About Acacia Center for Justice:
The objective of the Acacia Center for Justice (“Acacia”) is to expand on Vera’s work over the past twenty years in providing legal support and representation to immigrants facing deportation through the development, coordination, and management of national networks of legal services providers serving immigrants across the country. Acacia’s goals are twofold: to support immigrant legal services and defense networks to provide exceptional legal services to immigrants and to advocate for the expansion of these programs and the infrastructure critical to guaranteeing immigrants access to justice, fairness, and freedom. Acacia will focus the collective power of both Vera and CAIR on delivering accountable, independent, zealous, and person-centered legal services and representation to protect the rights of all immigrants at risk of deportation.
Job Summary:
This position will provide support to the program team for the Unaccompanied Children Program (UCP). This program works through a network of legal service providers throughout the U.S. to coordinate the delivery of legal support to unaccompanied migrant children who are subject to immigration proceedings. UCP is funded by a contract from the Department of Health and Human Services and administered through the Office of Refugees and Resettlement (ORR).
This Senior Research and Evaluation Associate (SREA) will be primarily responsible for designing, leading, and conducting qualitative research and program evaluation required under the ORR contract. This research will include interviews with immigrant children, legal service providers, and other stakeholders and will require Spanish fluency. The SREA will also be responsible for the qualitative research components of program evaluations initiated by the UCP team, as well as ad hoc research and reporting requests. They may also assist with other aspects of research and reporting that require qualitative and mixed-methods competencies and substantive knowledge of the U.S. immigration system.
The SREA will supervise at least one UCP Research and Evaluation Associate and possibly a Research Analyst and collaborate on research and program evaluation with a quantitative-oriented Senior Research and Evaluation Associate and a Research and Evaluation Associate, who fall under the supervision of the Director of Research and Evaluation, and UCP data team members, who fall under the supervision of the Director of Data Systems and Analytics.
The SREA will also work in collaboration with other Acacia teams (including program, finance, technical compliance, and learning and development teams) to ensure constant feedback loops necessary for program management and contract compliance. They will also be a member of Acacia’s larger Research Evaluation and Data Analytic (REDA) team that is responsible for research reporting on other projects in addition to UCP, and will be expected to attend Acacia REDA team meetings. As is the case for all REDA team members, the SREA will work to ensure that Acacia’s race equity and inclusion priorities are a core aspect of research, including methodological approaches, publications, hiring and staffing, and external and internal research communications.
Primary Duties/Responsibilities:
Research Design and Review
- Lead the research design, data gathering and analysis for qualitative research and program evaluation.
- Partner with the Director of Research and Evaluation and other research leadership to establish a longer-term research agenda in support of the team’s work.
- Ensure research deliverables, including data collection and reporting, are compliant and responsive to the contract.
- Conduct peer-review of research designs and analysis plans.
- Develop research proposals in support of fundraising led by initiative and research leadership.
- Develop and present IRB applications and ensure that research is conducted to the highest ethical standards.
Application of research insights
- Maintain an in-depth understanding of the immigration system, developments in program support, program administration, and federal policy to strategically guide research and evaluation in support of the contract, program goals, and Acacia’s mission.
- Communicate findings from research and data analysis, including representing the work in communication with federal government stakeholders, fielding questions and addressing requests for additional information.
- Manage integration of insights gained from qualitative research into program planning and implementation, collaborating closely with senior program staff and a nationwide network of service providers.
Team leadership, mentorship, and development
- Supervise, support, and mentor a team of researchers across methodologies and levels.
- Strategize and build opportunities for professional growth, development, and skill building among supervisees.
- Support research and evaluation team recruitment and hiring
Preferred Skills, Knowledge, Abilities:
- PhD or master's degree in a social science or related discipline (i.e., sociology, anthropology, political science, social work, etc.).
- Relevant experience in applied social science research or program evaluation.
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree, plus 4-7 years of relevant experience in applied research, equivalent applied experience, social science, or other related disciplines.
- Commitment to using research and analysis to address and undo racism and inequity in the immigration legal system required; lived experience preferred.
- At least 3 years of full-time research experience, including at least one 1 year of experience serving as the research lead or principal investigator.
- Advanced qualitative skills, including ethnographic research, qualitative interviews, and expertise with methods of qualitative analysis (and relevant software).
- Experience designing and conducting qualitative research involving children, incarcerated people, or immigrants.
- Bilingual Spanish/English fluency.
- Knowledge of and experience applying ethical and methodological criteria of special relevance to research with vulnerable populations.
- Experience leading in a research or project management role.
- Experience in a supervision or informal supervision role.
- Exceptional written and oral communications skills, including authoring and editing research reports in written and visual formats accessible to a broader audience and translating and presenting research findings to external stakeholders.
- Experience conducting qualitative research with migrant populations, and preferably prior experience conducting research involving migrant families and/or unaccompanied children.
Compensation and Benefits:
Acacia has established an internal compensation philosophy that centers equity and pay transparency. The salary for this position is set at $96,000 The salary listed is just one component of Acacia’s total compensation package for employees. Supporting Acacia staff—both personally and professionally—is our priority.
- Medical/Dental/Vision- Some plans at $0 cost to the employee
- Employee Assistance Program
- 20 days per year of vacation time
- 12 days per year of sick time
- 5 personal days
- 4 organization-wide Wellness Days
- 11 observed holidays, including the last week of December.
- $2000 Professional Development Stipend
- Home office set-up stipend
- Internet Stipend
- 401k with 5% employer contribution, no employee participation required.
- Student loan repayment assistance.
- Gym Reimbursement
People of color and those who have been impacted by the criminal system and immigration system are strongly urged to apply.
To Apply:
Please upload a resume and cover letter at the link provided or email hiring@acaciajustice.org with Subject: ATTN: Human Resources / [Job Title], Acacia Center for Justice
Equal Opportunity Employment:
Acacia is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to recruit persons of diverse backgrounds and support their retention and advancement within the organization. We are committed to fostering a workplace culture inclusive of people with respect to their race, ethnicity, national origin, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, marital status, age, disabilities, political affiliation, religious beliefs, or any other characteristic. Our commitment to justice and diversity also means providing a work environment that is welcoming, respectful, and engaging.
As a federal contractor, and in order to ensure a healthy and safe work environment, Acacia Center for Justice is requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccine before their start date. Employees who cannot receive the vaccine because of a disability/medical contraindication or sincerely-held religious belief may request an accommodation (e.g., an exemption) to this requirement.
This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties, responsibilities and requirements but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function within our organization.
Acacia Center for Justice 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.