Researcher, Ethics

Applications for this position will be accepted through Friday, July 18, 2025

Position summary 

The Researcher supports CLC’s work to enforce and reform our ethics laws at all levels of government to ensure that our democracy is trustworthy, accountable and responsive. The Researcher works as an essential part of CLC’s Ethics program team on investigative projects that uncover evidence of government officials involved in unlawful activity, follow the sources and impact of campaign contributions, and document systemic problems in our government ethics systems. This work supports and directly informs complaints and submissions to ethics enforcement bodies; reports that make the case for legislative or regulatory reform; and litigation defending laws protecting our democracy. This position focuses on government ethics research with some campaign finance elements, and is suited to individuals who are creative, resourceful, and committed to holding government officials and those who seek to improperly influence them accountable. The Researcher reports to the Director, Ethics. 

A typical day as the Researcher includes supporting program staff and the team’s Senior Researchers on various projects related to government ethics. For example: 

• Compiling and scrubbing recent campaign finance and ethics data (e.g., FEC reports, federal financial disclosures, lobbying reports) with an eye toward finding evidence of illegal or corrupt activity;
• In consultation with Senior Researchers and program staff, pursuing research threads that arise from such reviews;
• Providing additional layers of review in investigations into suspicious political contributions or financial disclosure entries;
• Working on ad hoc research assignments designed and managed by the Senior Researchers and program staff;
• Collecting, organizing, and pursuing additional facts, including from news reports, for complaints to congressional ethics committees, executive branch Inspectors General, or other enforcement bodies.

Key Responsibilities 

• In collaboration with Senior Researchers and program staff, execute long-term and short-term research projects
• Work independently and as a team to monitor campaign finance filings, public financial disclosure documents, corporate and tax records, news reports, and other public records to identify potential violations of law
• Conduct factual research to build a record supporting legislative and judicial improvements to ethics laws
• Contribute to written products and other projects as assigned

Qualifications 

• 1-3 years of research or investigative experience
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Self-motivated with the ability to take initiative and see projects through from start to finish
• Demonstrated ability to work with large quantities of documents and data
• Demonstrated ability to clearly articulate complex ideas
• Proven ability to work both independently and as a flexible and collaborative member of a team
• Ability to meet deadlines, work under pressure, and simultaneously handle multiple projects
• Interest in following the money and in campaign finance and government ethics
• Experience or skills in any of the following areas: quantitative data analysis, including the cleaning and organizing of large datasets; data visualization; programming languages; advanced functions of Microsoft Excel.
• Familiarity with online research tools, such as news and government databases
• Familiarity with offline research resources, such as libraries and document repositories

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement 

Campaign Legal Center (CLC) is an equal opportunity employer committed to maintaining a nondiscriminatory work environment. CLC is proud to be an inclusive organization. It does not make hiring or advancement, or other employment decisions, based on race, national origin, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, familial status or responsibilities, personal appearance, pregnancy, political affiliation, ancestry, military or veteran status, genetic information, disability, record of arrest or conviction, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, District of Columbia, or local law. This policy applies to all aspects of employment including, but not limited to, recruitment, selection, job assignment, compensation, promotion, termination, benefits, and training. 

Compensation and Benefits 

Campaign Legal Center is committed to fostering a workplace that supports every team member's personal and professional well-being. Our compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive and inclusive benefits package tailored to meet the diverse needs of our staff. 

Our benefits include: 

• Generous health, dental, and vision insurance with low employee premiums
• A 401(k) retirement plan with a dollar-for-dollar match up to 6%, with immediate vesting
• 20 vacation days, 12 sick days, and 3 floating holidays annually
• 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave, 10 days of bereavement leave, and 8 weeks of sabbatical leave for those who qualify
• Office closures for all federal holidays, plus typically a week in late summer, and a week in the winter.
• Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Accounts
• A $1,000 annual professional development stipend and bar membership reimbursement
• A $300 annual technology allowance
• Pre-tax metro smart benefits
• New family and family planning support, including reimbursement for travel to access legal reproductive healthcare
• An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with free, confidential support for personal, financial, and family matters.

At CLC, we believe that caring for our team is essential to sustaining our mission. We strive to create a culture where everyone can thrive inside and outside work. 

Disclaimer: This description of the position summary, key responsibilities, benefits, and compensation is intended to provide an overview of this position and is not all inclusive. The incumbent in this position will be expected to perform other duties as required. Responsibilities may change over time. This description of the position summary, key responsibilities, benefits, and compensation is provided for informational purposes only and does not form the basis of a contract.