Posted on August 7, 2012

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Research Associate, Center Youth Justice

The Vera Institute of Justice, founded in 1961, is an independent, non-partisan, nonprofit organization that combines expertise in research, technical assistance, and demonstration projects to assist leaders in government and civil society, examine justice policy and practice, and improve the systems people rely on for justice and safety. Vera has offices in New York City, Washington, DC, and New Orleans, and its projects and reform initiatives, typically conducted in partnership with local, state, or national officials, are located across the United States and around the world. Vera is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace. Vera’s Center on Youth Justice (CYJ) promotes the well-being and safety of youth, families, and communities by working with government to make juvenile justice systems equitable and humane in policy and practice. CYJ combines research, planning, and technical assistance with substantive expertise in juvenile justice to inform and facilitate the work of policymakers and practitioners nationwide. Vera is currently seeking a Research Associate to assist with aspects of quantitative and qualitative research projects, with a particular emphasis on quantitative research.

Responsibilities

• Help design evaluation and other research studies
• Conduct rigorous analyses of quantitative research data
• Manage large computerized databases
• Construct and prepare data collection instruments
• Recruit and interview study participants
• Write research reports, memos, proposals, and other research documents
• Present research findings to practitioner/policy audiences

Qualifications: Interest in social justice, commitment to fairness, and demonstrated knowledge of juvenile/criminal justice issues are essential. We also highly value experience with communities affected by criminal justice and other government systems. Candidates who possess the following qualifications are strongly preferred:

• Graduate degree in sociology, psychology, public policy, or other social science related degree. PhD in one of these areas is a plus.
• Knowledge of, and experience in, designing and conducting social science research, ideally in the areas of criminal and juvenile justice.
• Three to five years of quantitative research experience
• Strong background in statistics, including experience with advanced multivariate techniques such as
• Hierarchical Linear Modeling or survival analysis
• Extensive experience developing and managing large databases
• Knowledge of and comfort using SPSS
• Experience in designing, and conducting focus groups, interviews, and surveys
• Familiarity with or interest in performance measurement and public policy analysis
• Strong presentation and writing skills for both research and practitioner/policy audiences
• Ability to interact well with internal multi-disciplinary research team and supervisor
• Excellent multi-tasking skills
• Ability to travel occasionally

Salary

Commensurate with experience; excellent benefits

How to Apply

Please submit a cover letter and resume.

Online submission is preferred at

No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.
However, if necessary, materials may be mailed to:
ATTN: Research Associate Recruitment
Vera Institute of Justice
233 Broadway, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10279

The Vera Institute of Justice values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.