As a member of our team, you will play a critical role in the research and policy initiatives of a think tank and membership organization.
Reporting to the Policy Director, your research, policy analysis, writing, and project management will help ground key criminal justice policy debates in facts, evidence, and fundamental principles of justice.
The Research Specialist will contribute directly to the Council’s research initiatives, publications, task forces and other policy and programmatic efforts through:
Research Design, Execution, and Management
Developing and executing priority research and data projects;
Acting as an internal peer reviewer on research and data projects, including op-eds, social media posts, and other publications;
Helping to ensure project research meets the highest possible standards of data and methodological rigor;
Developing and managing relationships with external research and data experts, including assisting in identifying and securing appropriate partners for projects;
Developing and maintaining research and data files to facilitate ready access for staff knowledge and reference;
Adhering to quality control protocols; and,
Maintaining and continuing to develop an understanding of emerging research, policies, and developments in the criminal justice field by monitoring publications and participating in conferences, seminars, and other professional development activities.
Research Translation and Publication
Producing research reports, briefs and summaries, op-eds, blog posts, and other content for publication and presentation to Council leadership, membership, task forces, and other audiences;
Translating research to ensure all written deliverables are both accessible to a lay audience and sufficiently rigorous for readers with more expertise; and,
Working closely with Council staff and members to design and implement effective dissemination strategies, including written products, online communications, and convenings.
The Research Specialist will also contribute to and participate in other tasks and projects, as assigned.
Requirements
Four years of relevant experience, including criminal justice or social policy analysis, research management, or data analysis.
Master’s or law degree required.
Demonstrated research and analytical skills applied to public policy issues, including the ability to synthesize and summarize large amounts of information and focus quickly on the essence of an issue.
A keen understanding of the importance of rigorous, timely, and policy-relevant research, experience commissioning and managing such research, and disseminating it effectively to policymakers, the media, and the public.
Ability to communicate ideas, thoughts, and concepts clearly and concisely and in a compelling way, both in writing and orally.
A clear, effective writing and presentation style.
Experience developing and moving complex projects forward with a high degree of independence within a creative, fast-paced, action-oriented, and collegial environment.
Acute political awareness and non-partisan perspective and approach.
Demonstrated ability to build relationships among individuals and organizations with diverse interests and perspectives.
The ability to represent the organization with poise and professionalism during regular interaction with high-level officials and stakeholders in the criminal justice field.
Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills are essential.
Proficiency in essential research and publication software, including: MS Office (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel); Stata and/or similar statistical analysis programs; data visualization tools (familiarity with Tableau a plus); and, project and team management platforms (Asana, Slack, Outlook, etc)
The Council is a fully remote organization.
All employees must be able to produce independently while effectively collaborating with a team.
This position may require occasional travel for conferences, meetings, and events.
Please note that all applications must be accompanied by a detailed cover letter specific to the Research Specialist position.
Benefits
The Council offers its employees a full benefit package, including health insurance, retirement savings plans, generous personal time off, paid parental leave, flex spending accounts, and wellness perks.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.
We welcome candidates of any age, color, ethnic background, country of origin, religion, disability status, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
Individuals who have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system are encouraged to apply.
The starting salary for this position will range from $75,000 to $90,000 per year, depending on experience and qualifications.
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