Work With Us

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) seeks a passionate and creative attorney to join our policy team and help us secure our democracy and build a better Washington. This position is a unique opportunity to be on the front lines of the fight for a more ethical, equitable and accountable government, while working alongside smart, dedicated and kind people. 

As a leading nonpartisan nonprofit government watchdog, CREW is dedicated to defending our democratic institutions, rooting out government corruption and fighting the influence of money in politics through legal action and communications grounded by in-depth research. CREW is looking for a creative, results-driven attorney who is committed to our mission and cares deeply about protecting our democracy. We welcome diverse skills and experiences.

Responsibilities:

• Policy Development: Develop CREW’s policy agenda and long-term policy strategy to change laws, rules, and enforcement to uphold the rule of law, protect our democratic institutions, and ensure accountability for abuses of power.
• Legislative Advocacy:  Keep apprised of relevant legislation, committee activities, White House actions, and agency consideration.  Work with congressional offices, executive branch staff, and agency personnel to encourage positive policy action.  
• Writing and communications:  Write reports, articles, blog posts, hearing testimony, letters, and comments on rulemaking.  Work with a communications team to coordinate media responses and web presence on policy issues.  
• Collaboration:  Represent CREW in coalitions working to protect the rule of law and ensure accountability for abuses of power.  Coordinate with CREW’s litigation, research, and communications teams to ensure a consistent policy message. 
• Complaints and Litigation:  As needed, assist with CREW’s filing of complaints with agencies and legislative committees and/or with civil lawsuits.

Qualifications:

• J.D. (required).
• A minimum of 3 years policy experience in non-profit, executive branch, Capitol Hill, or comparable setting
• Familiarity with and interest in democracy reform, ethics, money in politics, and/or government transparency issues.
• Experience with rule of law and democracy reform efforts, including legislative and litigation strategies to reform our democratic institutions and ensure public accountability for efforts to undermine our democracy.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to handle multiple tasks.
• The ability to work collaboratively.
• Outstanding research and analytical skills.
• Great writing and communication skills.
• Initiative to identify needs, take charge of tasks, and get things done in an exciting, fast-paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and sound judgment, including the ability to work effectively with outside counsel.
• The position is based in Washington, D.C. but will be hybrid with employees splitting their time between working at home and working in the office.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $80-90k based on experience and qualifications. Extensive and competitive benefits package including generous paid holidays, vacation time and sick leave, full health, dental and vision insurance coverage, contributions for dependent care, as well as a generous 401(K) program, student loan contribution plan, and top-notch parental leave policy, all of which you’d be included in on day one. 

How to apply

Please email a resume and cover letter to [email protected] Please include your last name and “Policy Counsel” in the subject line. No phone calls, please. We are only able to respond to candidates we are contacting for an interview. CREW is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity in our workplace and in our work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. We strongly encourage candidates from all groups and communities to apply.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) seeks a relentless, detail-oriented research associate to join our research team and help us secure our democracy. This position is a unique opportunity to be on the front lines of the fight for a more ethical, equitable and accountable government, while working alongside smart, dedicated and kind people. 

As a leading nonpartisan, nonprofit government watchdog, CREW is dedicated to defending our democratic institutions, rooting out government corruption and fighting the influence of money in politics through legal action and communications grounded by in-depth research. If you are a creative, results-driven, problem solver committed to protecting our democracy this is the position for you. Demonstrating a strong interest in data work — particularly with campaign finance data — is a plus, but we welcome diverse skills and experiences.

Responsibilities:

• Research and Investigation: exhaustively uncover and investigate government corruption, including reviewing and analyzing government documents, news reports, databases, public information, and other resources
• Synthesis: synthesize information into accurate, concisely written products, both for internal use and for publication
• Data input and cultivation: this position will involve extensive monitoring, data input, and data analysis
• Content Production: draft article-length investigations and longer reports
• Generating Ideas: spot trends to generate innovative project ideas and investigative report proposals
• Fact-checking:  fully vet CREW products like investigations, graphics, reports, and legal filings before they go to press contacts, submitted into legal filings and to the general public.

A great candidate has:

• A Bachelor’s degree;
• Outstanding research and analytical skills;
• A deep, demonstrated interest in searching through public documents and other sources to find obscure information;
• An eagerness to learn how to work with data and databases, experience with SQL and/or Python is a plus, but not a requirement;
• Good instincts about what the public will find interesting;
• Strong attention to detail and organizational abilities;
• Excellent writing, editing, and fact-checking skills;
• Ability to work both as part of a team and independently;
• Must work well under pressure, adapt to changing situations, and prioritize numerous projects and tasks;
• Experience or interest in core democracy issues including efforts to undermine fair elections and accountability for the January 6 insurrection.
• Must be a self-starter who can recognize emerging trends and generate creative project ideas;
• The position is based in Washington, D.C. but will be hybrid with employees splitting their time between working at home and working in the office.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $45,000-$52,000 based on experience and qualifications. Extensive and competitive benefits package including generous paid holidays, vacation time and sick leave, full health, dental and vision insurance coverage, contributions for dependent care and life insurance, as well as a generous 401(K) program, student loan contribution plan, and top-notch parental leave policy, all of which you’d be included in on day one. 

How to Apply

Please email a resume and cover letter to [email protected]. Please include your last name and “Research Associate” in the subject line. No phone calls, please. We are only able to respond to candidates we are contacting for an interview. CREW is an equal opportunity employer who values diversity in our workplace and in our work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. We strongly encourage candidates from all groups and communities to apply.

CREW seeks undergraduate students to serve as research interns on a part-time basis for summer 2023. Undergraduate research interns will assist with research and operations alongside CREW’s research team. Interns will learn to use various sources of public information to track special interest spending, campaign spending, and political contributions, and will also review lobbying records. 

Additional duties include distributing news clips internally, drafting content for reports and blogs, and creating datasets. The ideal candidate will be hard-working, enthusiastic, resourceful, detail-oriented, and interested in legal or ethics issues. This position is based in the DC metro area and will be a hybrid of remote and in-person (as needed). Therefore, the applicant must also be able to work independently and have self-motivation to complete tasks without supervision.  Students with an interest in government accountability and ethics are highly preferred. Interns will receive a stipend of $700 a month.

How to Apply

Please email a resume, a cover letter that includes how you heard about the opportunity, and availability to Rebecca Jacobs at [email protected] Please place your last name and “Research Intern” in the subject line. No phone calls, please. We are only able to respond to candidates we are contacting for an interview. CREW is an equal opportunity employer who values diversity in our workplace and in our work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. We strongly encourage candidates from all groups and communities to apply.