Overview and purpose of position

The Law and Justice Foundation of NSW is an independent, research focussed organisation. We undertake high quality applied social research and analysis to identify the legal and related needs of the community and ‘what works’ to address these needs, to inform policy development and service delivery. The Foundation has established a reputation for rigorous and policy-relevant work that is relied upon nationally and globally.

The Foundation works actively with government and all parts of the legal assistance sector (including Legal Aid Commissions, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services, and Community Legal Centres) and the broader justice system to inform policy and support the planning and delivery of effective legal assistance services.

The Foundation’s research program involves innovative social research across a range of themes, including:

• Population and client surveys of legal need, pathways and barriers to meet these needs, and vulnerabilities of different communities
• Using legal service delivery data, Australian Bureau of Statistics and other data to understand legal needs and how they can be met effectively
• Monitoring and evaluating services to assess how they can most cost-effectively meet the needs of disadvantaged clients in various geographic, socio-economic and service environments.

The research team work on a range of projects depending on the Foundation’s priorities. Most work is published on the Foundation’s website.

The Foundation now wishes to recruit a Research Assistant to support the small but dynamic and well respected research team. Although a support role, for the right candidate there may be the opportunity for career progression to Researcher.

Working arrangement: Part time (3 days per week). Flexible working arrangements available to suit candidates undertaking graduate study.

Salary: Dependent on qualifications and experience.

Role

The exact nature of the role will vary depending on the research projects underway but includes general support to the research team, such as:

• Conducting and documenting literature searches
• Collating information about legal assistance services
• Extracting and manipulating census, crime and other administrative datacollating, cleaning and undertaking basic analysis of administrative and survey data – using Excel and SPSS
• Setting up research interviews, assisting with the preparation of interview materials and transcribing interviews
• Proof-reading and formatting data products and research drafts into the LJF style by applying the LJF Style Guide and associated Word, Excel and PowerPoint templates

Training will be provided as required, for instance in:

• Programming and checking CASI and CATI surveys
• Geographic mapping of data by applying QGIS and Tableau software
• Creating infographics using specialist software to communicate key findings from research reports
• Managing the research literature database using EndNote software package

Skills/Selection Criteria

This role requires a tertiary qualification in the social sciences, statistics or other relevant discipline and preferably relevant experience in an academic, public-sector or not for profit organisation.

The Core Competencies required of the Law and Justice Foundation Research Grades can be found here.

Please click Apply Now to send your applications to Richard Wood at [email protected].

Applications close at 5pm on Sunday 18 October 2020 but may also be considered upon receipt. Short-listed candidates will be invited to undertake a short task in Excel and Word.

Please be advised that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.