Who you are:

Vera is seeking a Senior Research Associate to join the Ending Girls Incarceration team. The Senior Research Associate will provide leadership and support for multiple studies that are part of EGIs strategy to end incarceration of girls and gender expansive youth in the U.S. This position would suit an experienced researcher, with training in quantitative and/or qualitative methods, and an interest in working in an applied setting where rigorous social science research provides the basis for developing and advocating for practical real-world reforms to policy and practice.

Reporting to EGI's Associate Director of Research, the SRA will work collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team to see research projects through from planning, design, data collection, analysis, write up, and presentation to various community, policy, and practitioner audiences. Specifically, the candidate will be responsible for designing and conducting quantitative and qualitative studies using a range of methods including (but not limited to) community-based collaborative research, qualitative interviews, case file reviews, and analysis of administrative data. A primary responsibility of the Senior Research Associate will be to work with government agencies to request, analyze, and report out on data to inform real-time system change efforts. The SRA will also be responsible for producing written and digital materials including technical research reports, literature reviews, policy briefs, blog posts, and data visualizations. They will mentor and train EGI research staff, and partner with other team members to translate technical materials for non-research audiences.

The successful candidate will have extensive knowledge of research regarding the youth and criminal legal systems and/or experience working with data related to the criminal legal system and ideally specifically within the youth legal system. Fluency in racial justice and gender justice and applied experience using research to support policy advocacy and system change are a must.

What you'll do:

Research design and review

• Develop research designs aligned with EGIs strategic goals, including with attention to intersectional data analysis
• Provide peer review of study designs and analysis plans developed by team members
• Partner with EGIs Associate Director of Research and members of Vera's monitoring, evaluation and learning team to develop metrics and performance indicators
• Maintain and apply working knowledge of relevant literature, including but not limited to literature on youth development programming (including gender and culturally responsive programming), juvenile legal system policy matters (the impact of reforms and policy structures on public safety and youth outcomes), and materials regarding race and gender in the juvenile legal and related systems.

Data collection, management, and analysis

• Manage study timelines and budgets, ensuring timely completion of research deliverables
• Co-develop research instruments, including surveys
• Conduct surveys, interviews and focus groups in-person and remotely
• Obtain, clean, and analyze administrative records
• Co-develop codebooks, protocols, and supervision of data collection and analysis of case files
• Qualitative and quantitative data analysis
• Work with the Associate Director for Research to develop tools to guide government agencies in their analysis as EGI expands to new sites.
• Work closely with researchers and administrative staff working in juvenile legal system agencies or other government settings to support their data collection and analysis.
• Lead, train and supervise other staff on data collection and analysis
• Develop and present IRB applications and ensure that research is conducted to the highest ethical standards

Write up/presentation of research

• Lead development, writing and/or editing of research publications and evidence-based messaging and products in support of EGI's initiative goals
• Partner with EGI advocacy and communications staff to develop accessible materials that ensure multiple audiences have the data they need to advocate for change, including advocates, young people and their families.
• Present EGI research to external audiences, including EGI sites (especially those participating in EGI's peer network) at community forums, academic and policy-focused conferences, and professional meetings

Partnerships

• Develop and manage relationships with government partners and community stakeholders
• Partner with the Associate Research Director to develop and maintain relationships with national network of researchers who study and publish on matters impacting girls and gender expansive youth of color and those in the youth legal system
• Liaise with research partners and subcontractors

Hiring/Supervision

• Provide mentorship and guidance to researchers on the EGI team
• Support hiring and recruitment for research associates, analysts, assistants, and/or interns as needed
• Supervise and mentor research associates, analysts, assistants, and/or interns as needed
• Partner with the Associate Research Director and Program Managers to ensure the EGI team maintains an accurate working knowledge of the literature on girls and gender expansive youth in the juvenile legal and related systems, including both policy and program matters

What qualifications are we looking for?

• Ph.D. and 1+ years of applied research work experience, a Masters and 4+ years applied research work experience, or equivalent applied experience over 6+ years.

Preferred:

• Direct experience working in or with the juvenile legal, child welfare, or related system. Demonstrated research interest in gender justice

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities you'll bring:

• Knowledge of the research and theoretical literature on youth development, gender justice, racial justice, and juvenile legal, child welfare and related systems
• Knowledge of a variety of social science research methods
• Basic knowledge of database systems and
• Intermediate proficiency in statistics
• Proficiency with programming and code review
• Ability to produce replicable results of data wrangling, quality control, analysis, and reports
• Excellent oral and written communication

Technical knowledge we need you prepared to use:

• Quantitative data analysis software such as Stata, R, or SPSS
• Qualitative Data Analysis software such as MaxQDA, Dedoose, or Nvivo

Location:

• Please note this role can report to any one of our four Vera offices. Vera employees adhere to a hybrid schedule and are in-office on an alternating schedule that generally amounts to 10 days per month.

Compensation and Benefits:

The compensation range for this position is $99,000 – $104,000. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to experience and performance. The salary range listed is just one component of Vera Institute's total compensation package for employees. As an employer of choice in our field, supporting Vera staff—both personally and professionally—is a priority. To do this, we invest in the well-being of our staff through other rewards including merit pay, generous paid time off, a comprehensive health insurance plan, student loan repayment benefits, professional development training opportunities and up to $2,000 annual for education costs and fees relevant to Vera work, employer-funded retirement plan, and flexible time. To learn more about Vera's benefits offerings, click here.

Applications may also be faxed to:

ATTN: People Resources / Senior Research Associate, Ending Girls Incarceration
Vera Institute of Justice
34 35th St, Suite 4-2A, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Fax: (212) 941-9407
Please use only one method (online, mail or fax) of submission.
No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

As a federal contractor, and in order to ensure a healthy and safe work environment, Vera Institute of Justice is requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccine before their start date. Employees who cannot receive the vaccine because of a disability/medical contraindication or sincerely-held religious belief may request an accommodation (e.g., an exemption) to this requirement.

Vera is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status.

Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission.

For more information about Vera, please visit www.vera.org