The Center for Science in the Public Interest, America’s food and health watchdog, is one of the nation’s leading public health advocacy organizations with a 50-year record of fighting for science in the public interest. We’ve led efforts to win passage of many state and local policies to improve school foods and remove sugary drinks from children’s menus. National policy successes include the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act; Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act; Food Safety Modernization Act; and Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act.

CSPI has recently grown in size and expanded our areas of expertise, allowing us to focus on pressing public health challenges beyond food and nutrition. Most recently, we’ve brought our expertise and resources to bear where we can have the biggest impact by responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example:

  • We’ve created the COVID-19 Evidence Hub, an international clearinghouse of research hubs identifying research on treatments, vaccines, diagnostic tests, and public health measures;
  • Our Executive Director, Dr. Peter Lurie, started the Beyond the Curve Blog, which seeks to address the scientific, political, and human dimensions of the pandemic;
  • We’ve held accountable dietary supplement manufacturers seeking to exploit the crisis;
  • We’ve testified twice before both Congress and FDA vaccine advisory committees, and been quoted in many of the major national news outlets; and
  • We’ve organized sign-on letters defending strong science, transparency, and Dr. Anthony Fauci.

In this spirit, CSPI has secured funding to carry our independent, public interest initiatives into post-pandemic advocacy to fight against misinformation and anti-science forces, and for scientific integrity, transparency, and agency accountability in US public health policy. We are searching for a policy-savvy scientist and strategist who will work closely with CSPI’s Executive Director, Dr. Peter Lurie, and report to its Deputy Director for Science to launch this initiative. 

This is a 24-month, grant-funded, full-time position with high likelihood of extension. The Campaign Manager, Scientific Integrity is a member of the Science Department and reports to its Deputy Director. The position is located in CSPI’s DC office or remotely.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Provide strategic thinking, develop priorities, and lead campaigns to advocate for scientific integrity, transparency, and agency accountability during the pandemic and beyond.
  • Work with CSPI’s development team to raise additional funds for this initiative, manage grant deliverables, and draft reports to funders.
  • Identify opportunities to advocate for policy, regulatory, and other structural changes.
    • Mobilize support for campaigns from organizations, academics, health professionals, CSPI members, and other concerned citizens.
    • Hold government and industry to account, engaging entities cooperatively when possible, and developing public pressure campaigns when needed.
  • Represent CSPI and build strategic relationships with the media, funders, coalition partners, policymakers, industry, and the academic community. 
  • Effectively communicate CSPI’s policy priorities and mission with the media to drive our advocacy goals.
  • Research, identify, and selectively respond to sources of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation.
  • Research the safety and efficacy of particular medical products and dietary supplements marketed during the pandemic and beyond.
  • Conduct policy and issue analyses and draft regulatory letters, petitions, reports, fact sheets, peer-reviewed journal articles, webpages, blogs, and other materials to support advocacy efforts.
  • Contribute to Science Department activities as needed.

Qualifications

  • Scientific curiosity and big picture thinking.
  • Strong commitment to scientific integrity.
  • Advanced degree in epidemiology or other public health discipline.
  • 3+ years of experience analyzing, evaluating, interpreting, and translating complex research, policy, and scientific documents.
  • 3+ years of experience providing strategic oversight and project/campaign management.
  • Experience assessing risk of bias and familiarity with the process of conducting and evaluating systematic reviews.
  • Experience evaluating research protocols and data, including RCTs.
  • Experience producing peer-reviewed publications and/or developing evidence-based regulatory documents (e.g., letters, petitions, reports, fact sheets).
  • Experience tailoring scientific communications to various audiences (including colleagues, policy makers, journalists, funders, and the public).
  • Experience navigating research databases such as PubMed and using statistical programs such as Stata/SAS/SPSS/R.
  • Commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
  • Ability to work additional and flexible hours as needed.

CSPI on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

CSPI is committed to including and valuing diverse voices and fostering a culture that ensures all staff feel a sense of belonging and are encouraged to be their best selves. In that spirit, each of us is committed to putting in constant work to live up to our organization’s core values:

  • We are inclusive. We seek to foster an environment where all staff feel a sense of belonging and are affirmed. We are not looking for everyone to think and look the same. We actively welcome and value staff with different experiences, backgrounds, attributes, abilities, and perspectives.
  • We are open. We are honest and direct in how we communicate with each other in order to build trust and integrity within our organization.
  • We are accountable. We acknowledge and assume responsibility for our actions.
  • We are kind. We communicate and treat one another in a respectful, generous, considerate, and compassionate way.
  • We are collaborative. We work together for the common good and shared success.

Compensation

The salary range is $95,000-$105,000, based on experience. CSPI offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes: 3 weeks of annual vacation leave; additional paid holiday leave between December 24 and January 1; 8 weeks of paid parental leave; excellent medical and dental insurance with CSPI paying a significant portion of employee and dependent premiums; and a 3% employer match contribution to the retirement plan after one year of service.

To Apply

Please use CSPI's Paylocity Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to apply for the Campaign Manager, Scientific Integrity position. You will be asked to answer several application questions and to submit a resume and cover letter indicating relevant experience and interest.The application deadline is July 30, 2021, and anticipated start date is late September.

Apply for Campaign Manager, Scientific Integrity position.

CSPI is committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills and encourages people of diverse ages, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, disabilities, religions, races, ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, work, and life experiences to apply.