Resident Research Fellow

Location: New York (preferred), but flexible

Type: Full-time, 2 year appointment starting Fall 2026

About Siegel 

Siegel Family Endowment (Siegel) is a foundation focused on understanding and shaping the impact of technology on society.  Siegel supports organizations whose work contributes to giving everyone the opportunity to learn and contribute to a rapidly changing society. We were founded in 2011 by David M. Siegel, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of Two Sigma, a financial sciences company. We primarily focus on three interest areas: Learning, Workforce, and Infrastructure. Our grantmaking philosophy and process differs from many more traditional foundations -- we encourage you to read through the “Our Approach” on www.siegelendowment.org/​ to understand more about how we work with potential grantees.

Since 2021, Siegel has been building a research team that aims to develop knowledge in our issue areas and to support our grantmaking efforts. Research will be conducted by Siegel staff and research fellows as well as by grantee partners. You can read more about our approach at “Research at Siegel Family Endowment: Research & Philanthropy” and “Research at Siegel Family Endowment: Our Approach.”

Position Summary 

Reporting to the Senior Vice President and Head of Research, the Resident Research Fellow will conduct original research in a relevant field and work and to disseminate those findings via external thought leadership activities – such as through professional meetings, public presentations, and media outlets – as well as provide input and research on internal, cross-team strategies and areas of interest. 

We anticipate that the Fellow will work on projects of interest and relevance to Siegel’s program areas, broadly defined, which include education, work, and infrastructure, as well as the trends shaping the impact of technology on society that cut across these areas. We are currently especially interested in candidates with a background at the intersection of social sciences and technology – our specific research interests include intelligence, innovation, information, design, decisions, and development – but we welcome additional suggestions for research agendas. We welcome applicants from traditional disciplines as well as hybrid or interdisciplinary programs. We anticipate that the research fellow will be able to apply their research and expertise in multiple fields of interest to Siegel.

A successful candidate will also have the capacity to work both with the research team and also in collaboration with Siergel’s Grantmaking team by assisting with research and programmatic landscaping to inform strategy and to better understand topics of interest to Siegel.

While academia is one audience for this work, we anticipate that the Fellow will be an effective communicator with other more general audiences, including nonprofit and private sector leaders, philanthropy, and the media. 

We anticipate that the fellowship will be a two-year appointment (though we may consider shorter appointments for the right candidate), and most appropriate for early career researchers, such as those with a masters degree or those pursuing postdoctoral opportunities.

As a Siegel Resident Research Fellow, you will play a critical role in building Siegel’s reputation and thought leadership. This role is an excellent opportunity to be part of a growing team and to gain exposure to a variety of research and nonprofit organizations.

Responsibilities

Knowledge Creation

• Undertake original research in one or more areas of interest to Siegel
• Conduct literature reviews on relevant topics, and synthesize findings
• Work in partnership with colleagues to help develop research agendas related to Siegel’s inquiry questions, as aligned with Siegel’s inquiry-driven approach to grantmaking
• Provide thoughtful feedback based on research findings and field learning to contribute to shaping organizational strategy

Research Dissemination

• Prepare research reports, articles, presentations, and other publications that elevate Siegel’s research or the findings from our grantees
• Plan and execute convenings with external partners
• Prepare research summaries for a variety of audiences
• Synthesize learnings from the research and collaborate with colleagues to uncover interesting opportunities at the intersection of our interest areas and topics for further exploration 
• Facilitate internal learning from research grantee relationships
• Other duties as assigned

Grant Support

• Conduct background research (literature summaries, deep-dives, synthesis of insights) relevant to Siegel’s grantmaking strategies
• Working with the Grantmaking team, assist in evaluating potential research projects and grantees, and help source new opportunities
• Help evaluate and monitor grantees who are conducting research

Qualifications

• Ideal candidates would have or expect to soon complete a PhD level course of study conducting research in a relevant field (see above); though we would also consider candidates with a masters degree or equivalent experience if research interests are aligned with one or more of our interest areas.
• Intellectual curiosity and a willingness to explore adjacent fields of study
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate technical and complex research to more understandable forms
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills
• Strong organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills
• Additional experience in an organization that conducts or disseminates research is a plus.

Special Note:

• In your Cover Letter, please let us know why you are interested in this role.

Salary & Compensation: The anticipated salary for this position is $88,000 yearly plus a bonus with a target of 10% base salary.  Additionally, we offer a competitive benefit package. For more information about our compensation structure, please email [email protected].