Our Organization

IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, is a national, independent research organization that innovates and advances solutions that make our civil justice system more just.

We believe justice for all must be a reality for everyone. Every day, IAALS reexamines how the American civil justice system can better serve the needs of us all. Through purposeful collaboration, listening, and research, we jumpstart the groundbreaking and achievable solutions that will clear a path to justice for everyone. Because justice for all will never be a reality if those seeking justice cannot access the system designed to deliver it.

Our Work

IAALS’ unique approach depends on purposeful research, deep collaboration, and diversity of perspective, followed by evidence-based recommendations that take hold in courts and legal institutions across the country. IAALS works on solving problems with a broad view of the legal ecosystem, targeting changes in the courts and in the delivery of legal services. We conduct comprehensive analysis and work with stakeholders to design solutions, empower decision-makers, and measure outcomes and impacts to advance an accessible and trusted legal system.

In order to innovate our civil justice system to meet today’s challenges and opportunities, we need to better understand the problems people face.

• Nearly half of Americans experience legal problems for which they can’t find a solution.
• More than 70% of civil and family disputes in the United States include at least one side that doesn’t have an attorney.
• Incomprehensive legalese, limited legal support, and convoluted processes make fair legal resolutions increasingly unattainable.
• Businesses routinely choose arbitration rather than using the courts, jury trials are disappearing, and public confidence in our legal system is low.

Our modern society, with modern people and problems, demands the evolution of systems created hundreds of years ago. The status quo is rigid, inaccessible, slow, and costly—and doesn’t account for the people moving through it, rather than only those working within it. That is the work of IAALS.

IAALS has ongoing research projects in the areas of judicial reform, civil justice reform, family justice reform, legal education and licensure reform, and innovation in the delivery of legal services and the profession. We encourage applicants to learn more about our work at https://iaals.du.edu/ 

Position Summary

This is a full-time position that reports to the Director of Research and supports both the empirical research projects and internal operations at IAALS. Responsibilities related to IAALS’ research projects may include managing the collection of qualitative and quantitative data to inform IAALS policy recommendations in consultation with the Director of Research and the research team; assisting in entering, managing, and ensuring quality/accuracy of data and data systems; developing and implementing data security protocols; analyzing quantitative and qualitative data, interpreting research and evaluation findings, and preparing summary reports; conducting literature reviews; and assisting with other tasks as needed. Responsibilities related to IAALS’ internal operations may include developing and disseminating best practices for database use to ensure data integrity; administering, analyzing, and reporting on internal data collection efforts (e.g., staff surveys); maintaining organizational metrics; developing and implementing data security protocols; and assisting with other tasks as needed. The person in this role will be a valued contributor to IAALS’ research capacity and internal learning, helping ensure that both our external-facing work and internal operations are grounded in high-quality data and thoughtful analysis.

Essential Functions

• Assist the director of research with the collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of data for IAALS’ programmatic and operational functions, as needed.
• Support research projects across IAALS’ focus areas, including tasks such as data collection, survey development, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, data visualization, and drafting accessible research materials.
• Contribute to internal data-related efforts, including maintaining databases to ensure data integrity, development and dissemination of internal surveys, preparation of internal metrics and reports, and use of data to inform operations and internal best practices.
• Help maintain organized, secure, and well-documented research files and data systems in compliance with internal protocols and ethical research standards.
• Conduct literature reviews and background research relevant to project goals.
• Other duties as assigned, which may include attendance at seminars and conferences and periodic supervision of interns.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Research Experience & Ability

• Experience with qualitative and quantitative social science research methods.
• Able to discern relevance and/or importance of research findings.
• Experience interpreting and reporting on quantitative and qualitative data.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain data integrity in research.

Communication & Working with Others

• Communicates effectively in writing.
• Communicates effectively in real-time settings, including engaging in discussions and responding to questions in group or one-on-one settings.
• Able to adapt communication style to meet the needs of different contexts and audiences.
• Able to convey complex information in a clear and concise manner.
• Able to work collaboratively in a variety of settings, including in-person, virtual, and hybrid.
• Exhibits respect for others, including people of different backgrounds.

Cognitive Skills

• Demonstrates creativity in problem solving.
• Questions assumptions and considers alternative explanations.
• Approaches problems with an open and analytical mindset.
• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in changing circumstances.
• Able to engage in self-directed learning strategies to enhance knowledge and skills.

Organization & Project Management

• Demonstrates thoroughness in reviewing work for errors and inconsistencies.
• Experience managing projects from start to finish, including meeting deadlines and managing tasks across multiple projects.
• Able to balance and prioritize multiple tasks across multiple projects.
• Experience managing research data, including following protocols for ensuring the security of private and/or confidential information.
• Proactively seeks help from peers and/or supervisor, as needed.

Software & Technology Skills

• Experience with SPSS for running frequencies, descriptives, and inferential statistics.
• Experience with web-based survey platforms (e.g., Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey).
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 apps, especially Excel (advanced formulas and data preparation) and Word (document formatting).
• Experience creating data visualizations using Tableau, Power BI, or similar tools.
• Familiarity with principles of managing large, complex relational databases.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree with concentration in social sciences or equivalent combination of education and experience. 
• Minimum of one year experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience conducting or leading a research project from start to finish (e.g., as part of undergraduate coursework). Experience with Institutional Review Boards, including preparing packages for submission.
• Experience facilitating research interviews and/or focus groups.
• Familiarity with civil justice processes, issues in access to justice, and/or the legal profession in the United States.
• Experience with law-related datasets.
• Familiarity with NVivo qualitative data analysis software.
• Familiarity with basic coding or scripting to support research tools and internal data systems (e.g., SQL, Java, JSON, Python)
• Experience developing and programming relational databases

Working Environment

• Standard office environment.
• Unexpected interruptions occur often and stress level is moderate to high.
• Noise level is quiet to moderate.

Physical Activities

• Ability to work on a computer for extended periods of time.
• Occasionally required to move about the office/campus.

Work Schedule

Monday-Friday, 40 hours per week. The typical work schedule is Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, although specific schedules may be established with the supervisor. On occasion, there are hours required outside of the standard hours.

In accordance with the University’s and IAALS’ flexible work policies, this position is eligible to be considered for flexible work arrangements. Further details regarding this plan will be determined with the hiring manager and are dependent on the division and team-specific needs.

Application Deadline
For consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) October 14, 2025.

Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number:
The salary grade for the position is 8.

Hourly Range:
The hourly range for the position is $23.96-$27.83

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.

Benefits:
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital, family, or parental status, pregnancy or related conditions, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital family, and parental status, pregnancy, genetic information, military enlistment, or veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the University’s educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Worker's Rights ("POWR") Act; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For more information, please see the University of Denver's Non‑Discrimination‑Statement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.