Who we are:

The Vera Institute of Justice, founded in 1961, is a nonprofit criminal justice organization that strives to build just government institutions and safe communities free from the scourge of racism, white supremacy, profit, and inequity that is pervasive in this country's legal systems. We are an "inside" lane organization that drives change at scale with ambitious public sector leaders who share our commitment to building anti-racist, reparative systems that deliver justice. We leverage our access to government to transform these systems and work collaboratively with stakeholders across many movements—including advocacy, grassroots, and grasstop organizations. Our role is to pilot solutions that are transformative and achievable, harness the power of evidence to drive effective policy and practice, and use advocacy and communications to change narratives and norms.

Vera has a staff of 300 people and offices in New York City, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and New Orleans. We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace. We expect our staff to embody respect, independence, collaboration, commitment, anti-racism, and equity—both in our outward-facing work and the internal culture of our workplace. We value a range of experiences in people's educational backgrounds and encourage people who have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system to apply.

Who you are:

As part of Greater Justice New York's ongoing research and advocacy on bail reform, we are looking to hire a justice-impacted person residing in New York State to work alongside Vera staff to understand the impact of bail reform among individuals who are directly impacted by the criminal-legal system. This hire will travel with GJNY staff to conduct in-depth interviews with justice-impacted individuals in New York City and upstate counties (e.g., Erie, Monroe, Chemung).

This position is designed for people impacted by the justice system who are seeking to develop their research skills by drawing on their lived experience as they begin building their career. Supervised by GJNY's senior qualitative researcher, this hire will assist in the development of data collection instruments, collaborate with community partners to develop a research and publication plan that serves impacted communities, conduct qualitative interviews with system-impacted individuals, and practice qualitative coding, analysis, and writing.

This hire will be expected to work up to 20 hours per week for a period of 10 months. This position will involve travel around New York City and across New York State. Travel will be planned in advance and based on the hire's schedule. This hire does not need to own their own car.

What you'll do:

Research Activities

• Assist with developing qualitative research questions and data collection instruments
• Assist and participate in community engagement activities across New York and conduct in-person interviews with justice-impacted individuals
• Conduct and assist qualitative coding, analysis, and writing based on in-person interviews
• Participate in stakeholder and community engagement

Learning and Development

• Attend trainings and other workshops to prepare for the research project
• Learn about qualitative research through asking people questions, reviewing and understanding the research design, readings on research methods and critical race theory, and meeting with community partners as part of participatory action research.
• Learn about techniques of analysis and assist with analyzing and coding interview data.
• Attend weekly meetings with research and program colleagues

What qualifications are we looking for?

• This position is designed for people who have been impacted by the criminal-legal system in the state of New York
• Ability to travel in New York State
• Communication skills in English

Preferred:

• Knowledge of New York's criminal legal system
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with a team
• Communication skills in Spanish

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities you'll bring:

• Microsoft Office
• Zoom
• Slack

Location

Please note this role will report to our Industry City, Brooklyn office. Vera employees adhere to a hybrid schedule and are in-office on an alternating schedule that generally amounts to 10 days per month.

Compensation and Benefits

The compensation range for this position is $33.50 - $36.00, hourly. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to experience and performance. The salary range listed is just one component of Vera Institute's total compensation package for employees. As an employer of choice in our field, supporting Vera staff—both personally and professionally—is a priority. To do this, we invest in the well-being of our staff through other rewards including merit pay, generous paid time off, a comprehensive health insurance plan, student loan repayment benefits, professional development training opportunities and up to $2,000 annual for education costs and fees relevant to Vera work, employer-funded retirement plan, and flexible time. To learn more about Vera's benefits offerings, click here.

Applications may also be faxed to:

ATTN: People Resources / Research Analyst
Vera Institute of Justice
34 35th St, Suite 4-2A, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Fax: (212) 941-9407
Please use only one method (online, mail or fax) of submission.
No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

As a federal contractor, and in order to ensure a healthy and safe work environment, Vera Institute of Justice is requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccine before their start date. Employees who cannot receive the vaccine because of a disability/medical contraindication or sincerely-held religious belief may request an accommodation (e.g., an exemption) to this requirement.

Vera is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status.

Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission.

For more information about Vera, please visit www.vera.org