Investigator, National Prison Project

ACLU • San Francisco, NY

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

The ACLU seeks a full-time Investigator for the National Prison Project in its National office. The role may be based in Washington, DC; San Francisco, CA; or New York, NY, and is hybrid, with an in-office requirement of two days per week or eight days per month. It is a two-year term-limited position represented by ACLU Staff United (ASU), a collective bargaining unit.

The National Prison Project works to ensure that conditions in prisons, jails, juvenile detention centers, and immigration detention facilities comply with the Constitution, domestic law, and international human rights principles. Its priorities include reducing overcrowding, improving health care, eliminating violence and maltreatment, increasing oversight and accountability, and reversing policies that drive high incarceration rates and the over-representation of people of color in the incarcerated population.

Reporting to the Deputy Project Director for Immigration Detention, the Investigator conducts investigations, interviews, facility visits, and research to support litigation and advocacy, with a particular focus on immigration detention. The position also supports case teams, develops and documents investigative findings, contributes to advocacy, and provides logistical support for investigations and facility visits. Regular travel to detention facilities and other locations is required.

Requirements

• Excellent research and analytical skills, including the ability to gather, review, and synthesize information from multiple sources and identify key findings.
• Effective interpersonal and interviewing skills, including the ability to communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and navigate sensitive conversations.
• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to document findings clearly, prepare reports, and adapt writing for different audiences.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, including the ability to manage large volumes of information, records, and correspondence accurately.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• Ability to work independently, anticipate needs, and manage competing priorities while collaborating effectively with colleagues and external partners.
• Ability to receive and incorporate constructive feedback and maintain respectful, professional relationships with colleagues, clients, and other stakeholders.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Salesforce, and other standard computer applications.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to detention facilities and other locations for investigative assignments.
• Commitment to advancing the ACLU’s mission and incorporating equity, inclusion, and belonging into the work, with respect for and appreciation of multiple perspectives.
• Commitment to working collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with issues related to conditions of confinement.
• Proficiency in Spanish.
• Prior experience conducting research, investigations, interviews, or related work.
• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Plan and conduct investigations of detention-facility conditions and compliance, including facility visits and inspections.
• Interview incarcerated individuals, detention-facility administrators and staff, and other stakeholders in person and remotely.
• Correspond with people in detention facilities, jails, and prisons; identify issues relevant to class-action cases and other concerns; suggest responses; and draft outgoing correspondence and advocacy under attorney supervision.
• Draft surveys and interview guides to assess detention-facility conditions and programs.
• Locate, review, and analyze correctional and medical records and other documents, and conduct factual research to support investigations and litigation, including reviewing government-document productions in Freedom of Information Act cases.
• Draft and edit reports about investigative findings.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive knowledge of case details.
• Attend and participate in case meetings.
• Work with attorneys to support experts involved in the Project’s matters.
• Review and provide feedback on draft correctional policies, memoranda, and other documents.
• Draft advocacy letters on behalf of clients and class members under attorney supervision.
• Provide training and onboarding support for employees as needed, including training attorneys or co-counsel to conduct class-member interviews.
• Provide administrative and logistical support for investigations and facility visits, including coordinating travel, organizing documents, preparing materials, and assisting with outgoing mail and surveys.
• Travel regularly to detention facilities and other locations for investigative assignments.

Benefits

• Generous paid time-off policy.
• Comprehensive healthcare benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, parental leave, gender-affirming care, and fertility treatment.
• 401(k) plan with employer match.
• Annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs, and workshops.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed