ACLU

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks a full-time Social Science Fellow, Voting Rights for a period of two (2) years in the Analytics Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month.

ACLU Analytics partners with teams across the organization to enable the ACLU to make smart, evidence-based decisions and bring quantitative insights on our issues to the courtroom and the public. Our team's work ranges from social science research for litigation & advocacy, to analysis & reporting for fundraising and engagement, to building and maintaining our data infrastructure. We strive to ensure the ACLU leads by example in the ethical use of data and technology. This includes maintaining our privacy and security standards, pushing for transparent data practices from government and corporate actors, and helping to steward high standards for algorithmic fairness, accountability, and transparency.

WHAT YOU'LL DO 

Reporting to the Director, Legal Analytics & Quantitative Research, the Social Science Fellow will use data analysis and quantitative social science techniques to defend voting rights and democracy in the courts and on the ballot. Working in close partnership with ACLU Voting Rights Attorneys, organizers, and affiliates, you will shape research questions, conduct descriptive and causal analyses, review expert reports, and translate quantitative findings into recommendations for litigators, policymakers and judges. Your analyses will push for fair maps, fight voter suppression, and identify areas for expansion of voter access.

YOUR DAY TO DAY

You will be part of the Legal Analytics & Quantitative Research team, and work with team members across Analytics as well as stakeholders in our Legal, Political Advocacy, Digital, and Communications teams. Below is a sampling of projects you can expect to dive into:

• Combine Census demographic data, legislative district maps, and election results to create powerful voting rights datasets
• Review quantitative expert reports and depositions and provide recommendations to colleagues and co-counsel
• Implement district simulation analyses and statistical methods such as ecological inference to inform litigation and advocacy efforts
• Develop quantitative research analyses and literature reviews that support ACLU litigation and advocacy
• Identify new opportunities for the ACLU’s voter protection efforts
• Identify, evaluate, acquire, and integrate new Census data products and electoral results
• Support the legal analytics team on other high-priority civil rights cases, including disparate impact claims in criminal justice, housing, or employment

FUTURE ACLU'ERS WILL 

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• Substantial training and applied experience in a quantitative social science, such as Political Science, Economics, or equivalent
• Fluency in R, Python, or comparable statistical programming language
• Experience providing feedback on statistical analyses, for example in peer-reviewing journal articles or reviewing expert reports
• Experience designing and evaluating causal inference research studies
• Ability to clearly translate technical concepts for a non-technical audience
• The ideal candidate will have a passion for the ACLU, civil liberties and civil rights, with an emphasis on voting rights and redistricting in particular

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 2+ years of graduate-level work or research in US voting and elections, or equivalent work experience
• Experience using ecological inference, simulation analyses, and other social science methods to analyze voting patterns in redistricting
• Experience working directly with US Census data products and precinct-level electoral return data
• Experience using statistical techniques for causal identification in observational or experimental research, either in an academic or applied legal setting
• Experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software and spatial data, or mapping software for redistricting (e.g. Maptitude for Redistricting)

COMPENSATION

The ACLU values equity, transparency, and clarity in pay. Consistent with the ACLU's compensation philosophy there is a set salary for this role. The ACLU also has a locality adjustment policy that applies to salaries. The annual salary for this position is $126,253 (Level F), reflecting the salary of a position based in New York, NY. This position is subject to a hybrid schedule of 2 days/week or 8 days/month in-office. 

WHY THE ACLU

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.

We know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and know that what we offer is essential not just their work, but to their overall well-being. 

At the ACLU, we offer a broad range of benefits, which include:

• Time away to focus on the things that matter with a generous paid-time off policy
• Focus on your well-being with comprehensive healthcare benefits (including medical, dental and vision coverage, parental leave, gender affirming care & fertility treatment)
• Plan for your retirement with 401k plan and employer match
• We support employee growth and development through annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops

OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. 

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

The Department of Education has determined that employment in this position at the ACLU does not qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.