Associate Principal/Ad Tech Specialist (Forensic Services practice)

About Charles River Associates

CRA 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 two main services – economic and management consulting – are delivered by practice groups that focus on specific areas of expertise or industries. Click here to learn how CRA can help you launch your career.

Position Overview

CRA’s Forensic Services practice supports companies’ commitment to integrity by assisting them and their counsel in independently responding to allegations of fraud, waste, abuse, misconduct, and non-compliance. We are noted for deploying cross-trained teams of forensic professionals to assist our clients in gaining deeper insights and greater value more quickly. We provide accounting and forensic services as well as cybercrime investigation services.

As an Associate Principal, you will lead projects that help clients navigate the intersection of advertising technology, privacy compliance, and litigation risk. You will serve as a strategic and technical advisor across legal, marketing, web, and engineering functions, helping clients design compliant AdTech solutions and improve their compliance and litigation readiness.  Your responsibilities as an Associate Principal may include (but are not limited to):

• Lead project delivery across client engagements, ensuring high-quality execution and on-time delivery.
• Advise clients on privacy compliant AdTech strategy, platform implementation, and data collection.
• Support litigation, regulatory response, and internal investigations by analyzing AdTech systems, data flows, and tracking technologies.
• Design privacy-compliant media and data activation strategies, including clean room use, consent management, and signal architecture.
• Evaluate AdTech stacks and data sharing practices for legal risk and technical effectiveness.
• Provide input and requirements for internal and client-facing tool development.
• Lead assessments to map and analyze personal data flows across web, mobile, and media platforms.
• Draft reports and develop material to be used in testimony or similar contexts.
• Deliver clear, actionable insights to legal counsel, marketing executives, and technical stakeholders.
• Contribute to internal knowledge development in AdTech, privacy engineering, and data monetization strategy.

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Marketing Technology, or related field.
• 7-10+ years of experience in AdTech, MarTech, or digital media strategy, preferably within a consulting firm, agency, or platform development.
• Deep understanding of programmatic advertising, data management platforms, tracking methods (client/server-side), and ID resolution methods.
• Familiarity with key regulations and litigation trends affecting AdTech and data privacy.
• Experience with digital marketing and AdTech tools such as Google Ads/CM360, Trade Desk, LiveRamp, Adobe Launch, and clean rooms.
• Strong client-facing skills with the ability to translate technical complexity into strategic recommendations.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional projects under deadline pressure.

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;

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

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). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

The District of Columbia 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 Washington, DC 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 $140,000 - $170,000; actual total compensation may also include benefits and bonus.