Research Officer

The Centre for Justice Innovation is looking to recruit a pragmatic and thoughtful researcher to help us advocate for evidence-based reform to criminal and family justice policy and practice in the UK.

Our Research Officer will play a pivotal role in strengthening the evidence base for innovation across the UK’s justice systems. The role will have a particular focus on improving outcomes for women in the criminal justice system, and for families in the family justice system, including through our work overseeing FDAC.

Undertaking qualitative and mixed methods research, you will draw out the voices of people with lived experience and frontline practitioners on issues like:

• Improving the treatment of women in the criminal justice system
• Joined up responses to domestic abuse
• Making sure that children and families involved in the family justice system have the right support.

Your duties will include:

• Undertaking qualitative and mixed-methods research projects
• Working with other team members to design research methodologies
• Carrying out fieldwork with people with lived experience, practitioners and other informants
• Drafting research reports and other research outputs
• Presenting your findings at events
• Working alongside our practice team to produce accessible evidence summaries for practitioners
• Working with our policy team to frame research findings to create policy change

Every member of our team plays a part in influencing how the Centre develops. Roles and objectives may shift, and we ask everyone to work with creativity and flexibility in response to changing business needs.

Skills, Experience and Knowledge

Through your application, you should demonstrate the experience, skills and knowledge you have in the areas described below.

Experience

• Professional experience of undertaking qualitative or mixed-methods research projects
• Experience of undertaking research with participants facing additional barriers or vulnerabilities
• Experience of drafting high quality research reports or other outputs

Skills and Knowledge

• Knowledge of research methodologies
• Excellent writing skills and good spoken English
• The ability to summarise research findings clearly for a non-specialist audience
• Demonstrable interest in and understanding of social policy issues
• A pragmatic approach to solving social problems and identifying practical solutions
• The ability to balance multiple priorities and managing your own workload to meet deadlines.

Requirements

The post holder will also need:

• A willingness and ability to attend regular in person events in London and to travel within the UK and occasionally overseas;
• Eligibility to work in the UK legally.