Senior California Research Director, Policy & Data

Vera Institute of Justice; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 129,000 - 134,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Student loan repayment benefits

Education benefits

Retirement plan

Professional development

Job summary

Vera California seeks an Associate Director of Research to lead the California research portfolio, design research plans, and supervise staff. The role involves collaborating with Vera leadership to advance policy and advocacy within California, ensuring ethical research practices and strong data integrity.

The position emphasizes conducting rigorous mixed-methods research, engaging with external partners, and shaping evidence-based messaging to support racial justice and policy change in the

Qualifications

• Advanced degree and 9+ years of relevant experience in social science fields.
• Experience supervising interdisciplinary research teams.
• Experience conducting applied policy research.
• Knowledge of California criminal justice systems and data sources.

Responsibilities

• Lead Vera California research, align with priorities and timelines.
• Supervise staff, support hiring and development.
• Coordinate data collection, analysis, and methodological work.
• Present findings externally and support advocacy and policy work.

Skills

Supervising research teams

Applied policy research

Data analysis

Advocacy collaboration

Race equity

Education

Advanced degree

Tools

IRB processes

Mixed methods

Job description

Vera California seeks an Associate Director of Research to lead the California research portfolio, design research plans, and supervise staff. The role involves collaborating with Vera leadership to advance policy and advocacy within California, ensuring ethical research practices and strong data integrity.

The position emphasizes conducting rigorous mixed-methods research, engaging with external partners, and shaping evidence-based messaging to support racial justice and policy change in the