Old thread was dead.

I know this is a huge reach, but does anybody have any connections at RTI? I've been trying to get a job there for quite some time and any assistance in getting my resume in the right hands would be immensely appreciated. I'd be looking for something in education research, survey research, policy analysis, international development, or the like.

I have a BA in political science (manga cum laude), Master of International Studies (comparative politics concentration), a Master of Public Administration all from State with a 3.6 gpa in the grad programs (3.69 undergrad). I have a graduate certificate in Spanish, French, and public policy, respectively. Also, I'll be earning graduate certificates in non-profit management (Duke) and survey research methodology (Odum Institute at UNC) over the summer. I have relevant research experience, program administration experience, and international research experience (China, Czech Republic, Spain). I'm proficient with all of the standard applications and I also have experience with SPSS.

Again, I know this is a huge reach and will likely be flamed for this thread, but it might be worth a shot. I can email you my complete resume, references, writing samples, etc. if necessary. I feel like I'm qualified for a lot of jobs there, just need to get my resume in the right hands!

Thanks in advance to anyone that may be able to help.

4/23/2012 7:11:38 PM

Why yes, I do in fact have contacts there. You may PM me.

Do you have a job in particular you are looking at or what?

4/23/2012 7:23:35 PM

PM sent!

4/23/2012 7:30:26 PM

Yes

4/23/2012 8:26:41 PM

RTI is pretty awesome. There's a lot of good stuff they're doing that I'm aware of. That said, it's not apparently obvious to me what you have to offer them.

Quote :

"I'd be looking for something in education research, survey research, policy analysis, international development, or the like. "

While I wouldn't be surprised if they do this, I don't quite imagine it would be the money maker. I can look on their jobs website and find " Malaria Technical Advisor, Malaria Prevention and Control, DRC", meaning, a technical advisor, not an international studies grad.

4/23/2012 9:18:50 PM

RTI is a think tank. policy research in various forms is a large part of what they do. almost every division does policy research

http://www.rti.org/page.cfm/Business_Units#sses

Quote :

"Established in 1958 as the Research Triangle Institute, RTI has a distinguished history of scientific achievement in the areas of health and pharmaceuticals, education and training, surveys and statistics, advanced technology, international development, economic and social policy, energy and the environment, and laboratory testing and chemical analysis. RTI’s staff of more than 2,800 supports projects in more than 40 countries."

the main division I want to get into

Quote :

"Social, Statistical, and Environmental Sciences (SSES) designs and conducts complex national surveys as well as economic, statistical, epidemiological, and social policy research for government agencies and commercial clients across the areas of health, environment, education, and justice. More than 1450 staff members work on projects for U.S. government agencies such as the Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services (including the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), Department of Education, Department of Homeland Security, and Environmental Protection Agency."

who said anything about being a malaria adviser in the Democratic Republic of Congo?

[Edited on April 23, 2012 at 10:41 PM. Reason : .]

[Edited on April 23, 2012 at 10:41 PM. Reason : .]

4/23/2012 10:37:27 PM

just taking the opportunity to be mean. I general impression was that they were about taking research done around here and making money off of it.

4/23/2012 10:41:28 PM

http://greeneresources.sacherokee.com/

4/23/2012 11:26:30 PM

I appreciate that, and I read it in triangle business journal but it's basically outsourced to a call center off capital and theres almost zero chance of it turning into something at RTI main campus. Lol at the 25 wpm requirement though

4/24/2012 12:55:02 AM

^I worked in the call center for about 4 months. Yes, 99% of the people you will see in there will never make it up the ranks. Your only hope would be to move up to management within the call center and hopefully have a project manager notice you, but yeah, its not the same as entry level within RTI itself.

4/24/2012 7:47:50 AM

Worked in their contracts department.

Awful.

4/24/2012 8:22:51 AM

I had a couple people in my MPA program that were in the call center, mailroom, and contracts office and they were getting the degree solely to get noticed and move into their main operations. they also said it was pretty chaotic.

4/24/2012 3:53:44 PM

Having worked for RTI in the past, I can tell you that as a researcher it is a very nice place to work. If you are unlucky enough to find yourself in contracts, finance, billing, etc... you are going to be overworked, although the pay and benefits is fairly decent. Still have a lot of friends that work there and are very happy.

I would also recommend looking at other NGOs in the area such as FHI 360 (formerly Family Health International that became FHI 360 after acquiring AED). There is also Intrahealth in Chapel Hill that is a slightly smaller, but a growing Non-profit that does research and health related evaluations.

4/24/2012 4:52:29 PM

Quote :

"I feel like I'm qualified for a lot of jobs there"

I think you're qualified to be an international spy

4/24/2012 5:04:21 PM

4/24/2012 5:25:23 PM

interviewing tomorrow

it's an unpaid internship, but at least it's a foot in the door

5/24/2012 9:58:18 PM

Good luck, man. good job on being persistent!

5/24/2012 10:20:08 PM

good luck!!

5/25/2012 8:48:44 AM

thanks y'all!

Interviewed this morning, I don't think I've ever done so well on an interview or had more direct experience/education for a job. I'm really hoping I get it, and they're flexible so I can keep my job at State so the unpaid part is less of a consideration. She also said there's a high potential of being hired on full time at the end of the summer. two other applicants, one from my department so I told her if she doesn't pick me than to take the other State person! fingers crossed.

5/29/2012 12:21:55 PM

called back 30 minutes later offering me the job!!

2 years of trying to get in at RTI finally comes to realization.

5/29/2012 12:34:55 PM

congrats!!

5/29/2012 12:52:29 PM

^

5/29/2012 12:55:33 PM

congrats on your license to kill

5/29/2012 2:15:32 PM

while you're there, get some practice in "international development" and see if you can find someone for me to talk to so I can convince them to put my Canadian HVAC equipment on the new big ass greenhouse they're building.

5/29/2012 6:34:32 PM

Unpaid internships should be a crime

5/29/2012 8:15:51 PM

Thanks y'all

^^actually the internship I got is International Development Grant Management in the contracts office in the International Development Group (IDG).

^it's actually negative money internship because I have to take an internship course that I don't need just to be able to do it. hopefully they hire me full time after the summer and it pays off

5/29/2012 8:25:18 PM

Probably came off as douchey after rereading that, congratulations on the job btw.

5/29/2012 11:49:02 PM

https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2018/10/03/inside-rtis-66m-new-rtp-headquarters-photos.html

66M!

10/3/2018 3:14:51 PM

Did you ever get into a paid position Mr. Allday?

10/3/2018 3:21:03 PM

I did not, but I didn't really pursue it. I was in grants management and really didn't enjoy that facet of the business. I think as a researcher, as others mentioned, it would have been a much better experience. However, it was an awesome way to start my career that worked out in ways I couldn't have imagined. I ended up working at the National Institutes of Health after RTI and am now working at State finishing my PhD so very grateful for that opportunity at RTI (though embarrassed over my overall tone ITT six years ago haha).

10/3/2018 4:46:41 PM

Oh, nice.
RTI is a non-profit company. People just do research for fun.

10/3/2018 4:53:10 PM

lol shoot is like the KenM of TWW

reddit.com/r/kenm for the uninitiated

10/3/2018 4:56:09 PM