Senior Research Leader, Policy & Impact

Institute for Justice; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Flexible core hours 10am-4pm

Dress code: smart casual

Health, Dental, Vision insurance

Disability insurance

Life Insurance

401(k) with employer matches

Generous PTO and holidays

Job summary

Institute for Justice in Arlington, VA seeks entrepreneurial researchers to join its Strategic Research team in leadership roles. Title negotiable to reflect research and managerial skills and experience.

The role blends rigorous data analysis with policy impact, requiring independence and collaboration across legal and communications teams. You will design and execute studies on civil forfeiture, licensing, and civil rights, mentor junior researchers, and help translate findings for journalists

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in social sciences or statistics with emphasis on methods, or Master’s with three years’ experience.
• Experience conducting original analytical research in policy or university settings.
• Strong skills with statistical software (Stata); Python, R, or GIS helpful.
• Experience managing project teams and junior researchers.
• Excellent written and oral communication for non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute research plans on topics like civil forfeiture, licensing, and 4th Amendment rights.
• Lead solo and team projects; mentor junior researchers.
• Collaborate with IJ attorneys and researchers to design strong methodologies.
• Translate findings for journalists, lawmakers, and public audiences.

Skills

Research design

Statistical analysis

Project management

Stata

Python

R

Descriptive analysis

Inferential analysis

Data collection

Written & oral communication

Mentoring

Education

PhD in social sciences or statistics

Master’s in applied statistics/economics with experience

Tools

Stata

Python

R

GIS

Job description

Institute for Justice in Arlington, VA seeks entrepreneurial researchers to join its Strategic Research team in leadership roles. Title negotiable to reflect research and managerial skills and experience.

The role blends rigorous data analysis with policy impact, requiring independence and collaboration across legal and communications teams. You will design and execute studies on civil forfeiture, licensing, and civil rights, mentor junior researchers, and help translate findings for journalists