Center Director of Research

Founded in 1961, the Vera Institute of Justice combines expertise in research, technical assistance, and demonstration projects to help leaders in government and civil society improve the systems people rely on for justice and safety. Vera’s centers, programs, and departments cover a full range of justice issues and serve diverse vulnerable populations.

Program Description
Vera seeks a Director of Research for its Center on Immigration and Justice. The Center on Immigration and Justice responds to the increased convergence of the immigration and criminal justice systems by developing evidence-based justice solutions for systems affecting immigrants and their families. Current Center projects seek to increase legal access for adult and child immigrant detainees, and improve relationships between immigrant communities and law enforcement. The Center currently works in more than 15 states across the country on projects primarily funded by federal government agencies. The Center employs diverse interdisciplinary staff who work collaboratively across projects and with other Vera centers and programs.

Roles and Responsibilities
The Center’s Director of Research reports to the Institute’s Research Director on all aspects of the Center’s research development, applications, administration, and support. The Center Director of Research is responsible for supervising the work of the Center’s research staff, assisting them in their development and career paths, and ensuring that all staff work smoothly and seamlessly with other Center staff on all projects. The Center Director of Research will set the Center’s research agenda and will work closely with the Center Director, who has final responsibility for Center decisions.

The Center’s Director of Research will plan and build research projects around the Center’s core areas of work. This requires knowledge of potential funding sources, the ability to communicate with funders, willingness to work on projects that involve basic and applied research, the capacity to work collaboratively with program staff, and ability to implement new projects. Specific responsibilities include:
• Planning, managing, and overseeing Center research projects;
• Ensuring that appropriate analytical support is provided to the Center’s technical assistance and programmatic work;
• Developing research proposals and securing funding for them;
• Managing the team of Center researchers;
• Recruiting new research staff when necessary;
• Managing research project budgets;
• Collaborating with government and community partners; and
• Preparing and editing reports and publications.

Qualifications
• PhD in a social science is required.
• Experience, as a Principal Investigator, supervising and managing multiple projects employing a range of social science methods, both quantitative and qualitative.
• Experience managing and supervising projects that involve research with human subjects.
• Experience developing and writing research projects and preparing grant applications.
• Proven ability to identify and develop research program areas.
• Experience making and supervising budgets and negotiating contracts.
• Prior history of funded research.
• Experience working in and leading interdisciplinary teams that involve research, technical assistance, and training.
• Superior writing and editing skills, and ability to write for a policy audience.
• Research experience either with the immigration removal system (immigration courts, detention, and deportation) or with diverse populations in the criminal justice system that are involved with immigration.
• Ability to read and write about legal documents and communicate with expert legal advocates.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills, and the ability to work with a range of stakeholders, including staff at nonprofit community organizations, legal service providers, expert researchers, and high-level government employees.
• Capacity to lead by example and to support career development for all supervised staff.
• Fluency in a second language, especially Spanish or another language spoken by new immigrants in the United States, is strongly preferred.
• Willingness to travel.

Candidates selected for interviews will be required to complete a brief writing exercise. Finalists for this position will be required to give a presentation on their original research to Center and research staff.

Salary
Commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits.

How to Apply
Please submit a resume, cover letter and writing sample.

Online submission is preferred.

However, if necessary, materials may be mailed or faxed to:
ATTN: Human Resources /CIJ Director recruitment
Vera Institute of Justice
233 Broadway, 12th Flr.
New York, NY 10279
Fax: (212) 941-9407

Please use only one method of submission (online, mail or fax).
No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

The Vera Institute of Justice values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.

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