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Research*Associate**
Job*Title:**Research!Associate!* *
**
Type*of*Position:!!Full3time,!Regular*
Department:*Research!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Reporting*to*This*Position:!Interns,!Jr.!Research!Staff!*
Reports*to:*Senior!Research!Associates*****************Location:!Washington,!DC!!
JOB*SUMMARY*
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The!Police!Foundation!is!national!non3profit!bipartisan!organization!that!consistent!with!its!commitment!
to!improve!policing,!and!has!been!on!the!cutting!edge!of!police!innovation!for!over!40!years.!!!The!Police!
Foundation’s!work!is!informed!by!available!evidence,!to!increase!public!safety!and!strengthen!
communities.!The!!professional!staff!at!the!Police!Foundation!works!closely!with!law!enforcement,!
judges,!prosecutors,!defense!attorneys,!victim!advocates,!to!develop!research,!!comprehensive!reports,!
policy!briefs,!model!policies,!and!innovative!programs!that!will!continue!to!support!the!work!of!law!
enforcement!(police!&!sheriffs)!personnel.!!!The!Police!Foundation!conducts!innovative!research!and!
provides!on3the3ground!technical!assistance!and!to!police,!sheriff’s!as!well!as!engaging!practitioners!from!
multiple!systems!(corrections,!mental!health,!housing,!etc.),!local,!state!and!federal!jurisdictions!as!it!
relates!to!police!research,!policy!and!practice.$$!
The!Research!Associate!will!be!responsible!for!project!management!of!a!selected!portfolio!of!research!
projects.!!This!person!will!be!coordinating!with!strategic!partners!providing!project!coordination!of!both!
on!site!and!off!site!work,!as!directed!by!the!Research!team.!!!The!Research!Associate!will!be!required!to!
participate!in!planning!and!attending!research!meetings,!project!related!site!visits!with!Police!Foundation!
staff,!funders,!and!law!enforcement!experts!across!the!country.!The!Research!Associate!works!with!a!
small!team!of!staff,!consultants!and!Police!Foundation!Fellows,!reporting!to!the!Senior!Research!staff!of!
the!Police!Foundation.!!
ESSENTIAL*DUTIES*&*RESPONSIBILITIES*
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!! Collaborates!with!the!Principal!investigator(s)!or!senior!staff!to!ensure!assigned!project!
milestones/deliverables!are!reached!on!time!and!within!budget!(primary!responsibility!
of!Principal!Investigator!(PI)!or!Project!Director);!
!! At!the!direction!of!the!PI,!troubleshoots!research!related!problems!(such!as!data!collection!
methods,!IRB!concerns!etc.)!that!could!potentially!risk!the!integrity!of!the!research!findings!
and/or!timely!completion!of!major!project!milestones;!
!! Coordinates!data!collection,!fieldwork,!and!survey!development,!dissemination,!and!
tracking/follow3up!for!various!projects;!
!! Assists!in!the!facilitation!of!community!forums!and!police!department!focus!group!
meetings!associated!with!relevant!projects!or!programs.!
!! Assumes!significant!coordination!responsibilities!in!the!planning!and!preparation!phases!of!
field!research!projects;!!
!! Monitors!and!ensures!quality!of!community3based!survey!data!collection;!!
!! Assists!with!training!and!supervision!of!teams!of!researchers!and!staff;!!
!! Tabulating!and/or!maintains!collected!data!by!means!of!coding!or!organizing!data!into!tables!or!
graphs;!!
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!! Processing!data!from!tapes!or!other!sources!of!large!data!sets!using!statistical!analysis!software!
such!as!SAS!or!SPSS;!!
!! Analyzing!primary!and!secondary!data!using!basic!statistical!methods;!
!! Administering!structured!surveys!(telephone,!written,!computer3assisted,!and!in3person!
interviews)!for!projects!requiring!primary!data!collection;!
!! Coordinates!activities!related!to!convening!of!Institutional!Review!Board!and!activities!
directed!by!IRB!Chairman.!This!includes!attending!and!documenting!issues!identified!by!
