Research Director, Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice

University of Pennsylvania•Williamsburg, VA

10d•Remote

About The Position

The Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice is a national, interdisciplinary, data-driven research and policy hub that that builds on Penn’s inter-disciplinary excellence to pursue a systems approach to catalyzing long-term structural improvements to the US criminal justice system. We are seeking a Research Director to develop and manage a rigorous research portfolio on prosecution and the courts, as part of the UPenn-DAO collaboration. This position will be based at the Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice in Philadelphia, with flexibility for remote work. The Research Director will work closely the Academic and Executive Director, as well as with Dr. Aurélie Ouss.

Requirements

PhD in criminology, economics, public policy, or a related field
3-5 years of experience managing complex research projects, including some experience conducting and overseeing significant policy-relevant research and publications; 5+ years preferred.
Deep understanding of the criminal justice system and criminal justice policy, in particular around prosecutors and the courts.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage both academic and practitioner audiences.
Ability to translate complex research findings into key takeaways for diverse audiences
Experience working with or within public sector agencies (especially prosecutor’s offices, courts, or other justice system stakeholders).
Ability to navigate bureaucratic systems and build trust with government partners
Track record of research using causal inference methods (e.g., diff-in-diff, instrumental variables)
Experience developing and implementing RCTs with policy partners.
Strong team management and mentorship skills.
Track record of helping junior scholars and students conduct research and be successful in non-research / policy settings.
Successful track record of using research to drive change

Nice To Haves

Philadelphia-specific knowledge and experience is preferred.
Preference given to RCTs in the criminal justice system.
Knowledge of social service administration in the criminal justice system and experience working with vulnerable populations; for example, social work experience.
Experience working with large administrative datasets and ensuring data security/compliance

Responsibilities

Oversee day-to-day operations of the UPenn-DAO collaboration.
Manage the overall execution of grants, including timelines, budgets, and reporting / deliverables
Serve as a primary point of contact for funders, ensuring deliverables are met and communication is clear and proactive
Support a multidisciplinary team including pre-doctoral fellows, PhD students, data analysts, and project management staff; directly supervise the Penn team project manager
Develop and maintain systems for managing shared files and workflows across the Penn team
Facilitate regular team meetings, including summer check-ins, to support collaboration and share learnings across projects
Lead onboarding and training for new Penn team staff in coordination with the DAO
Coordinate with institutional partners (DAO, UPenn) and other relevant stakeholders as needed
Provide high-level oversight, thought partnership, and guidance to Penn team members as research projects are developed and executed, including problem-solving and facilitating research needs
Conduct independent research projects with members of the Penn-DAO team and external partners (e.g., professors at Penn or other institutions, Quattrone, etc.)
Oversee the implementation of a randomized controlled trial (RCT), including initial design development, iteration, and coordination with implementation partners. Work with the implementation specialist / project manager to do this.
Lead “Research to Action” collaborations with DAO, including overseeing creation of policy briefs and white papers
Manage data governance, privacy protocols, and compliance with IRB requirements
Work with Aurélie to develop and refine the Penn team’s partnership strategies and priorities
Scope new research partnerships and opportunities to expand of our work, including with other District Attorney’s offices and policy partners
Represent the Penn-DAO collaboration in external meetings, conferences, and workshops
Package and share out learnings from the Penn team’s embedded model to support similar collaborations in other jurisdictions

Benefits

Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.
In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.