OPTIMAL SOLUTIONS GROUP, LLC
2009 SUMMER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
Public Service and Service Obligations Research Fellowship
Optimal Solutions Group, LLC is seeking a bright and motivated graduate student to join us in a unique and challenging learning experience by participating in our 2009 Summer Fellowship Program.
About Optimal Solutions Group, LLC
Optimal provides rigorous, non-partisan public policy research and technical assistance to government agencies, corporations, non-profit organizations, and foundations. Optimal is composed of four research centers:
-Education Policy
-Health Policy
-Housing, Economic Development and Transportation
-Workforce Development and Social Policy
Optimal’s unwavering focus is on exceeding client expectations. To ensure that projects run smoothly, Optimal emphasizes integrity, effective communication, well-planned internal processes, and peer reviews. To do this, Optimal has developed the Optimal Philosophy, a set of four objectives that help to ensure the quality of work completed by Optimal researchers is of the highest quality. The Optimal Philosophy represents the key objectives that set Optimal’s work apart from other policy research firms: Rigorous Analysis; Objective, Non-Partisan Research; Quality Control; and Customer Satisfaction.
See a more descriptive list of Optimal’s areas of expertise [http://www.optimalsolutionsgroup.com/about_expertise.htm].
2009 Summer Fellowship Program Details
Overview
The Optimal Solutions Group 2009 Summer Fellowship Program is a 9-week summer program that gives graduate students the opportunity to utilize their academic skills within a highly productive public policy research environment. Each fellow is expected to work in collaboration with Optimal researchers in drafting a timely research article of policy interest of high quality such that it will be submitted to a refereed journal for publication and/or presented at a national research conference.
Dates
June 1 through July 31, 2009 (approximately)
Approach
Fellowship – Public Service and Service Obligations Research
Optimal is the nation’s leader in managing service obligation programs and in designing a Web-based application for case management. In 2007, the U.S.
Department of Education contracted with Optimal to establish the National Center on Service Obligations (NCSO). [http://serviceobligation.org/] The main objective of NCSO is to collect information to track and report the status of scholars’ service obligations. NCSO will also provide pertinent information about the service obligation, primarily to scholars, universities, and the scholars’ employers. In this particular contract, Optimal is managing the service obligation for students who commit to work in the special education field in return for post-secondary education scholarships. Optimal is now designing the next generation of service obligation case management application to assist the Corporation for National and Community Service grantees and universities to manage expanded service obligation programs; measure performance; and conduct real-time, rigorous evaluations of data.
The Public Service and Service Obligations Research Fellow will collaborate with other Optimal researchers in writing a white paper on the performance measures for recently enacted and proposed service programs (e.g., College
Serve-Study) and in designing a rigorous evaluation of a recently enacted service obligation program. The Fellow will also work in collaboration with the NCSO team and application designers.
How to Apply
Applications will be accepted by e-mail only and are due by April 1, 2009.
Candidates should submit their letter of interest in the body of the e-mail message and attach their resume /curriculum vitae, writing sample reflecting subject matter interest/expertise, and one letter of recommendation from a faculty member to fellowships@optimalsolutionsgroup.com by April 1, 2009. In the Subject line of the e-mail message write Fellowship – Public Service and Service Obligations. Applications submitted after April 1st will not be considered. Candidates should be available for a phone interview between April 13 and April 17.
Eligibility Requirements
Qualified candidates must:
-Be legal U.S. residents
-Be full-time students enrolled in a Master’s or Ph.D. program
-Major in a social science discipline (Economics, Education, Political Science, Sociology, Public Policy, etc).
-Have a minimum 3.0 GPA out of 4.0
Preference will be given to applicants who have documented interest and/or expertise with volunteerism, public service, and service obligations research.
Selection and Notification Process
Candidates will be selected based on academic performance, interest in real-world policy analysis and technical assistance, and leadership potential. There will be one selection round, and selection and notification will be completed by April 24th.
Important Dates
-Application deadline: All required documents must be received by e-mail by April 1, 2009 (no postal mail applications will be accepted)
-Optimal selection committee review applications: April 8
-Acceptance decisions finalized: April 20
-Candidates are notified of the status of their applications: April 24
-Selected Fellows learn more about their projects and prepare for their
fellowship: Mid May
-Fellowship begins: June 1, 2009 – 8:30 a.m.
-Optimal issues initial stipend: No later than June 5
-Final evaluation and final installment of compensation: Final week of fellowship term
Compensation
The program will provide Fellows with:
-A stipend of $4,725
-Travel costs and ground transportation to Washington, DC if relocating from outside of Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area.
Payment of stipend is contingent upon full program participation. This includes daily attendance, timely completion of assignments, and professionalism.
Location
Optimal’s headquarters are located at 8100 Professional Place, Suite 312, Hyattsville, Maryland 20785 (near the District of Columbia). The office is two blocks from the New Carrollton Metro (Orange Line) Station.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many hours per week am I expected to be present for the fellowship?
This is a 9-week, full-time commitment, primarily during normal business hours.
2. What are the start and end dates for the fellowship?
Fellows are required to participate for the full 9-week period, June 1 through July 31, 2009. However, some flexibility in these dates may be allowed for selected Fellows. Details must be finalized with Optimal staff before the fellowship start date.
3. I have a bachelor’s degree and will be starting graduate school in the fall. May I apply to your fellowship program?
No. Our program is designed for students already attending graduate school.
4. Will you provide assistance to me in finding temporary housing and transportation?
We will provide information on surrounding communities and housing and transportation options, but we do not participate in procurement of housing or transportation.
5. If my application materials are not ready at the same time, may I send them in separate e-mails?
No, all application materials must be submitted at the same time.
6. Will late applications be accepted?
No. All materials must arrive by the April 1, 2009 deadline by e-mail.
7. When will I know if I have been selected to receive a fellowship?
All applicants will be notified by April 24, 2009.
8. What is expected of me as a Summer Fellow?
A Summer Fellow is expected to complete a research paper ready for submission to a refereed journal by a date that will be determined in conjunction with Optimal staff. Fellows are also expected to present the research to Optimal staff and submit an abstract to appropriate research conference(s).
9. Will I work on other Optimal projects?
Yes, you may be assigned to work on relevant and related projects.
10. What type of resources will be available to me?
You will be mentored by an assigned executive and appropriate staff members who are knowledgeable in the policy area. We also provide a resource library and IT support.
11. What statistical software packages will be available for my study?
SAS, Stata, and SPSS are available.
12. How is the stipend paid?
Installment payments will be made over the course of the fellowship.
13. What is the work environment like?
Ours is a collegial and business casual workplace. Staff share a passion to excel in their research because they know their work impacts lives.
14. Why does Optimal offer these fellowships?
Optimal is a leading company in research topics of vital interest to state and federal policymakers, and we offer these fellowships to encourage additional studies in these key areas. In addition, we want to give students who are interested in policy research the opportunity to experience how rigorous research is done in a non-university setting.
