Data Analyst, CIJ
New York, NY

Job Description

Please note that our Manhattan office will be relocating to Industry City in Brooklyn, NY this year.

Are you eager to roll up your sleeves and harness data to drive policy change? Do you enjoy sifting through complex datasets to illuminate trends and insights? Do you see yourself working for a values-driven organization with a vision to tackle the most pressing injustices of our day?

Please note that applications with no cover letter attached will not be considered. The cover letter should address your interest in working with the Center on Immigration and Justice and this position.

We are looking to hire two bright, hard-working, and creative individuals with strong data management skills and a demonstrated commitment to immigrant's rights. The Data Analysts will assist with analysis and reporting needs for Vera's Center on Immigration and Justice (CIJ), working across its current projects and future Vera initiatives.

Who we are:

Founded in 1961, The Vera Institute is an independent, non-partisan, nonprofit organization that combines expertise in research, technical assistance, and demonstration projects to assist leaders in government and civil society examine justice policy and practice, and improve the systems people rely on for justice and safety.

* We study problems that impede human dignity and justice.
* We pilot solutions that are at once transformative and achievable.
* We engage diverse communities in informed debate.
* And we harness the power of evidence to drive effective policy and practice

What we're doing:

We are helping to build a movement-among government leaders, advocates, and the immigration legal services community-towards universal legal representation for immigrants facing deportation. In the face of stepped-up immigration enforcement, millions of non-citizens are at risk of extended detention and permanent separation from their families and communities. Vera's Center on Immigration and Justice (CIJ) partners with government, nonprofit partners, and communities to improve government systems that affect immigrants and their families. CIJ administers several nationwide legal services programs for immigrants facing deportation, develops and implements pilot programs, provides technical assistance, and conducts independent research and evaluation.

That's where you come in:

Data Analysts will support the Center's programmatic efforts through regular monitoring and reporting of federal government and subcontractor data. CIJ manages several proprietary databases that run on Caspio and AWS and uses SQL to manage data. This is an opportunity to help shape an innovative national research and policy agenda as part of a dedicated team of experts working to improve access to justice for noncitizens.

Vera seeks to hire 2 Data Analysts to work on various data management projects with its Center on Immigration and Justice (CIJ):

* One Data Analyst position will work primarily with the Legal Orientation Program (LOP) and Immigration Court Helpdesk (ICH), which educate detained and non-detained immigrants about their rights and the immigration court process. This position will also work with the National Qualified Representative Program (NQRP), which provides legal representation for immigrants with mental health disorders
* The other Data Analyst position will work primarily on the Unaccompanied Children's Program (UCP), a program to increase legal representation for immigrant children facing deportation without a parent or legal guardian. This position may cover additional duties for the New York Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) and LA Justice Fund.

About the role

As a Data Analyst you will report to a member of the research team and work in close collaboration with the Database Engineer and other Vera staff on ongoing database management, monitoring, and analysis projects. You'll support the team by taking ownership of the day-to-day querying of large data sets. Other principal responsibilities will include:

* Coordinating database management tasks such as participating in new database development, modifying existing databases, and communicating with outside engineers;
* Supporting research staff by preparing large datasets for analysis, including merging, cleaning, and recoding data;
* Providing insights into program performance through summary statistics and performance indicators;
* Producing timely reports on Vera projects for team members and stakeholders;
* Building and maintaining interactive dashboards using Tableau;
* Developing codebooks and delivering user trainings through webinars and database guides;
* Documenting and correcting data quality issues;
* Working with management to prioritize program needs;
* Assisting on other projects and tasks as assigned.

About you

You're committed to improving issues affecting immigrants in the United States. Applicants with personal experiences with the immigration system are especially encouraged to apply.

You're just getting started in your career and have 1 - 2 years of professional or internship experience working with large datasets and preparing data for analysis.

You have a real enthusiasm for working with data.

You are comfortable writing queries in SQL, or have a solid foundation coding in other programming languages used to manipulate data. Experience with Tableau is a plus.

You have exceptional attention to detail, strong problem-solving ability and logical reasoning skills, and the ability to detect anomalies in data.

You're able to work on multiple projects effectively and efficiently, both independently and collaboratively with a team.

Interest in business analytics and information systems is a plus.

Vera seeks to hire two Data Analysts, at least one of whom will work with secure data that requires government security clearance. That clearance is restricted to U.S. citizens and citizens of countries that are party to collective defense agreements with the U.S. The list of those countries is detailed on this webpage. An additional requirement of that clearance is residence in the United States for at least three of the last five years.

Salary

50 - 55k commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits provided.

How to apply

Please submit cover letter and resume. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until position is filled. Online submission in PDF format is preferred. Applications with no cover letter attached will not be considered. The cover letter should address your interest in CIJ and this position.

However, if necessary, materials may be mailed or faxed to

ATTN: Human Resources / CIJ Data Analyst Recruitment

Vera Institute of Justice

233 Broadway, 12th Floor

New York, NY 10279

Fax: (212) 941-9407

Please use only one method (online, mail or fax) of submission.

No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

Vera is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status.

Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission.

For more information about Vera and CIJ's work, please visit www.vera.org.