Policy & Stakeholder Research Analyst at Nationaljournal

Gravity Research seeks a Policy & Stakeholder Research Analyst to join the Stakeholder Influence Analysis team.  Gravity Research, born of National Journal, is a premier custom research and insights organization supporting corporate, association, and nonprofit clients. Our mission is to empower organizations to anticipate risk, spot opportunities, and rationalize reputational concerns against a backdrop of evolving public pressures.  What is Gravity Research's Stakeholder Influence Analysis Service? Stakeholder Influence Analysis is a custom research division within National Journal specializing in stakeholder mapping for corporate clients. SIA identifies the people and organizations – from government, industry, think tanks, advocates, and media – with the most influence on key policy topics, maps their connections within and across their respective communities, and develops tailored messaging and engagement strategies. We are looking for curious and innovative researchers and consultants interested in learning about the most pressing current public policy issues and the people and organizations shaping policy decisions. Position in brief: Policy & Stakeholder Research Analysts are responsible for contributing to all aspects of SIA client engagements. Analysts conduct strategic research on energy, agriculture, health, finance, and telecom issues–including identifying key stakeholders, assessing their positions and influence, and analyzing relationships across policy ecosystems. Analysts create and present client deliverables, manage project timelines and communication, and help develop and refine the product, all with the aim of delivering value to our clients. Analysts work directly with senior leaders in Gravity Research, and provide insight to the most influential government affairs professionals in Washington. The ideal candidate will have the ability to conduct qualitative analysis of current public policy issues, identify key stakeholders and their relationships within complex policy environments, and execute against tight deadlines to develop professional and intellectually sound client-centric deliverables, both independently and in close collaboration with team members. Core day-to-day responsibilities could include: • Conducting qualitative research, developing analytical takeaways, and synthesizing findings into strategic recommendations for clients • Managing research for multiple client accounts and being responsible for the timely delivery of all project work • Collaborating with team members to develop research methodologies and approaches to answer client questions • Tracking and analyzing legislative, regulatory, and executive branch actions, including understanding the procedural pathways and decision points that shape policy outcomes • Drafting deliverables, including PowerPoint presentations, memos, and other formats, to communicate findings and recommendations to clients • Presenting findings and interacting with clients to better understand their needs • Regularly consuming industry and policy-specific news to incorporate current trends into research and analysis • To perform this job successfully, each essential competency and responsibility must be performed satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform essential functions. • Other duties may be assigned to meet organizational goals. Qualifications of the Ideal Candidate: • A highly analytic, natural problem solver • The ability to highlight key insights within a complex set of data, synthesize large amounts of information, and then clearly explain these insights to potential clients • A skilled project manager, able to independently manage competing priorities and adhere to timelines • A strong writer able to clearly frame issues for a variety of audiences; some experience with PowerPoint or other visual presentation formats highly preferred • An individual with 1-3 years of experience in at least one of the following domains: strategy consulting, government affairs consulting, policy analysis, data science, political science research, or legislative or executive agency policymaking • An interest in intellectually rigorous work focused on the business of Washington government affairs offices • Prodigious work ethic and spirit of generosity • Earned Bachelor's degree required Application Deadline: February 27, 2026 Employment Type: Full-time Location: This job is based in Washington, DC. Gravity Research operates on a hybrid schedule, with employees required to be in the office every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About Us Across Gravity Research, generally, the firm looks for three “pillar gifts” in you, and everyone else.  In all of us, these are more aspirational than actual, but they are central in our intentions – Force of Ideas: At the center of Gravity Research’s work are the ideas within our work. We believe that ideas—the good and not—have consequences. Our ultimate objective is to bring rigor, insight, and intellectual honesty to the goal of separating the bad from the good, and giving voice, argument, and flight to maintaining the latter. Spirit of Generosity:  Gravity Research seeks in its ranks a spirit of generosity: a natural disposition in each colleague toward service and selfless conduct. Our writing should be cut from the same cloth—critical on the merits, but informed by charity and forbearance in measuring motive and personal character. Radical Responsibility: We give our people a lot of responsibility early on, and our top performers embrace it. We believe in holding ourselves and our colleagues accountable, taking ownership over big things, striving for excellence, and celebrating success. Gravity Research is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate against our applicants because of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law.