Careers

OPPAGA attracts policy professionals of diverse education, backgrounds, and interests. Nearly all professional staff members have at least a master's degree, and these degrees represent various disciplines, including Public Administration, Sociology, Business, Education, Law, Management Information Systems, and Statistics. Our analysts also have a wide range of professional experiences, including teaching, consulting, accounting, and law enforcement, just to name a few.

OPPAGA is organized into five policy areas

Each analyst is assigned to one of five policy areas: Criminal Justice, Education, Government Operations, Health and Human Services, and Methodology. We work in other policy areas as required by office workload or the need for specific subject matter or methodological expertise.

Teams of analysts conduct projects

Depending on the size of a project and how quickly we need to respond, we assign work to teams of varying sizes. Because our work is done in teams, good communication, professional courtesy and respect, and the synergy of information sharing are important.

OPPAGA analysts participate in a wide range of activities that vary from day-to-day

• Conduct timely and thorough research on a wide range of topics
• Investigate how programs work and interview agency staff and stakeholders
• Collect large quantities of data from primary and secondary sources
• Analyze complex and varied data using sophisticated methodologies
• Confer with legislators and legislative staff on key issues
• Attend and testify before legislative committees

Professional growth is important at OPPAGA

Each year we offer a variety of opportunities for staff to expand their knowledge through mentoring, on-site classes, and webinars. In addition, staff may continue their formal education through the tuition waiver program established by the Florida Legislature; the program allows staff to enroll on a space available basis in up to six credit hours of tuition-free classes at a state university or community college each semester.

OPPAGA delivers several products to satisfy the Legislature's research needs.

• Reports - formal research publications required by state law, the presiding officers, or the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee
• Research memoranda - targeted research products directed by the presiding officers to quickly address legislative information needs
• Technical assistance to legislative committees - provision of expertise on key topics, analytical methodologies, and performance measurement to support the legislative process
• Presentations - sharing research findings or providing briefings on the background of key issues, including presentations to legislative committees
• PolicyNotes - a weekly electronic newsletter delivering announcements of policy-related research
• Government Program Summaries - an online source of descriptive and performance information on state agencies

Legislative Policy Analyst

OPPAGA's entry level position is the Legislative Policy Analyst. The analyst will serve as a technical expert conducting research studies, program evaluations and policy analyses of public programs and agencies. Policy analysts are expected to become proficient in conducting program evaluations and policy analyses, demonstrate strong writing and presentation skills, and develop substantive knowledge of Florida state government operations and the legislative process.

Critical functions of the analyst include

• conducting policy research of issues of importance to the Florida Legislature;
• researching laws and professional literature;
• interviewing agency and legislative staff;
• conducting focus groups and other forms of qualitative information gathering;
• designing and administering surveys;
• reviewing and analyzing agency records;
• collecting and analyzing quantitative data in manual and electronic formats, including the use of statistical software as necessary;
• identifying and drafting policy alternatives;
• writing grammatically correct and accurate reports that concisely communicate results; and
• making presentations to legislators and legislative committees.

Desired experiences and skills include

• experience in designing and executing research to develop a documented basis for policy analyses, program evaluations, management reviews, budget analyses, or similar technical reviews;
• understanding of principles of governmental organization, budgeting, and accountability;
• experience as an effective contributor to a work team;
• experience using word processing, presentation, and spreadsheet software, preferably Microsoft versions (WORD, POWERPOINT, and EXCEL); and
• experience writing for and/or testifying before high-level executives or elected public officials expressing sensitive conclusions and recommendations based upon statistical and financial data.

Knowledge and experience may be demonstrated through graduate-level training and/or previous successful employment such as a legislative budget analyst, legislative or agency program evaluator, management or financial consultant, stock or bond analyst, engineer, or certified public accountant.

Minimum Qualifications

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and three years of professional experience in research, analysis, program planning and evaluation, or administrative work with training in policy analysis and research methods.

A master's degree from an accredited college or university can substitute for one year of the required experience.

A doctorate from an accredited college or university can substitute for two years of the required experience.

Professional experience as described above can substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required college education.

Salary

Salary commensurate with experience.

Senior Legislative Analyst

The Senior Legislative Analyst performs similar functions as a Legislative Policy Analyst, but at a more advanced level, including managing projects. The position requires additional experience as described below.

