Director of Research

DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH

The Innocence Project ("the Project") is seeking a Director of Research. Applicants should have experience in evaluating programs, strong quantitative skills, and fluency in working with large administrative databases. Experience conducting and reviewing applied criminal justice research is preferred, as is knowledge of public policy.

The Innocence Project is a national litigation and public policy organization dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted people through DNA testing and reforming the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice. Founded in 1992 by Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld, the organization is affiliated with Cardozo Law School. For more information, please visit our website at www.innocenceproject.org.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director of Research will join a collaborative group of policy staff that includes the Project’s Policy Director, policy analysts, legislative liaison and academic colleagues in other settings who engage in research on the causes and solutions of wrongful convictions. While there is some administrative support and the possibility that student interns could be used to support the work, the Director will be required to direct or carry out all research and administrative functions.

Responsibilities include keeping the Innocence Project up to date on academic and field research involving the causes and remedies of wrongful convictions, serving as the IP liaison to the research community, overseeing research where the IP is a partner, administering the review of requests for IP participation or access to IP clients for research studies, and overseeing the analysis of IP client and DNA exoneration data. The Director of Research is responsible for managing all IP research work, including research design and implementation, supervising student and IP staff, conducting quantitative and qualitative analyses, making presentations, and writing reports.

The Director of Research will report to the Policy Director, but will work with the Policy Director, Executive Director, Co-Directors and other senior staff in shaping the future directions for the organization’s research agenda.

QUALIFICATIONS

Specific qualifications include:

• Ph.D. in a social science discipline or in research methodology
• 3+ years of experience conducting policy-relevant research
• Strong quantitative background and experience using SPSS, SAS, or STATA
• Familiarity with criminal justice research issues
• Experience working in non-research environments with multidisciplinary staff and in collaborative face paced settings preferred
• Successful grant writing/entrepreneurship

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with hiring at the earliest possible date. Please email resume, cover letter, and a list of three references to hr3@innocenceproject.org (include RESEARCH DIRECTOR) in the subject line. Please do not send zip files; they will be deleted before they are opened. Thanks.

Salary is dependant upon experience, and we offer a competitive benefit package. The Innocence Project is an equal-opportunity, affirmative-action employer.