DO NOT Work as a Research Project Specialist - Anonymous employee RAND Employee Review

2.0
Oct 19, 2023
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The work is rewarding and the people you work with are fantastic

Cons

HR and the pay structure. As a research project specialist, your labor will be taken advantage of and you will be underpayed. You will perform vital work and have more senior staff take credit so they can justify keeping you your current position. You will have no ability for recourse and your "manager" who makes the determination of your salary will have no idea what you do on a day to day basis. I have talked to my manager less than five times in over two years working at RAND and she has treated me with disrespect.

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5.0
May 12, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Really flexible hours, amazing project team members, engaging projects.

Cons

You will need to network and find your own projects, sometimes finding ~3-5 projects at one time to ensure full utilization.

4.0
Jul 19, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Interesting work, some brilliant colleagues, access to senior decision makers throughout government.

Cons

Stressful trying to stay fully staffed on projects (i.e., internal market within RAND)

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