Senior Research Associate

The courts fulfill a vital role in maintaining the rule of law and public trust and confidence in the legal and justice systems. At the same time, courts must respond to changes to their workload related to changes in population, changes in laws, and changes in mandated court programs. The courts must adapt to changes and maintain an appropriate capacity to carry out their functions, and Washington's courts need valid and current information to guide decisions about the level of judges, staff, facilities, and other resources that are necessary to meet their expected workload. The work of the Judicial Needs Senior Research Associate will involve deliberate, consultative planning and implementation of a crucial and highly visible program.

The Judicial Needs Senior Research Associate will develop estimates of judicial time and other resources needed to respond to the workload of the courts. Judges' work includes preparing for and conducting hearings, drafting orders and decisions, performing legal research pertaining to the cases before them, and all other actions needed to carry out the courts' role in the justice system in a timely and professional manner. Developing and maintaining time estimates that are both current and valid requires working closely with Washington's trial courts, their judges, administrators, managers, and staff; fundamentally, it requires empirical measures of the time judges require for their work. The methods and measures needed to establish the needed estimates will be the joint responsibility of the courts and the Judicial Needs Senior Research Associate. Development of methods and measures will draw on the experiences of courts across the United States with weighted caseload analyses; it will also seek to use emerging sources of information about on-bench activity during hearings, information from court systems such as court audio recordings, video recordings, transcripts, electronic court record management, and document imaging.

Washington Courts Employment Opportunity

Administrative Office of the Courts

Senior Research Associate

Administrative Services Division

Our Mission: Advance the efficient and effective operation of the Washington Judicial System.

The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) is looking for top-performing employees who embody its core values integrity, inclusion, accountability, and teamwork. It is committed to both employee growth and work-life balance.

Our diversity and inclusion efforts include embracing different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives while fostering growth and advancement in the workplace.

POSITION DETAILS

Job #:2024-007

Status: Regular, Full-Time*

Location:Olympia, Washington

Salary: Range 72: $88,416 - $116,016 per year (DOQ).

Opens: January 16, 2024

Closes:January 29, 2024. AOC reserves the right to close the recruitment at any time.

WASHINGTON STATE RESIDENCY AND TELEWORK INFORMATION

AOC requires employees to reside in Washington State. Any exceptions must be approved. If you are invited to interview and currently reside outside of Washington State, seek more information about residency requirements from the AOC hiring manager of this recruitment.

Position may be eligible for hybrid working; a combination of telework and working in-office.

Specific knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the Judicial Needs Senior Research Associate include familiarity with the roles of judges in Washington's Superior, District, and Municipal Courts; experience with field research design and implementation across multiple sites and using multiple types of original data collection; experience working with active and empowered stakeholder groups. The successful candidate will also have excellent organization, communication, and presentation skills along with demonstrated qualitative and quantitative data development, contemporary data management, and proven data analysis abilities. The Judicial Needs Senior Research Associate will report to the Court Research Manager and work with judges, court administrators and court managers, and Administrative Office of the Courts leadership, Research, Information Services, and Court Association staff.

Duties and responsibilities will also include:

• Conceptualizes and develops research projects, program evaluation methods, and performance reporting/performance management systems; develops sampling procedures for data collection; analyzes population-based data obtained from existing management information systems and other data using appropriate techniques.
• Plans and implements project scope, goals, objectives, methods, and implementation strategies, and adaptation to program development and changes.
• Presents research findings to diverse audiences, including professionals who work in applied settings and audiences at research conferences.
• Identifies research grant opportunities and prepares applications that detail research design, cost of research, necessary personnel, and availability of resources for special studies.
• Uses in?depth and specialized subject?matter expertise obtained through specialized training and job experience to function as technical advisor to other research personnel on specific project subject?matter questions. Collaborates and interacts on projects with regional and national research communities as well as court and other stakeholders.
• Provides research and statistical consulting for AOC staff, judges, and court personnel.
• Performs other duties as required.

AND

AND

OR

A combination of relevant education and experience demonstrating a working knowledge of the functions and responsibilities of Senior Research Associate may be considered in the meeting the qualifications.

THE IDEAL APPLICANT WILL ALSO HAVE SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Ability to form productive working relationships, to treat others with respect and consideration, and to work effectively with people of different abilities and skill levels.

• Working knowledge of court, justice system, or related systems (child welfare, treatment, education, corrections) research; research methods; research design; program evaluation; performance management, agency objectives and programs.
• Ability to develop effective written communications such as the results of quantitative analyses, formal reports, academic research papers and Web-published research briefs for various audiences.
• Ability to develop and deliver formal presentations.
• Ability to appropriately respond verbally and in writing to stakeholder inquiries and feedback.
• Ability to construct data files for analysis using statistical analysis software packages such as SAS, SPSS, or STATA.
• Ability to analyze large databases using statistical methodology.
• Ability to effectively identify tasks, activities, and timelines necessary to achieve a stated purpose; identify actions that are most important and time sensitive; establish priorities and a sequence of activities accordingly; develop a clear understanding of required action steps.
• Ability to develop plans and strategies that clearly identify the purpose, critical actions, priorities, timelines, scope, methodology, and expected outcomes.
• Ability to accurately assess the resources necessary to carry out planned actions; perceive the impact and implication of decisions made regarding resources.
• Ability to anticipate potential problems as well as opportunities and adjust plans.
• Proficient time and resource management skills, the ability to work on multiple assignments concurrently, plan work to accomplish assignments, and manage time to complete assigned tasks within the structure set by supervisor.
• Ability to make timely, sound strategic decisions and recommendations consistent with organizational objectives.

If you have gotten this far and are thinking you do not qualify, consider again. Studies have shown that women, people of color, and people with disabilities are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At the Administrative Office of the Courts, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging. If you are excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may just be the needed candidate for this or other roles.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• The workweek may fluctuate depending on workload or agency needs.
• Overnight travel may be required based on business needs.
• This position is not overtime eligible.

The AOC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on gender, pregnancy, race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, creed, physical, mental or sensory disability (actual or perceived), use of a service animal, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, age, HIV or Hepatitis C status, or any other basis protected by federal or state law. Persons of disability needing assistance in the application process, or those needing this announcement in an alternative format, please contact the AOC Human Resource Office, at (360) 705-5337, or fax (360) 586-4409, or via email to Recruitment@courts.wa.gov.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

SPECIAL NOTE: Before a new hire, a background check, including criminal history, will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the job.