Senior Researcher

Hybrid full-time salaried position in Oakland, CA (preferred), Los Angeles, CA (preferred), or Washington, DC. Applicants that prefer to report to the DC office must be willing to maintain a 10am - 6pm ET work schedule and travel to the Oakland office as needed. We ARE NOT considering remote staff for this position.

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 manage multiple projects, supervise Research Analysts, 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. Senior Researchers are responsible for leading project planning by developing logic models, research and evaluation plans, work plans, and timelines. They are expected to supervise Research Analysts by delegating effectively, providing constructive feedback, and providing support in goal setting and problem solving. 

What You Will Do

Senior researchers report to the Associate Director and have the following core responsibilities:

• Project Management
  • Manage multiple projects concurrently, ensuring that the team meets internal and external deadlines for deliverables; execute the work plan and evaluation plan as developed; communicate and coordinate with internal and external partners to ensure that tasks are completed in a timely fashion; serve as the senior point person for projects.
• Supervise Research Analysts
  • Conduct regular and consistent one-on-one check-ins with supervisees; provide feedback on work products and progress; support in goal setting and problem solving; support in the development of professional and technical skills; complete Impact Justice-required quarterly and annual reviews on time.
• 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; train research analysts in the administration of surveys.
• 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.
• Report and Grant Writing
  • Identify relevant organizations and sources for ongoing or upcoming projects; finalize reports and report-associated posts for the Impact Justice website; write and finalize grant proposals; contribute significantly to the team “idea bank” (i.e. produces actionable ideas for LOIs, grant proposals, and concept papers)

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 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

Preferred Qualifications

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