Senior Policy Data Analyst

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Senior Policy Data Analyst based in the United States. We are seeking an analytical and mission-driven Senior Policy Data Analyst to transform complex criminal justice data into actionable insights that support meaningful policy reform. In this role, you will partner with government stakeholders and cross-functional teams to understand system challenges and evaluate opportunities to improve outcomes. You will use SQL, Python, and statistical modeling to analyze administrative data, assess policy scenarios, and quantify potential trade-offs. Beyond technical analysis, you will translate findings into clear recommendations, presentations, and decision-support tools for senior decision-makers. You will lead projects from initial scoping through delivery, exercising independent judgment as priorities and stakeholder needs evolve. This is an opportunity to combine rigorous analytics, creative problem-solving, and collaborative engagement to help reduce unnecessary incarceration and build safer, healthier communities.

Analyze complex corrections, parole, and other administrative datasets using SQL and Python to understand system behavior, identify trends, and uncover opportunities for policy improvement. Design and execute end-to-end analytical projects, translating broad objectives into actionable work plans, analytical approaches, timelines, and deliverables. Develop statistical models and policy scenarios using techniques such as regression analysis, time-series analysis, stock-and-flow modeling, and distributional analysis. Quantify the potential effects and trade-offs of alternative policy designs, clearly identifying assumptions, limitations, uncertainties, and the implications of available data. Build practical, decision-focused analyses that help government leaders evaluate policy options and make informed choices. Communicate findings through presentations, reports, memos, and other decision-support materials tailored to the needs of state agency leaders and other stakeholders. Collaborate with partnership leads, policy specialists, engineers, and other internal teams to understand state-specific context, data infrastructure, and implementation considerations. Manage projects independently from initial problem definition through analysis, interpretation, stakeholder communication, and final delivery. Adapt analytical strategies as project objectives, data availability, and stakeholder priorities change, balancing analytical rigor with speed and practical impact. Identify and address project risks, clarify ownership, coordinate dependencies, and improve workflows to support predictable delivery and effective collaboration. Build deeper knowledge of assigned states, their correctional systems, and policy environments to identify emerging questions and additional opportunities for analysis. Conduct exploratory analyses to determine whether potential projects are feasible, valuable, and likely to support meaningful decisions. Develop reusable analytical methods, modeling patterns, and frameworks that improve consistency and strengthen the broader team's capabilities. Support policy implementation by providing evidence-based insights and helping stakeholders understand the operational implications of proposed changes. Participate in occasional travel to state partners across the continental United States, approximately every six months, with visits potentially including correctional facilities and parole offices. Requirements: At least five years of full-time professional experience exploring, analyzing, and processing complex datasets. Advanced SQL skills, including writing efficient queries for complex data extraction, transformation, and analysis across large datasets. Professional experience using Python, particularly pandas, for data manipulation, statistical analysis, and visualization. Strong statistical foundations and the ability to design sound analyses, scrutinize results, evaluate uncertainty, and produce defensible conclusions. Experience scoping and delivering analytical projects, including balancing analytical depth, speed, and practical value under tight timelines and shifting priorities. Demonstrated ability to turn ambiguous questions into structured analytical approaches and meaningful metrics that support real-world decisions. Strong judgment in determining which details materially affect an outcome, when simplifications are appropriate, and how to communicate limitations responsibly. Experience working collaboratively across functions, proactively seeking missing context, communicating risks, and addressing potential blockers before they affect delivery. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex technical findings into clear, persuasive recommendations for nontechnical audiences. Strong project management, organization, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently. A collaborative, thoughtful, and adaptable working style, with a willingness to learn from setbacks, assume good intent, and build productive relationships with diverse stakeholders. A commitment to using data responsibly and thoughtfully to support evidence-based decision-making and positive social impact. Preferred qualifications: Experience adapting quantitative methods to develop intuitive, decision-relevant metrics in ambiguous or open-ended contexts. Experience working with large public-sector administrative datasets, particularly in criminal justice, corrections, parole, or community supervision. Familiarity with Google Cloud Platform, BigQuery, Looker, Jupyter notebooks, and the Python/pandas ecosystem. Experience working with government agencies, policy teams, or other stakeholders operating in complex public-sector environments. Ability to connect analytical findings with practical implementation considerations and measurable policy outcomes. Benefits: Annual salary: Standardized compensation of $120,000, with offers based on the role's defined scope and responsibilities. Compensation is not negotiable. Healthcare coverage: 90% of medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums covered for employees and their dependents. Flexible paid time off: 20 days of PTO, three paid volunteer days, and 13 paid holidays. Parental leave: 12 weeks of paid parental leave. Retirement savings: 401(k) plan with a 5% employer match and no vesting period. Healthcare access: Complimentary One Medical membership, depending on location. Family-building and reproductive health: Benefits through Carrot supporting fertility and family formation, along with selected hormonal health and gender-affirming care benefits. Wellness support: Monthly ClassPass credit to support personal fitness and well-being. Mental health resources: Free mental health support through Talkspace. Flexible work arrangements: Remote work options across the United States, with the choice to work from offices in Oakland, California, or Manhattan, New York City. Team connection: Annual company-wide offsite each spring and additional gatherings throughout the year. Meaningful work: Opportunities to contribute to data-driven criminal justice reform and help improve outcomes for people affected by incarceration and supervision. Professional growth: A collaborative, fast-moving environment offering technical challenges, increased ownership, and opportunities to develop reusable analytical approaches.