Careers Job Description
General Description
CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance (ISLG): Overview
ISLG is an institute within the City University of New York (CUNY). The Institute’s mission is to help improve the financing, delivery, and measurement of critical public services by assisting current and future leaders in government, non-profit organizations, and the private sector, in the U.S. and internationally, by offering research, technical assistance, and education and training. The Institute’s director, Michael Jacobson, previously served as New York City’s Probation and Correction Commissioner and president of the Vera Institute of Justice.
Project Description
The Institute is hiring a Senior Research Associate (SRA) to oversee a field research project on police practices in New York City. Specifically, the project involves conducting systematic social observations (SSOs) of New York Police Department (NYPD) shifts and police-citizen encounters; coding BWC footage of a subset of these shifts/encounters; and analyzing these and other sources of data. It will be carried out in close collaboration with the NYPD, a larger evaluation team, and other city stakeholder, and is expected to run approximately a year and a half. The project could be ideal for a post-doctoral researcher; it may also be possible to transition to another project after the conclusion of this project.
The SRA will serve as the director of this project and will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the work, including the development of research tools and protocols, the recruitment and training of CUNY students to conduct SSOs and code data, the establishment of a technical infrastructure for the project, and management of all project staff. As part of this, the Senior Research Associate will work very closely with the NYPD, the CUNY Graduate Center (GC), the evaluation team, and other city stakeholders. The SRA may also be asked to contribute to other projects at ISLG, as necessary.
The position is full-time. For more information about ISLG, please visit www.islg.cuny.edu.
Position Description
Reporting to the Research Director and working closely with project staff, the SRA will be responsible for developing and overseeing all aspects of project work. Specifically, the SRA will be responsible for the following:
• Developing research instruments, including observation and coding protocols, for SSOs and BWC footage;
• Drafting IRB proposals covering the research activities of the project;
• Working with the NYPD to develop a sampling approach for ride-along observations;
• Working closely with the NYPD, the evaluation team, and other city stakeholders to develop, set up, and refine the project approach and processes, address emerging issues, and keep stakeholders up to date;
• Field testing and refining research instruments and protocols in collaboration with these stakeholders;
• Working with the CUNY Graduate Center to recruit students to carry out the data collection and coding work;
• Developing and delivering comprehensive, hands-on trainings to students who will be working on the project;
• Hiring and supervising two full-time Research Associates to serve as Quality Control Managers on the project and to supervise the day-to-day work of these students;
• Establishing an internal data management and quality control plan;
• Working with CUNY IT and, as necessary, external vendors, to develop the technical infrastructure for the project, potentially including Qualtrix software for remote data entry;
• Establishing a protocol for entering, verifying, and revising SSO and BWC data;
• Cleaning, matching, and merging multiple data sources using unique identifiers; and
• Analyzing and synthesizing these data into a final report and memoranda for the project stakeholders.
This is an exceptional opportunity to lead a unique and important project with clear policy implications for law enforcement in New York City and across the country. The project is situated within ISLG’s larger portfolio of criminal justice work, which aims to improve efficiency and fairness in criminal justice policies and practices.
Other Duties
Qualifications
• PhD in criminology, sociology, psychology, or other social science field;
• Background in criminal justice—and preferably in policing—including an ability to translate analytical and research findings into policy and practice recommendations;
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, with the ability to both create and maintain excellent working relationships with government and community partners and navigate politically sensitive issues;
• At least five years of experience conducting research in an applied research setting;
• Experience collecting original data, preferably in field settings;
• Excellent data management and analysis skills, including experience merging and analyzing quantitative data files in SPSS, SAS, or STATA (including fluency in programming/syntax in one or more of these programs);
• Excellent project management skills, and experience managing staff, preferably a research team;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to communicate research findings to multiple audiences;
• Ability to work on a team as well as independently;
• An exceptional commitment to accuracy and attention to detail;
• Ability to adapt to changing demands and requirements as projects evolve;
• Excellent time management skills and experience working in deadline-driven environments; and
• Microsoft Office proficiency, particularly in Excel and PowerPoint.
This is a full-time position with excellent benefits and is located in New York City. Salary range: $85,000–$115,000 depending on research skills and level of experience. Applicants may also be considered for the Research Associate Quality Control positions.
How to Apply
To apply, you will need to submit a cover letter describing your qualifications and interests and attach your curriculum vitae via the Research Foundation Careers page. Questions about the position or ISLG can be addressed to info@islg.cuny.edu.
Application review will commence immediately and continue until the position is filled.
The CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance and the Research Foundation of the City University of New York are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act/Protected Veterans Status/ E-Verify Employer.
RFCUNY Benefits
RFCUNY Employee Benefits and AccrualsAbout the Research Foundation
The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) was established as a not-for-profit educational corporation chartered by the State of New York in 1963. RFCUNY supports CUNY faculty and staff in identifying and obtaining external support (pre-award) from government and private sponsors and is responsible for the administration of all such funded programs (post-award).
RFCUNY stands between CUNY’s principal investigators (PIs) and the sponsors who support them and strives to fulfill its essential responsibilities to both groups. Working closely with individual PIs and Grants Officers on the campuses, RFCUNY oversees employment, accounting, audit, reporting, purchasing, and special responsibilities that include management of a planned giving program; liaison with governmental agencies and foundations; negotiation of agreements; facility construction and renovation; protection and commercialization of intellectual property; and compliance with applicable standards in research involving human subjects, animal care, environmental and radiological safety, and conflicts of interest.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Key Features
CUNY Institute for State and Local Gover
Full Time
$85,000.00 - $115,000.00
Mar 26, 2021 (Or Until Filled)