Data & Community Developer

Innocence & Justice Louisiana (IJLA), formerly Innocence Project New Orleans, is seeking a Data & Community Developer for the Louisiana Law Enforcement Accountability Database (LLEAD). IJLA is looking for a thoughtful and innovative individual with relevant experience to maintain, expand, and develop LLEAD, which will better enable IJLA to identify cases of potential wrongful conviction, engage communities through research and advocacy, and integrate data technology locally and globally to better serve organizations committed to justice.

About IJLA

Innocence & Justice Louisiana frees innocent people sentenced to prison and those serving unjust sentences. We recognize the root causes of wrongful convictions and unjust sentences as systemic racism and inequity. We work to expose and address these root causes by securing the release of the wrongfully convicted and unjustly punished; sharing our clients’ stories in court, the legislature, the community, and the media; and supporting our clients to enable them to live well and fully in the world after their release.

About LLEAD

The Louisiana Law Enforcement Accountability Database aims to change how communities hold police and prosecutors accountable by providing data tools and analysis to identify and address official misconduct. The tools being developed and implemented by LLEAD will also serve IJLA’s screening process, allowing us to better identify cases of wrongful conviction that involve law enforcement misconduct.

The Data & Community Developer will serve an instrumental role in designing, implementing, and improving both the database itself and the technological infrastructure necessary to achieve LLEAD’s goals, working closely with IJLA’s executive director and case manager. Further, LLEAD aims to shift power to communities to demand greater transparency and accountability from law enforcement by providing data-based analyses of patterns, practices, and actors in the criminal justice system, serving to build public trust by promoting systemic change in the institutions that most negatively impact our communities when they fail. LLEAD is a valuable tool for advocates, journalists, legal offices, and most importantly, communities.

About the Role

The LLEAD Data & Community Developer will play a crucial role in maintaining, developing, and improving LLEAD. This position necessarily combines community engagement, policy advocacy, and data analysis to drive systemic change in the criminal legal system.

Key responsibilities include:

Community Organizing & Education

• Engage with and find new community partners to identify data needs and address them.
• Become LLEAD’s ambassador to educate the public, demonstrate LLEAD’s capabilities and potential, and teach how to use LLEAD effectively.
• Foster relationships with community partners on the ground, within the Innocence Network and with justice organizations, and internationally with our partners in a tech freedom coalition.

Community Development

• Produce analyses from our data to support community partners across Louisiana in pushing for policy changes.
• Collaborate with IJLA team members to develop data-driven policy recommendations.

Data Management & Analysis

• Assist in designing and seeding of LLEAD, ensuring data integrity and increasing usability.
• Conduct data collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting.
• Work closely with IJLA staff to use LLEAD to review and investigate wrongful conviction cases.
• Partner with affiliates to create, develop, and implement data infrastructure and tools; including front-end development for independent large language models, advancement of unstructured data extraction methods, and maintenance of independent coalition servers.

Technical Skills & Knowledge

• Demonstrated proficiency in data collection, analysis, and management techniques.
• Understand and anticipate data needs for various stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to learn programming languages, integrating new technology, and establishing workflows.

Collaboration & Outreach

• Identify and negotiate access to reliable information sources.
• Foster collaborations with agencies administering similar accountability programs.
• Serve as a point of contact for technology providers, government entities, consultants, and tech partners in justice communities.

Skills & Qualifications

IJLA will pay particular attention to demonstrated excellence in prior work or experience requiring outstanding organizational skills, ability to work both independently and collaboratively, attention to detail, strong oral advocacy skills, and excellent research and writing.

The ideal candidate will have the following personal and professional qualities:

• Bachelor’s Degree, or at least 2 years of relevant experience
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice
• Experience in criminal, legal, government, and/or archival fields
• Experience with databases and/or case management systems, high level of computer literacy
• Knowledge of/experience with the criminal legal system or government agencies
• Experience reviewing legal cases and social science data
• Experience and demonstrated skill undertaking a significant role in, or leading, complex and ongoing projects
• Ability and willingness to travel extensively
• Willingness to work irregular hours when necessary
• A valid driver’s license

Salary & Benefits:

• The salary range for this position is $50,000 $

66,000. Salary will be commensurate with relevant experience. IJLA offers a very competitive benefits package, including medical/dental/vision and six weeks of paid vacation, 401k match, and cell phone reimbursement. IJLA provides a work environment that encourages health and self-care. IJLA is a family and pet friendly workplace.

Application

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Please e-mail a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and three references to openings@justicelouisiana.org. Please include the job title in the e-mail subject line. Please do not call. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

IJLA is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce reflective of the diverse communities we serve and support. IJLA works to advance racial justice and equity. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and legal system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission.

IJLA offers a very competitive benefits package, including medical/dental/vision and six weeks of paid vacation, 401k match, and cell phone reimbursement. IJLA provides a work environment that encourages health and self-care. IJLA is a family and pet friendly workplace.