Who we are:

The Vera Institute of Justice is powered by hundreds of advocates, researchers, and policy experts working to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems until they’re fair for all. Founded in 1961 to advocate for alternatives to money bail in New York City, Vera is now a national organization that partners with impacted communities and government leaders for change. We develop just, antiracist solutions so that money doesn’t determine freedom; fewer people are in jails, prisons, and immigration detention; and everyone is treated with dignity. For more information, visit vera.org.

Vera has a staff of 224 people, is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York and has offices in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and New Orleans. We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace. We expect our staff to embody respect, independence, collaboration, commitment, anti-racism, and equity—both in our outward-facing work and the internal culture of our workplace. We value a range of experiences in people’s educational backgrounds and encourage people who have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system to apply.

About the team:

Vera’s Senior Research Associate (SRA) manages Restoring Promise’s quantitative research, including experimental and quasi-experimental studies. The SRA will work under the direction of an Associate Director of Research to manage mixed methods research with a focus on quantitative data, including experimental and quasi-experimental designs. In the near term they will lead a cross-site analysis of Restoring Promise units in four states. The SRA will lead discrete research studies and/or components of studies, manage staff, and support the research and leadership team.

The SRA is an advanced researcher who manages multiple research projects in their area of methodological and subject matter specialization. The SRA works collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams to see work through from planning, design, data collection, analysis, write up, and presentation to various audiences. The SRA has spent significant time developing and growing their relevant methodological skills before taking this role. In this role, the SRA expands their breadth and depth of methodological and subject matter specialization and management skills, demonstrating capacity to manage research work in an applied research setting.  
 
The SRA has expertise in the team’s core subject areas and ability to represent Vera’s work to external partners and at public events. The SRA manages and supervises other staff—providing support, training, and mentorship. They may also provide advice, methodological guidance, and peer review to researchers working on other projects and initiatives. The SRA may serve as the principal investigator on a project/study.

All Restoring Promise research is informed by a Participatory Action Research (PAR) framework. The SRA is expected to maintain a PAR approach in all research processes and identify additional touch points for collaboration in study design and implementation. The SRA’s approach to their tasks must be rooted in anti-racist philosophy and practices, with a commitment to the values of Restoring Promise: Race Equity, Cultural Healing, Restorative Justice, and Community and Family Partnership. 

In preparation for a principal research associate role, the SRA gains experience developing the evidence that is needed to address a problem or gap as part of Restoring Promise’s broader theory of change—working in partnership with colleagues in advocacy and communications to translate evidence for policy makers and non-specialist audiences. 

The SRA collaborates with team members to advance project/initiative goals by actively engaging in team meetings and program activities and supporting efforts to ensure Vera’s race equity and inclusion priorities are a core aspect of Vera’s research, including in methodological approaches, publications, hiring, and staffing, and external and internal research communications. The SRA contributes to developing research agendas, in collaboration with Research and Associate Research Directors.

About the role:

Design, implement, and manage strategic research projects in support of the initiative’s priorities  

  • Mange research in support of technical assistance—manage administrative and primary data collection, analysis, and reporting;
  • Serve as principal investigator with responsibility over: IRB materials and compliance; data security, maintenance, and destruction; and project timelines.
  • Responsible for supporting the management and integrity of the research design-specifically that is as collaborative as possible, grounded in Vera's race equity and inclusion goals and Restoring Promise's four values, and done within an anti-racist framework;
  • Define, monitor, and evaluate initiative's components, development, impact, and sustainability;
  • Develop knowledge about local and national politics or field-related topics that would impact the work and research design.

Data collection, management, and analysis 

  • Responsible for data collection, analysis, and reporting and managing teams that collect, analyze, and report on data;
  • Facilitate analysis meetings with using a PAR framework and manage teams facilitating PAR analysis meetings;
  • Use statistical analysis software to conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses;
  • Streamline the process of data collection and building database;
  • Develop data tools to support initiative’s efforts;
  • Maintain consistent communication with programmatic staff;
  • Consistent communication on study progress, deliverables, and roadblocks to associate director of research / initiative director.

Share research findings with broad audiences 

  • Prepare statistics, background research, or infographics for reports and other products for internal and external audiences;
  • Prepare and format reports and other products for internal and external audiences;
  • Synthesize findings and draft and edit memos, presentations, and reports to democratize knowledge and promote transparency;
  • Work with program, communications, and advocacy to highlight research findings and publish reports;
  • Present research findings to diverse audiences, that may require different messaging and approach, internally and externally—to the team, to government partners (leadership, staff, and workgroups), colleagues in the field and the public;
  • Establish and maintain relationships with the team and the institute; with partners (government, people currently/formerly incarcerated, advocates, families, and consultants); and the field in support of research activities.

Support institute’s research team and the initiative      

  • Identify and attend learning opportunities to support the work;
  • Support research team operations including contributions to advocacy and administrative work of initiative;
  • Occasionally facilitate team meetings;
  • Manage hiring and onboarding of research associates, analysts, and interns/fellows as needed-drafting all materials using anti-racist and REI language, liaise with Vera’s People, Places, and Culture team, facilitating meetings with the team for decision-making, and communicating with potential applicants;
  • Supervise at least one associate, analyst, or intern/fellow-ensuring they receive the proper orientation, stay on top of all administrative related tasks, and maintain a curiosity and propensity for learning;
  • Provide peer support and mentorship to teammates
  • Stay informed on developments in the field and engage in team discussions and planning regarding how to apply learning to the work internally and externally
  • Collaborate with team members to advance initiative goals by actively engaging in internal meetings and planning activities
  • Support efforts to ensure that Vera’s race, equity, and inclusion priorities are a core aspect of the initiative’s research agenda. This includes how team members work together and in the research itself – methodological approaches, publications, and communication.

Other duties as assigned

What qualifications are we looking for?

  • Ph.D. and 1+ years of work experience; Masters and 4+ years of applied research experience, or equivalent applied experience over 6+ years
  • Strong quantitative research skills
  • Experience designing and leading quantitative research projects, including rigorous experimental studies
  • Experience with PAR 

Preferred: 

  • Experience working with incarcerated people or doing research in prisons
  • Experience working with Departments of Corrections and/or correctional staff
  • Experience working with  administrative datasets
  • Experience with human subjects, research ethics requirements and Institutional Review Boards  

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities you'll bring: 

  • Experience working on applied research studies, preferably in the justice reform field and using a participatory action research framework.
  • Ability to travel 20% of time

Technical knowledge helpful for this role:

  • SPSS; R or STATA

Location:

Please note this role will report to our Brooklyn, NY, office. 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 $100,500 - $105,500. 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. 

Application Process:

To receive further consideration for this career opportunity, applicants are asked preliminary questions about logistics, their interest and qualifications. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional details about their experience via a phone screen/form in advance of an invitation for a virtual or in-person interview with the team. Some searches may explore scenarios during the interview process and/or an assessment prior to reference checks and a hiring decision.

Applications may also be faxed to:

ATTN: People, Place, and Culture / Senior Research Associate, Restoring Promise
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.

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.

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