Consulting or Senior Associate/Finance & Management Consulting (2025 MBA/PhD graduates)

About Charles River Associates

Charles River Associates is a leading global consulting firm that provides independent economic and financial analysis behind litigation matters, guides businesses through critical strategy and operational issues to become more profitable, and advises governments on the economic impact of policies and regulations. Our three main services – litigation, policy and management consulting – are delivered by practice groups that focus on specific areas of expertise or industries. Learn more about how CRA can help you accelerate your career.

Practices seeking to hire candidates with this profile include (hiring locations listed):

• Energy (Boston, Washington DC)
• Our Energy practice provides expert economic and business consulting services to a range of energy and industrial clients, including electric utilities, investors, generators, regulators, renewable energy developers, oil and gas companies, and chemicals clients.
• Finance (Boston, Chicago)
• Our Finance experts work on valuation issues (shareholder class actions and other corporate valuation disputes), as well as matters focused on the functioning of financial markets and institutions (alleged market manipulation and insider trading).
• Life Sciences (Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Washington DC)
• Our Life Sciences practice helps pharmaceutical, biotechnology, diagnostics, and medical device companies achieve optimum performance across key aspects of their business, including innovation, commercial success, organization, and reputation, all for the long-term benefit of patients, clinicians, employees, and shareholders. We work with life sciences businesses directly as well as with their legal counsel, industry associations, government organizations, and advocacy groups from the earliest stages of research into new therapy areas, through product development, to the delivery of products that will achieve commercial success and fulfill the expectations of our clients and their key stakeholders.

Position Overview

Senior Associates play a highly visible and integral role as day-to-day project managers. they have significant client exposure and provide input on the strategic direction of projects alongside more senior team members. Senior Associates will perform or direct a broad range of analytical tasks, manage teams in the execution of project workstreams, and distill findings into high-impact strategy recommendations. Senior Associates collaborate with teams in a range of geographies on our clients’ local, regional, and global strategic issues. To be successful in this role, you must be able to effectively conceptualize complex strategic problems and contribute to defining project plans that address those strategic issues. Candidates at this level are expected to work independently with minimal supervision, and demonstrate the potential to grow quickly into leaders. We highly value a strong work ethic, creativity, a positive attitude, and a high level of energy. Senior Associates may:

• Contribute to the development of strategic direction for projects and independently identify and design analytical tasks to address the key project objectives;
• Conduct primary and secondary research and analyses;
• Develop sections of client presentations, reports, and other deliverables;
• Manage client communications and relationships as day-to-day project manager;
• Supervise and train junior staff on project teams, including reviewing their analyses and interim work product and providing coaching/direction;
• Contribute to business development efforts, client proposals, and thought leadership.

Desired Qualifications

• MBA degree candidates graduating in December 2024/Summer 2025 from top-tier academic programs, with a related bachelor’s or advanced degree (e.g., life sciences, engineering, finance, etc.) preferred;
• Previous consulting or transferable business experience in energy, finance or life sciences and demonstrated interest in and knowledge of the industry, with strong preference for candidates with two years of strategy consulting experience or industry experience;
• Previous client service experience, including managing relationships, facilitating meetings, and delivering presentations;
• Experience with quantitative and qualitative analysis methods and techniques;
• Staff and project management experience, including budgeting and project planning/management;
• Effective written and oral communication skills;
• Demonstrated high level of initiative and leadership;
• Strong teamwork and collaboration capabilities;
• Excellent time management and task prioritization skills;
• Clear and demonstrated interest in consulting through coursework, work experience, activities, or attendance at CRA recruiting events.

To Apply

To be considered for a position in the United States, we require the following:

• Resume – please include current address, personal email and telephone number;
• Cover letter – please describe your interest in CRA and how this role matches your goals. Also, please note if you have interest in a particular practice and/or a location preference;
• Transcript – for any pre-MBA academic degrees.

If you are interested in applying for one of our international locations, please visit our Careers site to view and apply for available jobs.

Please also note that candidate resume review will commence August 31, and continue on a rolling basis until positions are filled.

Career Growth and Benefits 

• CRA’s robust skills development programs, including a commitment to offering 100 hours of training annually through formal and informal programs, encourage you to thrive as an individual and team member. Beginning with research and analysis skill building, training continues with technical training, presentation skills, internal seminars, and career mentoring and performance coaching from an assigned senior colleague. Additional leadership and collaboration opportunities exist through internal firm development activities.
• We offer a comprehensive total rewards program including a superior benefits package, wellness programming to support physical, mental, emotional and financial well-being, and in-house immigration support for foreign nationals and international business travelers.

Work Location Flexibility

CRA creates a work environment that enables our colleagues to benefit from being together in the office to best deliver on our promise of career growth, mentorship and inclusivity. At the same time, we recognize that individuals realize a range of benefits when working from home periodically. We currently ask that individuals spend 3 to 4 days a week on average working in the office (which may include traveling to another CRA office or to a client’s location), with specific days determined in coordination with your practice or team. At certain times of the year (e.g. holiday periods), additional remote work options are offered to those whose work commitments permit it, although our offices remain open for those who choose or need to be there.

Our Commitment to Diversity

Charles River Associates is an equal opportunity employer (EOE/AAE). As part of our focus on equity and inclusion, we work to ensure a fair and consistent hiring process. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment. 

The city of New York requires CRA to include a good-faith estimate of the wage range for this role. This range is specific to individuals applying to work in our New York office and considers a number of factors including but not limited to experience, education level, and expertise. A good-faith estimate of the base wage range for this role is $135,000 – $150,000; actual total compensation may also include benefits and bonus.

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