IRB,!conveying!findings!to!PI,!coordinating!travel!and!submitting!invoices!from!IRB!
members;!
!! Supports!the!development!of!policing!and!academic!professionals!for!potential!
partnerships!and/or!participation!in!PF!programs;!
!! Represents!the!Foundation!at!relevant!conferences,!meetings,!and!dissemination!of!
publications!and!materials!as!directed/requested;!
!! Assist!in!the!identification!of!potential!funding!sources;!
!! When!appropriate!or!requested,!write!appropriate!sections!of!proposals!to!acquire!
funding;!
!! When!appropriate!or!requested!(and!in!collaboration!with!PI!or!Program!Director),!
draft!initial!project!budgets!and!associated!narratives!for!proposals.!
!! Assist!with!collaboration,!integration!and!submission!of!research!
proposals/concept!papers!under!strict!deadline!requirements;!
!! Monitors!status!of!current!proposals!by!staff,!consultants,!etc.!to!ensure!sufficient!
!!!!!!!time!to!prepare!supporting!materials!in!accordance!with!proposal!deadlines;!
!! Develops!and/or!generates!ideas!for!proposal!development!in!collaboration!with!other!
staff!and!supervisors.!
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SKILLS*&*ABILITIES*
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!! Personally!committed!to!advancing!the!Police!Foundation!values,!mission,!goals!and!programs,!
with!an!understanding!of!a!range!of!criminal!justice!issues!and!their!implications;!!
!! Excellent!research,!writing,!and!editing!skills!and!an!analytical!mind;!
!! Strong!oral!communication!skills,!including!the!ability!to!effectively!distill!and!present!complex!
information!in!a!concise!way;!
!! Strong!project!management!skills!and!attention!to!detail;!
!! Excellent!interpersonal!skills,!including!maturity,!an!ability!to!work!independently!and!in!a!team!
setting;!
!! Efficient,!organized!work!style!and!an!ability!to!prioritize!quickly!and!confidently!and!manage!
multiple!deadlines;!
!! Able!to!think!critically,!using!logic!and!reasoning!to!identify!alternate!approaches!to!
problems,!identify!strengths!and!weaknesses!of!alternative!solutions,!interpret!findings!and!
arrive!at!conclusion;!
!! Knowledge!of!Research!Design!and!Methods!including!American!Psychological!Association!
(APA)!writing/reference!techniques!(as!standard!in!the!field);!
!! Knowledge!of!Institutional!Review!Board!protocol!and!regulations;!
!! Ability!to!work!effectively!with!people!at!all!levels!(e.g.!fellow!employees,!representatives!of!
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police!agencies!and!organizations,!and!the!general!public;!
!! Willingness!to!travel,!at!least!once!per!month;!
!! Bilingual!abilities!are!a!plus.!
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EXPERIENCE*REQUIREMENTS*
!! Minimum!of!three!years!of!work!experience,!ideally,!in!the!field!of!policing,!criminal!justice,!or!a!
related!social!science!policy!analysis!and!grants!management.!!
!! Data!collection!and!analysis!experience,!as!well!as!basic!knowledge!of!SAS,!SPSS,!or!related!software!
is!a!plus.!
!! Candidates!who!have!experience!with!canvassing!or!researching!in!neighborhoods!and!communities!
are!preferred.!
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EDUCATION*REQUIREMENTS*
!! Minimum!of!B.A.!or!B.S.!degree!in!criminal!justice,! policing,!or!related!field.!
Master's!degree!in!criminology!or!other!social!sciences!strongly!preferred.!
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APPLICATION*INSTRUCTIONS:*Interested!individuals!should!upload!the!following!elements!to!Via!Email!
(jobs@policefoundation.org)!
Résumé!
Cover!letter!
Salary!History!!
Two!Writing!Samples!
Names!and!contact!information!for!references!(at!least!two)!!
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*****Incomplete*applications*will*not*be*considered*****!
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