Position Overview

The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) is seeking a motivated researcher to engage in large-scale criminal justice system research projects, both independently and as a team member. The successful candidate will become a member of the Research & Analysis Unity (R&A). R&A publishes high-level, timely data and information on its public Research Hub, informing policy makers, practitioners, and the public at large. R&A also plays a key role in numerous inter-agency groups devoted to improving justice system administration throughout Illinois. As a member of R&A, the successful candidate will be assigned multiple projects. Potential roles include: (1) conduction formal evaluations of justice system programs funded by ICJIA’s Federal and State Grants Unit or of topic interest to Illinois justice system stakeholders, (2) leveraging useful information from data sets hosted by R&A, such as statewide arrest and incarceration records, (3) authoring reports and articles that inform stakeholders and recommend statewide justice system policies. We invite qualified applicants to apply for the Research Scientist III position and help ICJIA in its role as statewide justice system advisors and architects of change.

Job Responsibilities

Plans and executes social science, public health, and behavioral health research studies, activities, and program evaluations of a complex, technical, and scientific nature to advance knowledge and programming in areas such as criminology, victim studies, and violence prevention in the state of Illinois.

• Develops new areas of investigation for scientific-based research and evaluation, using qualitative and quantitative data techniques.
• Reviews scientific journals for extant research applicable to current research activities and findings.
• Designs scientific research studies and program evaluations to ensure the development of innovative and high-quality programs and evaluates and monitors the implementation of these projects.
• Develops and standardizes scientific research measures and procedures.
• Oversees data collection processes to maintain project timelines.
• Reviews current scientific research techniques, standards, and procedures for other research project staff and proposes alternatives.

Performs complex analysis of scientific and technical data.

• Organizes, maintains, and revises large-scale scientific data sets.
• Calculates advanced statistics on data for a variety of complex, technical, and scientific research studies.
• Performs data analyses to ensure that data is complete, accurate, technically sound, and high-quality.
• Consults with agency staff and external stakeholders to improve the reliability quality of scientific data sets.

Job Responsibilities (continued)

Writes and disseminates scientific and technical reports.

• Writes reports and articles that summarize research results for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Reviews and meaningfully comments on technical reports and research finding produced by other research staff.
• Presents technical research results to colleagues, supervisors, executive staff, other agencies, and the general public, in a manner that is easily understood and highlights key results.

Establishes and maintains work-related professional contacts with internal and external entities including researchers and other professionals such us university and community organizations.

• Cooperates with other agencies on research projects, including data collection and analysis.
• Responds to external requests for scientific data and provides data in a user-friendly manner.
• Offers research support to the agency’s Federal and State Grants Unit.
• Serves as research liaison to various boards, groups, and agency program staff.
• Travels to meetings and conferences involving justice system professionals.

Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

Requires a Doctoral degree in behavioral health, behavioral science, mathematics, psychology, sociology, social work, public policy, criminal justice, criminology, statistics, or a related field and requires one year of professional research experience.

Or

Requires a master’s degree in behavioral health, behavioral science, mathematics, psychology, sociology, social work, public policy, criminal justice, criminology, statistics, or a related field and requires three years of professional research experience.

Preferred Qualifications

1. At least two research publications in a government, public, or academic forum.

2. Experience completing at least two projects: (1) that required three months or more to complete, (2) was completed by multiple persons, and (3) for which the candidate was primarily responsible for ensuring completion.

3. Completion of at least two professional or academic work products that required application of advanced social science statistics.

Conditions of Employment

1. Requires proper documentation for approved work in the United States

2. Requires the ability to travel

3. Requires a valid and current driver’s license.

4. Requires ability to pass a background check.

Agency Statement

ICJIA responds to community needs with research and federal state grants administration. ICJIA administers over 100 million dollars in grants, including the R3 (restore, reinvest, renew) grants (funded through the tax on legalized cannabis), state violence prevention grants, and federal grants including under the Violence Against Women Ace and the Victims of Crime Act. ICJIA convenes groups and collaborates on efforts to reform the criminal justice system. ICJIA leads criminal justice reform efforts by supporting policy makers through research.