management
Plans, conducts and manages research activities in accordance with federal regulations and guidance documents and sponsor and institutional policies under the direction of a senior study team member.
Conducts and documents visits and protocol-specific testing/interviews according to study protocol, operational plans of clinical departments and SOPs for minimal risk studies or for other studies under direction.
Completes accurate IRB submissions within institutional timeframes.
Records participant visits in the appropriate tracking system.
Anticipates study needs and subject caseload in order to meet organizational objectives and deadlines in a timely manner.
Data Collection
Ensures data is collected as required by protocol and in accordance with research data principles (ALCOAC: Attributable, Legible, Contemporaneous, Original, Accurate and Complete).
Ensures that queries are resolved within sponsor and institutional timelines.
Plans and performs research specimen collection, labeling and storage/shipping if assigned; maintains accurate sample accountability/chain of custody documentation.
Ensures secure storage of study documents and assists in maintaining regulatory documents per sponsor and institutional requirements.
Benefits That Support You:
Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, prescription, infertility, and transgender health services.
Generous paid time off, including vacation accrual from
day one, sick leave, holidays, and a personal day.
Financial wellness support, including a 401(k) plan and healthcare and dependent care spending accounts.
Employer-paid life, AD&D, and long-term disability coverage, with optional supplemental plans.
Additional perks, including tuition assistance, fitness resources, employee assistance, commuter benefits, and more.
Why Join Us:
Nationally Recognized Excellence – Consistently ranked among the Top 10 Children’s Hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
Leading Pediatric Care – One of the largest and most comprehensive children’s hospitals in the country, offering nationally ranked specialties and cutting-edge treatments.
Innovation & Research – A premier academic medical center with a strong commitment to pediatric research, education, and advancing the future of child health.
Mission-Driven Culture – Dedicated to providing family-centered care while fostering a collaborative, supportive environment for clinical teams.
The disclosed salary range includes the minimum and maximum rates within which Children’s National believes an individual’s base pay rate will fall for this position. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the maximum of the pay range. The exact pay rate for this position will be based on a variety of factors in alignment with the Children’s National compensation philosophy. These factors are legitimate and non-discriminatory including, but not limited to, the current market conditions; organizational needs; the individual’s combination of prior work experience, level of education, knowledge, skills, and other qualifications. Children’s National is committed to providing a fair and competitive total rewards package to each of our employees. This base salary range does not include our comprehensive benefits package or any additional compensation for which this position may be eligible.
Childrens National Hospital is an equal opportunity employer that evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, identity, or other characteristics protected by law. The “Know Your Rights” poster is available here: and the pay transparency policy is available here: Know Your RightsPay Transparency Nondiscrimination Poster.
Please note that it is the policy of Children's National Hospital to ensure a “drug-free” work environment: a workplace free from the illegal use, possession or distribution of controlled substances (as defined in the Controlled Substances Act), or the misuse of legal substances, by all staff (management, employees and contractors). Though recreational and medical marijuana are now legal in the District of Columbia, Children's National and its affiliates maintain the right, in accordance with our policy, to enforce a drug-free workplace, including prohibiting recreational or prescribed marijuana.
See All 58 Research Jobs in District of Columbia
Find roles in District of Columbia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Research JobsResearch Jobs by City in District of Columbia
Where District of Columbia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Research Job Market in District of Columbia
A snapshot from current District of Columbia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
What District of Columbia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in research jobs across District of Columbia.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in a relevant social science, policy, or technical field
- Demonstrated experience designing and conducting quantitative or qualitative research studies
- Proficiency with statistical software such as Stata, R, SAS, or Python
- Strong writing skills for producing policy briefs, reports, and peer-reviewed publications
- Familiarity with federal data sources, government datasets, or regulatory research processes
- Experience presenting findings to government stakeholders, funders, or interdisciplinary teams
Research Jobs in District of Columbia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a research in District of Columbia?
Most research positions in D.C. require at minimum a bachelor's degree, though master's and doctoral credentials are standard at think tanks, federal agencies, and contractors. There is no state-issued research license in D.C., but roles tied to federal grants or agency contracts often require background clearance eligibility. Entry-level candidates typically build their path through graduate programs at George Washington University, Georgetown, or American University, then move into junior analyst or research associate roles.
Which companies hire researchs in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia research roles are posted by Howard University, American University, and Georgetown University and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. D.C.'s concentration of federal agencies, nonprofit policy organizations, and government contractors makes it one of the most active research hiring markets in the country.
Which District of Columbia cities have the most research jobs?
Washington and Foggy Bottom have the most research openings in District of Columbia. Washington, D.C. itself dominates the distribution because it is the seat of federal government and home to the country's densest concentration of think tanks, policy institutes, and government contractors, which draws research demand into the surrounding metro areas of Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland as well.
Are there remote research jobs in District of Columbia?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 70% of research openings tied to District of Columbia are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting how much of the work centers on analysis, writing, and data rather than on-site fieldwork. Policy research, literature reviews, and data analysis roles are the most likely to offer remote or hybrid arrangements, while positions requiring classified access or direct community-based fieldwork remain predominantly on-site.
How can I get hired as a research in District of Columbia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a research assistant or junior analyst role at a D.C. think tank, federal agency, or university research center. Organizations like the Urban Institute, the Pew Research Center, and American University's research centers regularly bring on entry-level candidates with strong academic backgrounds. A master's thesis, published writing sample, or data analysis portfolio carries significant weight in lieu of formal work experience, and internships with federal agencies or policy organizations are a direct pipeline to full-time offers.
Where can I find and apply to research jobs in District of Columbia?
You can find and apply to research jobs in District of Columbia on Migrate Mate, which lists current D.C. openings updated in real time. Search the available roles, identify the ones that match your background and specialization, and apply directly through each listing.
See All 58 Research Jobs in District of Columbia
Find roles in District of Columbia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Research Jobs