Full-Time

Senior Data Scientist

Posted on 7/13/2024

Vera Institute of Justice

Vera Institute of Justice

201-500 employees

Addresses social justice and law enforcement issues

Compensation Overview

$114k - $117k/yr

Senior

New Orleans, LA, USA + 3 more

More locations: Washington, DC, USA | Los Angeles, CA, USA | Brooklyn, NY, USA

Hybrid schedule requiring in-office presence for approximately 10 days per month.

Category
Data Science
Data & Analytics
Required Skills
Python
Data Science
R
Git
SQL
Postgres
AWS
Data Analysis
Google Cloud Platform
Requirements
  • Commitment to using research and analysis to end mass incarceration and undo racism and inequity in the criminal legal system required
  • Bachelor’s degree *AND* 4+ years of relevant experience, or equivalent experience with an advanced degree.
  • Demonstrated leadership skills working with data collection, processing, and analysis in Python and / or R, with preference for experience with messy public datasets
  • Experience maintaining and optimizing complex data product development in an environment where multiple developers are contributing to a codebase
  • Experience working with and maintaining SQL databases in a cloud-based environment
  • An understanding of full-stack development with preference for some experience in a software engineering context
  • Project management experience
  • Ability to work effectively with a diverse array of people and positions, including advocates, government officials, criminal justice system personnel and people who are directly impacted by the criminal or immigration legal systems
  • A professional dedication to issues of race, equity, and fairness
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Exceptional attention to detail
  • Ability to work on multiple projects effectively and efficiently
  • Ability to travel up to 5% of the time (team events, conferences, and / or site visits)
  • Fluency in Python and / or R
  • Fluency in GitHub
  • Fluency in Google Cloud Platform and / or AWS
  • Fluency in PostgreSQL (or similar relational database technology)
Responsibilities
  • Scope project-level end-to-end analysis processes and lead data science practice standards in collaboration with other senior data science staff
  • Scope project requirements for technical development, data analysis, and data management with Associate Director
  • Steer project-wide adoption of analytical and coding process standards where applicable (e.g. style guides, pull request templates, etc.) in coordination with Associate Director of Data Science and other senior data science staff at Vera
  • Lead project peer code review processes
  • Lead centralization of relevant public datasets and facilitate access for researchers across the organization. This will include becoming both the technical and analytical expert on production datasets, working closely with Vera’s tech support and mentoring/supporting research staff on data use context and best practices.
  • Lead data science workflow, analysis, and visualization
  • Lead development of analysis-end ETL processes to maintain and optimize large-scale data collection in close collaboration with the internal data engineer and research staff. This entails building an optimal data architecture for end products in research, data analysis, and visualization using messy source datasets (e.g. large public federal datasets, scraped data, administrative data not originally collected for analysis purposes, etc.)
  • Lead analysis of data using data science techniques and methodologies in support of research and product goals
  • Work collaboratively with web and visualization staff to create data products for public release
  • Collaborate with social science researchers to advance knowledge on the impacts of the criminal legal and immigration systems
  • Collaborate closely with research staff on social science research questions and priorities to guide goals in data analysis and data product development
  • Lead development of innovative uses of data science and develop new data science projects collaboratively with Vera researchers, either as an end product or supportive of research production
  • Support research report writing with contributions on analytical methods and results
  • Lead development, writing and / or editing, and presentation of internal and external data products in support of project goals
  • Lead drafting and maintenance of key documentation including and beyond code repositories
  • Present analytical results and data products to external audiences
  • Facilitate cross-functional relationships that interact with data science (e.g. communications, legal, IT, vendor management, etc.)
  • Team or department-wide tasks, as required
  • Mentorship and / or supervision of analyst and associate-level data science staff
  • Recruitment support as needed
  • Team events and convenings
  • Planning and other administrative duties
Vera Institute of Justice

Vera Institute of Justice

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Vera Institute of Justice focuses on addressing significant social issues related to justice and law enforcement. The organization collaborates with various partners to confront challenges such as mass incarceration, racial inequalities, and the erosion of public trust in law enforcement. Vera aims to support vulnerable and marginalized communities, as well as individuals affected by crime and violence. Unlike many organizations, Vera emphasizes a collaborative approach, working with others who share their vision to create effective solutions. The ultimate goal of Vera Institute of Justice is to promote fairness and equity within the justice system.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

Grant

Total Funding

$250K

Headquarters

New York City, New York

Founded

1961

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Increased focus on restorative justice practices emphasizes healing over punishment.
  • Growing use of AI and data analytics in criminal justice reform.
  • Community-based alternatives to incarceration show significant reductions in recidivism rates.

What critics are saying

  • Unionization efforts may lead to increased operational costs and disruptions.
  • Collaboration on 'Dignity Principles' report may attract scrutiny from stakeholders.
  • Securus Technologies' educational programs could overshadow Vera's initiatives in education reform.

What makes Vera Institute of Justice unique

  • Vera Institute collaborates with organizations to tackle mass incarceration and racial disparities.
  • Launched SAFE Network in 2017 to support immigrants facing detention and deportation.
  • Focuses on unmet needs of marginalized and those harmed by crime and violence.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Student Loan Assistance

Professional Development Budget

401(k) Retirement Plan

Flexible Work Hours

Company News

Vera Institute of Justice
Mar 14th, 2025
How to Fight the Mass Deportation Agenda

In 2017, Vera launched the SAFE Network to help governments, immigration legal service providers, and advocates build public defender-style systems for immigrants facing detention and deportation.

PR Newswire
Nov 12th, 2024
Securus Technologies Seeks To Support Incarcerated Individuals In Reshaping Their Futures With Expanded Access To Educational Programs Available Through Tablet Technology

Spending time on education and skill-building while incarcerated promotes stronger re-entry outcomesDALLAS, Nov. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the past five years, Securus Technologies has expanded opportunities for incarcerated individuals to access and benefit from education resources that promote stronger reentry outcomes. As an Aventiv Technologies company and the leading provider of connections between incarcerated individuals and their loved ones, Securus offers free and premium access to educational, vocational, and rehabilitative curricula. The company also enables connections to scholarships and mentorship through ScholarCHIPS, a nonprofit supporting children of incarcerated parents. By investing more than $600 million to deploy technology, including 600,000 tablets in correctional facilities nationwide, Securus aims to close the education gap affecting justice-impacted families.According to the Prison Policy Institute , formerly incarcerated individuals are nearly twice as likely to lack a high school credential and eight times less likely to complete college than the general public. Yet, according to the Vera Institute , incarcerated individuals who participate in educational programs are 52 percent more likely to remain in their communities, demonstrating that education is a critical factor in breaking the cycle of recidivism."Technology offers a scaled solution to connect incarcerated individuals to educational and job training resources that help break the recidivism cycle," said Kevin Elder, President, Securus Technologies

NYC Central Labor Council
Jun 14th, 2024
Workers at Vera Institute of Justice Announce Intent to Unionize

"We share this news the same day that Vera Institute of Justice management laid off 16 employees," organizers said on their Twitter account.

Jubilee USA Network
Jan 17th, 2024
JLUSA collaborates with Vera Institute on new "Dignity Principles" report/guide

JLUSA collaborates with Vera Institute on new "Dignity Principles" report/guide.

Blue Star Capital
Jan 16th, 2024
Blue Star Capital shares soar on positive portfolio update

Blue Star noted that Dynasty had partnered with media conglomerate Vera Media Group and soft-launched its new platform "Lightning Dragon", which is now live in the Philippines.

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