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. This role also involves evaluating how marketing technologies, analytics tools, and data collection practices interact with privacy requirements and emerging regulatory risks.

Your responsibilities as an Associate Principal may include (but are not limited to):

• Analyze advertising technologies such as pixels, SDKs, tag managers, and server-side tracking.

• Advise upon technical engineering and industry data sharing standards impacting upstream and downstream participants in the digital advertising lifecycle.

• 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.

• Assess development of advertising technologies in support of identify privacy implications, data integrity issues, and potential compliance gaps.

• Partner with marketing and product teams to translate complex privacy and AdTech findings into practical guidance that informs digital roadmap decisions and reduces exposure to regulatory and litigation risk.

• Develop bespoke analytics and investigatory tools to support client and counsel in AdTech litigation, regulatory compliance, and investigations.

• 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), Real-Time Bidding, and ID resolution methods.

• Familiarity with key regulations and litigation trends affecting AdTech and data privacy.

• Experience with 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 expect that individuals spend at least 3 to 4 days a week working in the office (which may include traveling to another CRA office or to client meetings), with specific days determined in coordination with your practice or team.

Our Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity

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.

Salary and other compensation

A good-faith estimate of the annual base salary range for this position is $140,000 - $170,000. Stating pay within this range may vary based on factors such as education level, experience, skills, geographic location, market conditions, and other qualifications of the successful candidate. This position may be eligible for additional bonus incentive compensation.

CRA offers a comprehensive benefits package, subject to eligibility requirements, which may include: medical, dental, and vision insurance; 401(k) retirement plan with employer match; life and disability insurance; paid time off (vacation, sick leave, holidays); paid parental leave; wellness programs and employee assistance resources; and commuter benefits.