Senior Researcher

Temporary part time position, does not require weekly in office attendance but does require attendance at periodic in office meetings in either Oakland, CA or Washington, DC. The selected applicant will have to abide by a 20 hours per week consistent work schedule subject to discussion with and approval by the Associate Director. This is a 9-month, temporary position that is renewable contingent upon funding availability and project needs.

About the Research and Action Center

The Research and Action Center at Impact Justice partners with individuals, organizations, and communities to understand the problems of injustice and to evaluate promising solutions from the perspectives of those most impacted. Our studies, which are grounded in the ethics and practices of participatory research, connect the desire for change with informed action. We do this by collecting and analyzing data and collaborating with public and private agencies and community-based organizations. Additionally, we center the experiences of formerly incarcerated people and others affected by harmful legal systems who are increasingly on the frontlines of change, by supporting their work through research, evaluation, and technical assistance.

Who You Are

Senior Researchers are expected to support the management of multiple projects and assist with team grant and report writing. They serve as the primary point person for project partners and participate in project communications and meetings. And they are responsible for leading project planning by developing logic models, research and evaluation plans, work plans, and timelines.

What You Will Do

The anticipated start date for this position is September 1, 2025. Senior Researchers report to the Associate Director and have the following core responsibilities:

1. Project Management
   • Provide project management support on key projects under moderate supervision of the associate director, coordinates with internal partners to ensure that tasks are completed in a timely fashion, ensures that the team executes the work and evaluation plans as developed, and meets deadlines for deliverables; provides data collection, analysis, writing, and communication support on significant internal and/or external projects managed by advanced Senior Researcher staff.
2. Develop Data Collection Tools and Protocols
   • Finalize and prepare IRB submissions; develop surveys with both externally and internally validated measures; develop interview protocols; ensure that data collection tools correspond with appropriate logic models and relevant research questions.
3. Collect and Analyze Data (as needed)
   • Support data collection for projects; conduct, interpret, and summarize more complex data analysis as needed, including multiple forms of regression; able to contribute significantly to the research design elements of projects, including matching control group samples, sample design, etc.
4. Report and Grant Writing
   • Finalize reports and report-associated posts for the Impact Justice website; write and finalize grant proposals.

Education / Experience Level

Competitive candidates typically have:

• Master’s and/or PhD degree in a relevant field (e.g. criminal legal systems, criminology, sociology, public policy). A law degree alone (JD, LLM, SJD) will likely be considered insufficient.
• At least 5 years of experience in an advanced research role, preferably with project leadership experience
• At least 3 years of project management experience, preferably in a non-profit or similar setting

Required Qualifications

• Experience managing projects and people
• Expertise in data collection, management, and analysis
• High level expertise in qualitative (preferred) or quantitative research methods.
• Able to develop collaborative logic models/theories of change
• Positive, solutions-oriented approach to problems
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Excellent time management skills, including the ability to manage tasks across multiple projects
• Extreme reliability and ability to maintain confidentiality
• Expertise in one or more areas of the criminal/juvenile legal system
• Highly skilled in data visualization
• Commitment to employing an intersectional lens during all tasks and projects
• Able to execute the duties and responsibilities of the Research Analyst I/II/III (RA-I/II/III) positions as needed

Preferred Qualifications

• Member of a criminal legal system-impacted community
• Bilingual
• Experience leading a diverse team
• Successful grant writing experience