For nearly 40 years, nonprofit AccessLex Institute® has been partnering with our member institutions – the nearly 200 state-affiliated and nonprofit ABA-approved law schools – to meet the ever-changing needs and challenges of law students and the legal education community we serve. From providing free resources for every step of the law school journey to maximizing the value and affordability of a law degree through research and policy advocacy, we exist to increase access and further the success of aspiring lawyers from admission to law school to admission to the bar. Helix Bar Review is our latest service in pursuit of our nonprofit mission – empowering the next generation of lawyers.

AccessLex combines mission-driven work with long-term financial strength. Backed by nearly $1 billion in net assets that funds a $40+ million annual operating budget, we’re built to advance our mission for the long haul, and we accomplish this by investing in the resources, programs, and personnel that ensure sustained growth and furtherance of our organizational goals. Learn more at AccessLex.org and HelixBarReview.org.

This is remote position; however, incumbent is expected to work 8:15am-5pm eastern regardless of time zone residing in as work is currently team/project based. Annual salary is $80,000.

Job Summary: The Senior Research Analyst is a member of the Research Programs department—the Center for Legal Education Excellence—and provides analytical support for the Company’s research and data initiatives. The position plays a key role in: a) contributing to the development and output of research and data tools that advance the Company’s strategic goals and mission of increasing access, affordability, and the value of legal education; and b) providing research counsel and support to internal colleagues, grantees, and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Actively contribute to the Company’s research agenda to further empirical understanding of law school access, affordability, academic and bar success, and the value of legal education; assist in implementing tactics associated with the Company’s Strategic Plan.
• Assist in management and maintenance of the Center's research and data tools, e.g., Analytix and XploreJD.
• Conduct statistical analyses using both internal and external data and applying advanced statistical methods (e.g., hierarchical linear modeling, structural equation modeling, difference-in-differences).
• Produce compelling and easily interpretable tables and graphical displays of statistical results for a variety of audiences.
• Organize, structure and clean data to permit for use to perform research and policy analysis.
• Design and conduct quality control procedures for data collection, analyses, reports, and the Company’s data tools; produce technical reports describing procedures, data collection, and/or research results.
• Communicate findings to policy and practitioner audiences in succinct briefs, white papers and reports through cogent prose and graphical modeling.
• Present at professional conferences; represent the Center at relevant industry conferences and events.
• Advise and assist colleagues, grantees, external researchers and consultants with research design, data analysis, data interpretation, and identifying and navigating higher education data sources.
• Assist in the development and maintenance of a repository of research evidence and data (e.g., the AccessLex Resource Collections) based on internal and external sources that can support the Company’s research objectives, specifically, and those of legal education more generally.
• Other duties as assigned.

Candidate Requirements:

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) – To succeed in the Senior Research Analyst position, candidates should possess the following KSAs:
  • REQUIRED
    • Passion for advancing access, affordability, and value in legal education.
    • Ability to self-organize—to manage and set deadlines independently to balance multiple deliverables and ensure their timely completion.
    • Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills; ability to anticipate and respond to challenges.
    • Superior attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
    • Strong evaluation, mathematical, analytical, and data modeling skills, including experience applying these skills using multivariate linear and logistic regression.
    • Knowledge (acquired through both experience and coursework) of evaluation methodologies, both qualitative and quantitative.
    • Proficiency in R Studio, STATA, or another statistical software program.
    • Experience translating statistical terms and methodologies to lay audiences.
    • Experience writing and presenting research reports; ability to write technical reports independently.
  • PREFERRED
    • Public speaking and presentation skills.
    • Knowledge of higher education or legal education data sources, data definitions and limitations.
    • Knowledge of higher education and student financial aid policy, particularly for graduate and professional students.
    • Experience publishing and presenting original research.
    • Programming expertise in at least one major statistical package, including experience with hierarchical linear modeling.
  • BACKGROUND EXPERIENCES. The following are required unless otherwise noted:
    • Bachelor’s degree in education, economics, political science, public policy, sociology, statistics, or related field AND a minimum 4 years of related experience in a similar role; OR
    • Graduate degree AND 1-2 years of related experience.
    • Experience working in higher education (preferred).

Position Type / Expected Hours of Work: This is a full-time, exempt position located in a remote office. The incumbent is expected to be present and accessible for at least 40 hours per week, subject to approved leave time, travel and other absences as described in the Employee Handbook or as otherwise agreed by the Company. The Company’s standard hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: AccessLex Institute provides equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.