Criminal Justice Researcher (Associate / Full Specialist) - California Policy Lab

Position overview

Position title :

Criminal Justice Researcher

Salary range :

The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay determined by the rank and step at appointment. See the following table(s) for the current salary scale(s) for this position : https : / / www.ucop.edu / academic-personnel-programs / _files / 2025-26 / policy-covered-july-2025-scales / t24-a.pdf. The current full-time base salary range for this position is $76,500 - $197,700.

Off-scale salaries, which yield compensation that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions.

Percent time : 100

Anticipated start : December 2025

Position duration : Two years

Application Window

Open date : October 15, 2025

Most recent review date : Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 at 11 : 59pm (Pacific Time)

Applications received after this date will be reviewed by the search committee if the position has not yet been filled.

Final date : Wednesday, Dec 31, 2025 at 11 : 59pm (Pacific Time)

Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

Department Overview

The California Policy Lab (CPL) generates research insights for government impact. Through hands-on partnerships with government agencies, CPL performs rigorous research across issue silos and builds the data infrastructure necessary to improve programs and policies that millions of Californians rely on every day. We work on California's most urgent issues, including homelessness, poverty, criminal justice reform, and education inequality. At its Berkeley site, CPL resides as a center within the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE).

Position Description

The Criminal Justice Researcher will join our criminal justice team. CPL provides critical research and analysis of California's criminal justice system, and the state and local levels. At the state level, CPL is the research partner for the Committee on Revision of the Penal Code (CRPC). The Committee is a state entity that studies and recommends changes to all aspects of California's criminal laws - from policing to sentencing to reentry and more. The Committee's recommendations, often based on CPL's research, aim to simplify criminal law and procedure, establish alternatives to incarceration, and improve the parole and probation system. At the local level, CPL partners with criminal justice agencies in many counties including San Francisco, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Alameda, and Sonoma to conduct experimental and quasi-experimental policy research. The Criminal Justice Researcher will report to CPL-Berkeley's Research Director and will work closely with the faculty affiliates who co-lead the CRPC research team.

The Criminal Justice Researcher will conduct quantitative research using administrative criminal justice records. The Researcher will publish multiple reports and policy briefs based on this research each year. The Criminal Justice Researcher will work with minimal supervision to conceptualize research questions and design; request, receive, and clean data files; create and implement analysis plans; conduct quality assurance reviews; summarize results in documents for both academic and policy audiences; and generate replicability

documentation. The Criminal Justice Researcher will implement multiple research designs and analysis techniques, including but not limited to randomized control trials, quasi-experimental designs using natural experiments or other such variation, and difference-in-difference and event-study analyses. Further, a successful candidate can lead research projects with small teams under the oversight of the Research Director, write proposals to support research projects, and ensure timely and high-quality completion of research tasks. The Criminal Justice Researcher will supervise other research staff on the criminal justice team.

Position Responsibilities

• Conduct quantitative research under the oversight of the Research Director, including conceptualizing research questions and design; requesting, receiving, and cleaning data files; creating and implementing analysis plans; conducting quality assurance reviews; summarizing results in documents for both academic and policy audiences; and generating replicability documentation
• Annually publish multiple reports and policy briefs based on research
• Implement multiple research designs and analysis techniques, including but not limited to randomized control trials, quasi-experimental designs using natural experiments or other such variation, and difference-in-difference and event study analyses.
• Lead research projects with small teams, write proposals to support research projects, and ensure timely and high quality completion of research tasks.
• Mentor other research staff, provide feedback on performance
• Partner effectively with state and local agency staff to build a joint research agenda.

Conviction History Background

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

Department : https : / / irle.berkeley.edu /

Unit : https : / / capolicylab.org /

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

Bachelor's degree or equivalent international degree

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)

Associate Specialist

Bachelor's degree or equivalent international degree and at least five (5) years of professional experience

OR

Master's degree or equivalent international degree and at least three (3) years of professional experience

Full Specialist

Bachelor's degree or equivalent international degree and at least ten (10) years of professional experience

OR

Master's degree or equivalent international degree and at least eight (8) years of professional experience

OR

PhD or equivalent international degree and at least two (2) years of professional experience.

The California Policy Lab is unable to offer visa sponsorship for these positions.

Preferred qualifications

Application Requirements

Document requirements

Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

Cover Letter (Optional)

Statement of Research - Please discuss research accomplishments and proposed plans. This can include, for example, your publication record, awards, presentations, inclusive research practices that promote the excellence of your research, and areas for future research.

(Optional)

Reference requirements

Apply link :

https : / / aprecruit.berkeley.edu / JPF05156

Help contact : chris_runde@berkeley.edu

About UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service, consistent with UC Regents Policy 4400 and University of California Academic Personnel policy (APM 210 1-d). These values are embedded in our Principles of Community, which reflect our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery and innovation, and our deep commitment to contributing to a better world. Every member of the UC Berkeley community has a role in sustaining a safe, caring and humane environment in which these values can thrive.

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

For more information, please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and / or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

Job location

Berkeley, CA with an expectation of 3 days a week in the office, though we will consider remote candidates.