What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Director of Research position at Philadelphia Housing Authority?

Position : Assistant Director of Research

Unit : DATA Lab

Supervisor : Director of Research

Company Description

The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office is the largest prosecutor's office in Pennsylvania, and one of the largest in the nation. It serves more than 1.5 million citizens of the City and County of Philadelphia, employing 600 lawyers, detectives and support staff. Our Assistant District Attorneys are dedicated to public service, public safety, and justice for all involved in the criminal justice system.

The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office in particular is committed to several citywide collaborations aimed at reducing Philadelphia's jail population and improving the criminal justice system overall.

Please note that effective September 1, 2021, the City of Philadelphia requires all new employees to present proof of vaccination against COVID-19.

To attain a job with the city, you must be a city of Philadelphia resident within 6 months (180 days) of hire and able to work completely in the office.

Job Summary

The Philadelphia District Attorney's Transparency Analytics (DATA) Lab is seeking an Assistant Director of Research who will be responsible for helping oversee external academic research and internal research projects, as well as supervising and continuously improving research team processes. Our mission is to use data, research, and advocacy to inform policies and practices; increase equity, transparency, and accountability; and reduce harms through prosecutorial and systems reform in Philadelphia and beyond.

The Assistant Director of Research will work directly with external stakeholders, DATA Lab members and DAO unit supervisors in fostering collaboration and improved interdisciplinary, intervention, and implementation research approaches addressing problems and disparities in the criminal justice system and beyond. The Assistant Director of Research is a member of the DATA Lab leadership team, guiding a team of innovators who are rethinking and reshaping how a prosecutor's office functions in the 21st Century. In addition to day-to-day duties supporting the DAO and DATA Lab, the job of the Assistant Director of Research is to help lead the research team, push forward the projects that move us toward our mission, and mentor and guide the professional development of those who report to them. The Assistant Director of Research will also have ample opportunities to develop new initiatives and lead research projects and partnerships that align with their expertise, as well as external community engagement projects as needed.

The Assistant Director of Research, under the guidance of the Director of Research, oversees the collaborative approach of action research to translate and disseminate research findings internally at the DAO, and beyond. We call this "Research to Action" and use it to leverage research findings and other work product into action. Research to Action seeks transformative change through the close collaboration between researchers and practitioners. Our team strives to follow the tenants of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), a public health approach, which seeks to enhance community partners capacity by supporting equal community participation in research and projects that will directly impact the community. We think of the DAO as a community within the broader Philadelphia community.

The Assistant Director of Research reports to the Director of Research and the DATA Lab, and works with the DATA Lab's research and leadership teams, external partners, and DAO executive team in fostering action research collaborations.

Essential Functions

Help lead a unique and nationally recognized team doing innovative research and analysis of the criminal legal system from within a prosecutor's office.
Open the doors of the office to research and community partners and assist them in doing high impact research with unprecedented access to prosecution staff and data.
Work with colleagues in the DAO to support initiatives with data and research and provide systems-level insights and examples from other jurisdictions.
Translate research into action by introducing practitioners at the DAO to the latest criminal justice research, including work supported by and about the Philadelphia DAO. Inform policy team and decisions through research and analysis.
Build a research and data culture at the DAO.

Duties & Responsibilities

Supervise a team of 3 or more people including Research Assistant(s), Research Project Coordinator(s), and Research Project Manager(s). [TM1]

Oversee and provide supervisory support of 20 to 35 external research partnerships.

Review and support the research team members on all research proposals and papers by partners, provide feedback, be a thought partner, and guide researchers through the criminal legal system and office processes.

Provide supervisory and hands-on support in the development of all research related work product, including public facing reports, data stories, and research memos (e.g., initial research proposal memos, MOU justification memos, Research to Action memos, etc.)

Support seeking funding opportunities that align with our priorities and working with potential funders.

Oversee the MOU and data licensing-sharing agreement process with external partners, supporting members of the research team in this important phase of the project arc. Be the point of contact between the DAO's Civil Litigation Unit and the City of Philadelphia's Law Department. This can mean balancing between 20 and 35 agreements at any given time.

Help make the connection between research and analysis on the criminal legal system and practitioners carrying out the work of the District Attorney's Office. Bring research findings to the attention of DAO executives and staff to advance policy and practice goals.

Be a member of the DATA Lab management team, working alongside the Directors and Assistant Directors in long-term strategic planning, development, and sustainability of the DATA Lab.

Assist the DATA Lab leadership team and DAO HR in the hiring process for new hires and the promotion of current staff members as needed.

Other duties as needed to advance the mission of the DAO and DATA Lab.

Skills & Qualifications

The education and experience. A master's degree or Ph.D. with a background in academic research desired. Special consideration will be given to applicants with dual PhD and JD degrees, with preference for PhDs in economics, political science, criminology, sociology, and history, with focus on law, injustice, and criminal legal systems.

Minimum of 5 years of work experience in research, legal policy, project management, or the criminal legal system. Equivalent experience can substitute for education.

An orientation for community engagement and participatory research.

The ability to manage multiple projects from a variety of stakeholders, including academic partners, community organizations, other DAO staff, and more.

Previous experience working in criminal justice or on related issues, data and research a plus, including advanced knowledge of applied research methods.

A desire to build and celebrate your team members. Prior supervisory and management experience a plus.

Outstanding communication skills. You will split your time between heads-down work and team collaboration. We support each other out loud, working out solutions.

Pride. You enjoy your work and getting a job done well. You want to be part of a team that promotes their accomplishments and sees the difference they make.

Ownership. You can be counted on to deliver the best solution in collaboration with your team. You take ownership for your work, your tasks, your timelines.

Driven. You want to be challenged, and you are constantly seeking new opportunities to learn, gain and apply new skills and knowledge.

Rewards / Benefits

This is an exempt employee with the City of Philadelphia. Immediately upon assuming office, new hire will receive benefits similar to those of other City of Philadelphia employees, including the below benefits :

Generous retirement savings options available (pension plan and etc.)

We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program qualified employer

We offer comprehensive health coverage (medical, vision, prescription and dental) for employees and their eligible dependents

Annual paid time off (PTO) package : 10 vacation days, 15 sick leave days, 11 paid holidays, 5 annual administrative leave

Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan

Before tax commuter program

Health care and Dependent care flexible spending accounts

Sick leave bonuses and exchanges

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Applications will be active for one year from the date of receipt by the Office.

All exempt employees of the District Attorney's Office are at-will employees and serve at the pleasure of the District Attorney. The at-will relationship shall not be modified for any employee and no agreement, oral or written, shall be entered into that changes the at-will relationship.

The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status.

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