Summer 2025 - Graduate Research Intern, Incarceration and Inequality Project

Vera Institute Of Justice

331d • $16 - $25

About The Position

The Vera Institute of Justice is powered by hundreds of advocates, researchers, and policy experts working to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems until they're fair for all. Founded in 1961 to advocate for alternatives to money bail in New York City, Vera is now a national organization that partners with impacted communities and government leaders for change. We develop just, antiracist solutions so that money doesn't determine freedom; fewer people are in jails, prisons, and immigration detention; and everyone is treated with dignity. For more information, visit . Vera has a staff of 224 people, is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York and has offices in Washington, D.C., 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.

Requirements

• Currently enrolled in graduate school in economics, sociology, criminology, demography, public policy or a related discipline.
• Interest in applied social justice research, particularly to advance policy reform and advocacy.
• Ability to show initiative, ask questions, and adapt to changing priorities.
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
• Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Familiarity with analyzing quantitative datasets.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with R and/or Python.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or similar software.
• Experience with quantitative analysis software (e.g., SQL, SPSS, SAS, R, Stata, etc.).

Responsibilities

• Conduct background research and review literature on criminal legal and economic justice topics.
• Produce research summaries.
• Work with members of the research team to develop estimation techniques based on existing research.
• Manage and conduct exploratory analysis of data.
• Merge and aggregate administrative datasets.
• Conduct descriptive analysis and produce data visualizations.
• Author memos and other internal documents describing results.
• Participate in IIP research meetings, discussing research designs and providing feedback on emergent findings.
• Present findings to the team.

Benefits

• Compensation range of $16.00 - $25.00 per hour.
• Opportunity to receive academic credit.
• Flexible schedule to accommodate personal and academic commitments.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Industry: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Education Level: Master's degree