Advancing Justice & Community Safety Researcher

• Prison-based education and reentry supports
• Reimagining public safety systems
• Community- and school-based restorative justice
• Police accountability and reform
• Juvenile and criminal justice diversion
• Community violence prevention and intervention
• Mentoring (including credible messenger mentoring)
• Youth engagement and re-engagement with school and work
• Alternatives to exclusionary discipline and disrupting the school to prison pipeline

AIR is seeking candidates with experience conducting impact, quasi-experimental, and/or implementation studies using quantitative and/or qualitative data sources. Experience with participatory research designs is a plus. AIR is seeking a researcher who values diversity, equity, and inclusion. The ideal candidate is committed to a strengths-based perspective as well as mitigating the impacts of both personal and systemic biases in research. Candidates with relevant lived experience are encouraged to apply.

• Maintain positive and collaborative relationships
  • Contribute to positive client and stakeholder relationships.
  • Contribute substantively, thoughtfully, and creatively to project teams.
  • Demonstrate cultural and linguistic competence and sensitivity in all interactions with colleagues, stakeholders, and project participants.
• Write reports, including briefs, charts, and graphs that interpret findings for clients.
• Contribute to research proposals for Federal, state, foundation, and other clients.
• Communicate effectively, orally or in writing, with clients, program providers, and other stakeholders and represent AIR in a professional manner.
• Use content knowledge in justice and community safety research to design and execute relevant and responsive projects for the field.
• Conceptualize problems, identify research questions, and help design studies.
  • Use content knowledge in justice and community safety research to design and execute relevant and responsive projects for the field.
  • Contribute to the development of study designs, methods, and analytic plans.
  • Contribute to research proposals for Federal, state, foundation, and other clients.
• Manage day-to-day project work and operations in task lead roles.
  • Manage tasks by preparing timelines, coordinating staff on task assignments, and ensuring tasks are completed on time, on budget, and with quality.
• Contribute to the design and planning of qualitative and/or quantitative data collection instruments including interview protocols, focus group protocols, and surveys.
• Contribute substantively, thoughtfully, and creatively to project teams.
• Contribute to positive client and stakeholder relationships.
• Communicate study progress and findings
  • Write reports, including briefs, charts, and graphs that interpret findings for clients.
  • Communicate effectively, orally or in writing, with clients, program providers, and other stakeholders and represent AIR in a professional manner.
• Lead field-based data collection activities including interviews, structured observations, focus groups, surveys, and document review.
• Demonstrate cultural and linguistic competence and sensitivity in all interactions with colleagues, stakeholders, and project participants.
• Contribute to the development of study designs, methods, and analytic plans.
• Lead or serve as a key contributor to the collection and analyses of data
  • Contribute to the design and planning of qualitative and/or quantitative data collection instruments including interview protocols, focus group protocols, and surveys.
  • Lead field-based data collection activities including interviews, structured observations, focus groups, surveys, and document review.
  • Lead and/or oversee data management and analyses of survey, interview, observation, and/or extant data using the appropriate analysis tools.
• Manage tasks by preparing timelines, coordinating staff on task assignments, and ensuring tasks are completed on time, on budget, and with quality.
• Lead and/or oversee data management and analyses of survey, interview, observation, and/or extant data using the appropriate analysis tools.

Education, Knowledge, and Experience:

• Experience with quantitative data collection methodologies (including but not limited to use of publicly available datasets, survey design, social network analysis, geospatial information systems mapping) and/or qualitative data collection methodologies (including but not limited to structured interviews, focus groups, observations, survey research)
• Experience building and maintaining client and partner relationships a plus but not required
• PhD in related subject area (Human Development, Sociology, Psychology, Public Policy, Public Health, Education, Social Work, or related field), or Master’s degree with a minimum of 4 years of relevant experience
• Experience designing research and evaluation protocols and processes
• Experience in research and evaluation study design and business pursuit (e.g., grant and proposal writing) a plus but not required
• Experience conducting qualitative and/or quantitative analyses (including analytic software packages [such as STATA, R, NViVO, and Access])
• Knowledge and experience in topics related to youth, family, and community development with an emphasis on thriving youth and justice systems (see related topics)

Skills:

• Ability to produce concise, high-level summaries and briefings accessible to broad audiences
• Ability to take big ideas and develop concrete work plans and timelines
• Excellent interpersonal skills to ensure effective communication with individuals at all levels and from diverse backgrounds
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy when writing

Disclosures:

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for this position. Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet certain residency requirements.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.

AIR adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

AIR’s Total Rewards Program, is designed to reward our staff competitively and motivate them to achieve our critical mission. This position offers an anticipated annual salary of $85,000 - $115,000. Salary offers are made based on internal equity within the institution and external equity with competitive markets. Please note this is the annual salary range for candidates that are based in the United States.