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Inventors, academics, and military masterminds Founded during World War II, RAND is commonly considered one of America's most prestigious and influential independent think tanks. Not humble when it comes to its own prestige, RAND once remarked that it "virtually invented modern military strategy." Speaking of which, the organization has had a profound effect on military policy. Several Cabinet members and top Pentagon officials have been hired straight from its ranks. In addition to military strategy, RAND works on national security, national defense, regional studies, education and training, health care, criminal and civil justice, labor and population, community development, international relations, and science and technology. Expansive expertise RAND has advised New York City on such diverse issues as water quality and welfare. The company also conducted the first field studies for school choice and housing assistance. Since the fall of the iron curtain and the onset of the "new world order," RAND's mission has been to help the U.S. government rethink defense strategies and goals. RAND's research is carried out in a variety of centers and institutions, including the Institute for Civil Justice, RAND Europe, and the Arroyo Center. In addition to its research capacities, RAND has a graduate school, which offers a doctoral degree in policy analysis. Feelin' randy RAND research spans a wide arc of subjects. These are grouped into the following fields: behavioral sciences; economics and statistics; health, education, and welfare; information sciences; international studies; management sciences; and technology and applied sciences. Once it has been performed, RAND research is published in various literary forums including RAND-published books, commercial publications, and journal articles. The organization offers internet-accessible publications and bibliographies from its Selected Project AIR FORCE, Labor and Population Program, Institute on Education and Training, Institute for Civil Justice, RAND Health division, Drug Policy Research Center, Science and Technology Policy Institute, Center for Research on Immigration Policy, and the Center for Asia-Pacific Policy. The group announced in June 2000 that it will be offering its publications at libraries across the country through netLibrary. Monographs published after 1999 will be available, in addition to an archive of best articles. Some things remain the same Although its policies change with history, RAND's core principles are static. These include "providing practical guidance by making policy choices clear and addressing barriers to effective policy implementation; developing innovative solutions to complex problems by bringing together researchers in all relevant academic specialties; achieving complete objectivity by avoiding partisanship and disregarding vested interests; meeting the highest technical standards by employing advanced empirical methods and rigorous peer review; and serving the public interest by widely disseminating research findings." Moving places RAND spread its wings in March 2000, opening a new office in Pittsburgh, PA, its third U.S. location. The organization hopes to have 30 employees reporting to the new site by the end of 2000, with the prospect of 200 employees by 2005. The end of April 2000 brought disappointing news to RAND when it was forced to move all of its DC offices to Arlington, VA. The group had been in the District for 52 years. Rent costs and lack of space were the causes for the move. RAND is also planning to start construction of a new headquarters in spring 2001 for its Santa Monica team.
RAND employs more than 500 research professionals. Most of its employees hold advanced degrees. Impressively, the doctorate is the most pervasive academic accomplishment. Most RAND workers start off in Santa Monica, the California headquarters. Others are based in Washington, DC; and still others work from New York City (RAND's Council for AID to Education) and Leiden, the Netherlands (RAND Europe). The organization also has smaller operations in Seattle, Washington; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Moscow, Russia. RAND lists its job opportunities on the employment section of its site or www.rand.org/EMPLOY/index.html. All positions, unless otherwise specified, are located in Santa Monica. Applicants looking for professional positions should send resumes and cover letters to Professional Recruiter; RAND; 1700 Main Street; P.O. Box 2138; Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138; Fax: 310-451-7070. Applicants looking for secretarial or support positions should forward their resumes to Support Recruiter; RAND; 1700 Main Street; P.O. Box 2138; Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138; Fax: 310-451-7024. As part of its commitment to equal opportunity, RAND "actively recruits and hires minority group members, women, and disabled individuals."
Glorious prestige RAND insiders praise the organization as "one of the most prestigious organizations in the country." Not only does RAND includes some of the most educated and influential leaders in academia, these employees "thrive in a relaxed and intellectual" culture. Even workers who are not doing policy research feel that they are "contributing to a better world." Some are frumpy, some are not "The work environment differs from company to company, depending on where the company is from (i.e. U.S., Europe, Asia, or Australia)," divulges one insider. "However, the differences are not significant." Another insider is content with RAND's hours, which vary depending on manager and job type, but which "are typically 8:30 to 5." Both salary and dress code receive high marks - the former termed "more than adequate" and the latter called "comfortable and not strict." Perks receive a slightly more mixed response, as one contact laments her lack of "a company car." Although business attire "is standard across RAND," our insiders say it is often not strictly enforced. Insiders do not underestimate the significance of snappy dressing, however. One wistful informant says, "I find several people on the frumpy side." Fond feelings RAND individuals speak fondly of each other, calling their colleagues "innovative, self-motivated" people who eagerly tackle their "challenging and analytic" day-to-day work. Moreover, issues of discrimination do not receive much airplay. Asserts one insider, "there is no problem with discrimination in the workplace, as there are stiff penalties for any employer who discriminates on any grounds."
Human Resources
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