How to Apply
A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.
Job Summary
The University of Michigan Law School seeks a Research Associate in Empirical Legal Studies to support faculty empirical research projects relating to a variety of substantive fields in law and policy. The successful candidate will spend most of their time on data collection, management, analysis, and visualization. Research Associates collaborate with multiple faculty across a range of projects, assisting on all relevant aspects of those projects. Research Associates will also acquire new skills as needed, collect and distill relevant literature, and assist in development of manuscripts for publication, presentations, and testimony.
Who We Are
Founded in 1859, Michigan Law School is one of the world's leading institutions of legal education and enjoys a reputation for academic excellence. Michigan is consistently ranked among the top law schools in the nation, and enjoys international renown for its intellectual rigor, stunning physical surroundings, preeminent faculty scholarship, and a community noted for collegiality and warmth. Michigan Law has an exceptional and cooperative community of talented and interesting students, with 1000 in the JD and 40 in the LLM program. Our commitments to collegiality, to constructive and challenging debate, and to enabling our students to pursue a wide range of options explain why the Law School has long been committed to diversity along many dimensions. Our graduates serve with distinction in the private, public, non-profit, and academic sectors, in large numbers in every major market in the nation, as well as internationally. The University of Michigan is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is considered among the best places in the United States to live and work.
Responsibilities*
Empirical Legal Studies Research Associates have assisted on a wide-range of academic projects:
- Using case-level data to measure and interpret racial disparities in prosecutorial decision-making;
- Studying homeowners' ability to understand consumer insurance contracts via survey responses;
- Exploring the role of beliefs about the legal enforceability of non-competition clauses in employment contracts;
- Investigating barriers to criminal record expungements and the labor market and public safety consequences of record clearing;
- Analyzing settlement contract terms to better understand the welfare consequences of settlement in litigation;
- Unpacking lessons from data from the National Registry of Exonerations; and,
- Interrogating the impact of technology in courts on pro se litigants' perceptions of procedural justice and access-to-justice.
Required Qualifications*
- Bachelor's degree in statistics, economics, data science, or a social science discipline that requires quantitative methods training
- Data management and analysis experience
- Demonstrated capacity in quantitative research methods
- Coding/programming experience in Stata, Python, R, or a similar program/language
- Mastery of Microsoft Excel
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills, including the ability to track research and report project statistics
- Excellent time-management skills, demonstrated ability to handle multiple competing priorities and meet deadlines, and ability to work effectively with minimal supervision
- Exceptional research and analytical writing skills
Desired Qualifications*
- Any form of advanced training in statistics, economics, data science, or quantitative social science
- Experience with ArcGIS or other mapping software
Modes of Work
Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.
Additional Information
The Initial appointment for the position is two to three years with the possibility for continuation; the position is ideal for candidates planning to apply to graduate programs in empirical economics, statistics, or another social science discipline involving quantitative methods.
Application Deadline
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.
U-M EEO Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.