research analyst

communications manager

senior research scientist

research scientist

research assistant

Child Trends

This company, while offering a high salary, is a nightmare to work for. The work-life balance is nonexistent, with constant 24/7 demands and tight deadlines. Job security is a major concern, as there's no guarantee of consistent work, and coverage must be constantly sought. Also, internal competition is fierce, often preventing individuals from contributing to projects. Micro-management is a pervasive issue, and the company culture seems more focused on status and salary than employee well-being. Children are not the priority, but everyone just have their agenda, this is why so many have left. Onboarding and training are not a priority either. 

The company's obsession with high salaries and the constant discussions about them create a toxic environment. It feels like they are trying to extract as much as possible from their employees, leaving little room for personal or professional growth.  I would strongly advise anyone considering this company to look elsewhere. Clients and stakeholders also do not trust the company. There are many other companies that value their employees and offer a healthier work environment. Equity and inclusion are not honored, although that makes part of their mission. Overall would not recommend. 

It’s a great place to do meaningful work with supportive and smart colleagues. Our work has real impact. One of my favorite things at the job is we don’t have to contend with egos and all work is collaborative. I can always raise my hand and say - “I need help,” and someone will be there. I am mentored and get to mentor. My days are full and busy, and while we sometimes have quick timelines, it is satisfying to finish projects as a team and work with clients to complete meaningful deliverables. Work-life balance is truly unmatched in this space - for instance, we can work around family schedules, can change our FTE as needed, and are fully remote. We have great salary and benefits, and professional growth/advancement can take many forms. I learn and grow every day, and I’m never pigeon-holed in. Folks can change their research focus and expand both skill and content expertise. My supervisor truly cares about me, trusts me, and is a great contributor to my professional growth.

Child Trend's is a great place to work.  They have a nice atmosphere where people are focused on work but also build strong relationships as coworkers.  There is a good work/life balance.  My work there was temporary and part-time but I felt very comfortable there and would recommend it to others.  I gave assessments of early childhood students in DCPS schools as part of a larger project.  After my training on the Woodcock-Johnson test, I was sent to various schools to administer the test. This was done with ease and schools received us in a professional manner. Working with the children was the best part of the job.  The hardest part of the job was getting fully up to speed to train for these assessments.  The culture at Child Trends and stellar management made that flow easily.

I worked at Child Trends a few years ago, and I definitely learned a lot in my few years there. The types of research projects I worked on were interesting (it ultimately depends on which dept. you work in and how many responsibilities the team leads decide to give you). I felt supported by supervisor, but felt like it was hard to maintain a work-life balance. The expectation when I was there was to work at least a few hours outside of work hours to get pressing project tasks done. Management was very open to feedback from staff, esp. junior-level staff, which was affirming. 

Work was definitely tough, but it felt rewarding. This job is perfect for someone who is a perfectionist and can learn new concepts quickly. If you’re not the best administrator, I would reconsider. If you are the type of person who can multitask with little to no errors and stay focused, this is the job for you. 

I learned quite a bit about education research and policy during my time at Child Trends. This will only enhance my work as a practicing school leader. I enjoyed the flexibility and working with diverse school environments.

- Enjoyed working with children and learning more about classroom
  culture.

- Received training in classroom observation and child assessments.

- Teamwork very important. 

- Communication essential. 

- Must be flexible is job duties and work schedule.

The people are great, and the research work is very engaging and rigorous. The administrative issues of government contracting is tough where you have to ensure your coverage across projects. This has caused a ton of stress and uncertainty.

Work has promise but recent changes has made it difficult to work and find a balance. Project management is non existent and supervisors ignore daily challenges. Manager almost lost an important grant and did not take responsibility. 

I interned at Child Trends and thoroughly enjoyed my time. They paid well for an internship, were great at answering questions about certain tasks and gave a fair amount of work, loved the team.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Research analyst 16 salaries reported	$77,000 per year
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Research assistant 9 salaries reported	$54,889 per year

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