Critical functions of the analyst include

• conducting policy research of issues of importance to the Florida Legislature;
• researching laws and professional literature;
• interviewing agency and legislative staff;
• conducting focus groups and other forms of qualitative information gathering;
• designing and administering surveys;
• reviewing and analyzing agency records;
• collecting and analyzing quantitative data in manual and electronic formats, including the use of statistical software as necessary;
• identifying and drafting policy alternatives;
• writing grammatically correct and accurate reports that concisely communicate results; and
• making presentations to legislators and legislative committees.

Desired experiences and skills include

• experience in designing and executing research to develop a documented basis for policy analyses, program evaluations, management reviews, budget analyses, or similar technical reviews;
• understanding of principles of governmental organization, budgeting, and accountability;
• experience as an effective contributor to a work team;
• experience using word processing, presentation, and spreadsheet software, preferably Microsoft versions (WORD, POWERPOINT, and EXCEL); and
• experience writing for and/or testifying before high-level executives or elected public officials expressing sensitive conclusions and recommendations based upon statistical and financial data.

Knowledge and experience may be demonstrated through graduate-level training and/or previous successful employment such as a legislative budget analyst, legislative or agency program evaluator, management or financial consultant, stock or bond analyst, engineer, or certified public accountant.

Minimum Qualifications

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and five years of professional experience in research, analysis, program planning and evaluation, or administrative work with training in policy analysis and research methods.

A master's degree from an accredited college or university can substitute for one year of the required experience.

A doctorate from an accredited college or university can substitute for two years of the required experience.

Professional experience as described above can substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required college education.

Salary

Salary commensurate with experience.

Graduate Assistants

OPPAGA is an ideal setting for gaining hands-on experience in policy analysis and working on a wide range of issues of interest to the Florida Legislature. OPPAGA provides an opportunity to work in a legislative policy research office with a highly qualified, multidisciplinary staff that includes public administrators, social scientists, attorneys, and others.

Graduate assistants work side-by-side with our professional staff on research projects. Mentoring and professional development opportunities are part of the work experience.

Students who have completed at least one year in a research-oriented graduate level program are encouraged to apply for our paid academic year or summer programs.

• Academic year - graduate assistants work part-time for 25 hours per week on a schedule that is mutually acceptable to the student and the office
• Summer - graduate assistants work a full-time schedule for about 13 weeks

Salary

Salary is $15 per hour.

Applying for Available Positions

Click the Legislative Job Portal button to apply for open positions.

OPPAGA's full-time employees receive a competitive salary and a wide range of benefits.*

Annual Leave

16.5 - 22.5 days of annual leave each year, depending on years of service

Sick Leave

13.5 days of annual sick leave

State Holidays

9 paid state holidays; 1 personal holiday

Health Insurance

Employees have a choice of participating in the State Self Insured Plan or a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) if available in the county of residence or employment. (Standard and High Deductible Investor plans are available.) Full-time employees pay $30 per month for family coverage or $8.34 per month for individual coverage. Part-time employees pay premiums based on the total hours of work.

Life Insurance

Group Term life insurance with an accidental death and dismemberment benefit provides $25,000 coverage. The Legislature pays the total premium for full-time employees and part-time employees pay premiums based on the total hours of work.

Dental Insurance

This is an indemnity plan that offers choice of dentist and pays from 50 to 100 percent of usual, customary, and reasonable charges. There is a $1500 maximum benefit per plan year. The Legislature pays the total premium for full-time employees and part-time employees pay premiums based on the total hours of work.

Disability Insurance

Group Long Term Disability Insurance plan provides a monthly benefit of 60 percent of covered monthly earnings after an elimination period of 360 days. The Legislature pays the total premium.

Retirement

Participation in the Florida Retirement System is compulsory for all salaried staff, except certain re-employed retirees. New employees have until the end of the eighth month following the month of employment to select a retirement plan, from the traditional pension plan or the investment plan. New employees will receive an informational packet at home approximately two months after the hire date. Members and staff contribute 3% of their salary towards retirement and the Legislature pays the remainder of the premium. Florida Pre-Tax Benefits Plan This state sponsored program includes Supplemental Insurance Plans, Health Savings Account (when enrolled with an Investor Health Plan), and a Flexible Spending Program on a pretax basis. The Supplemental Insurance Plans include hospitalization, cancer/intensive care, dental, vision, and accidental/disability. The Flexible Spending Program includes healthcare and dependent care accounts.

Deferred Compensation Plan

The State of Florida Deferred Compensation Plan offers a number of investment options including: variable annuities, mutual funds, and a bank, with a variety of contract providers.

* The State of Florida reserves the right to amend or terminate these benefits at any time.