The John Glenn College of Public Affairs is a leading public affairs college that conducts rigorous academic research and translates and applies that research for public, nonprofit, and private partners. Criminal justice administration is a growing area of expertise within the college with multiple faculty and students involved in criminal justice research projects, and an array of technical assistance and training partnerships with criminal justice organizations. The Glenn College invites applications for a Research Scientist position in Criminal Justice Administration and Policy.

This position is a unique opportunity to help lead, grow, and further develop the Consortium to Advance Police Supervision (CAPS), a national initiative designed to strengthen first-line supervision in policing through field engagement, professional development, and the translation of evidence into practitioner-facing resources focused on first-line police supervision, along with additional law enforcement-focused research studies. The successful candidate will play a central leadership role in advancing CAPS as both a research and practice-focused initiative, including working directly with first-line supervisors, command staff, and agency partners in the field; developing and delivering technical assistance, training, and professional development; helping expand CAPS partnerships, funding, and visibility; and translating research into actionable products for practitioner, policy, and academic audiences. The Research Scientist will also collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and external partners on sponsored projects at the Glenn College by conducting and overseeing applied research on police supervision and related public safety topics; serving as principal investigator, co-principal investigator, or key personnel on extramurally funded work; contributing to the development of new grant-funded opportunities; and disseminating research results via conferences, policy documents, and academic publications.

Duties Description

CAPS Leadership, Strategy, and Field Engagement

Provide day-to-day leadership of the Consortium to Advance Police Supervision (CAPS), including helping shape its strategic direction, expanding its reach and impact, and supporting the continued development of its tools and resources for the field. Build and maintain strong relationships with police agencies, professional associations, national partners, and other stakeholders. Work directly with first-line supervisors and agency leaders in the field to identify emerging needs, inform research and product development, and ensure CAPS activities remain relevant and useful to practice.

Applied Research on Police Supervision and Public Safety

Lead and collaborate on research and evaluation projects related to police supervision, organizational practices, and other criminal justice and public safety issues. Contribute to all phases of research, which may include study design, survey development and administration, interviews and focus groups, quantitative and qualitative data collection, data cleaning and analysis, interpretation of findings, and presentations to partners and stakeholders. Participate in site visits, agency partner meetings, and related field-based research activities.

Research Translation, Technical Assistance, and Training

Develop and deliver presentations, training, technical assistance, and other professional development activities for practitioner audiences, with a particular emphasis on first-line police supervisors and supervisory systems. Lead or contribute to practitioner-facing products such as implementation guides, toolkits, briefing materials, policy resources, and executive summaries that translate research into actionable strategies for the field. Disseminate findings through academic publications, technical reports, conference presentations, and policy-oriented products.

Project Management and Research Team Collaboration

Support planning, coordination, and execution across CAPS and related research projects. Attend project team meetings to provide updates, report on progress, and align assigned tasks with research timelines and objectives; assist project management leads in monitoring timelines, maintaining project documentation, completing progress reports, and helping to ensure compliance with IRB, data sharing, and institutional requirements; build and manage relationships with faculty, staff, consultants, partner agencies, and project sponsors to support successful project implementation

Grant Writing and Initiative Development

Identify and pursue external funding opportunities that support CAPS growth and related research. Lead or support the development of federal, foundation, and other grant proposals in collaboration with faculty and research staff. Contribute to the design of new studies, partnerships, and programmatic activities that strengthen CAPS and expand its national impact.

Other tasks and duties as assigned

The Research Scientist will be expected to generate extramural funds to cover or contribute to their salary and benefit costs of the position.

Requests to work outside the state of Ohio will only be considered when there is a legitimate and critical operational need to retain or employ an individual, and the work itself can be performed from a remote location. Information on Working Outside of Ohio can be found here: https://hr.osu.edu/policies/flexible-work/outside-ohio/

This is a full-time (100% FTE), grant-funded term position for two years, with possible renewal based on funding availability and performance.

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

The salary for this position will be determined by internal equity, budget, and the candidate's education and experience.

The full range of health, retirement, tuition, vacation benefits offered at Ohio State are available to this position. To learn more, please visit https://hr.osu.edu/benefits/

Minimum Qualifications and Skills:

Doctoral degree in social science or related discipline and a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in policing, public safety, criminal justice, or a closely related field. Demonstrated subject matter expertise in first-line police supervision, law enforcement operations, and applied research. Experience working directly with law enforcement agencies or public safety partners on research, training, technical assistance, organizational improvement, or related initiatives.

Desired Qualifications and Skills

• Experience conducting qualitative and quantitative research, including work with police administrative data, familiarity with statistical packages for social sciences, mixed-methods approaches, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols.

• Experience leading or helping to build research, training, technical assistance, or field-facing initiatives.

• Experience working directly with first-line supervisors, command staff, and agency partners on issues related to supervision, training, performance, accountability, organizational improvement, and data-driven decision-making.

• Experience with police-academic partnerships and grant-funded research.

• Experience developing and delivering training, technical assistance, professional development, or practitioner-facing resources for law enforcement agencies.

• Excellent leadership, communication, team management, and interpersonal skills.

• Strong writing skills, including the ability to synthesize research findings into clear, practical products for practitioner and policy audiences.

• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a collaborative environment.

Required Documents

Cover letter

Curriculum Vita (CV)

The College

The John Glenn College of Public Affairs is ranked 16th in the nation and #1 in Ohio among 271 Public Affairs schools by U.S. News and World Report. This marks the colleges 10th year within the top 10% of public affairs graduate professional programs in the country. The college is also ranked among our peers in the following specialty areas: public management and leadership (7), nonprofit management (9), local government (18), social policy (19), public policy analysis (20), urban policy (22), and public finance and budgeting (25). Additionally, The Ohio State University ranked No. 5 internationally and No. 1 in the U.S. in public administration according to ShanghaiRanking Consultancys 2023 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.

The University

Ohio State is a top-20 public university, and its Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is one of Americas leading academic health centers. Eligible Ohio State employees receive comprehensive benefits packages, including medical, dental and vision insurance, tuition assistance for employees and their dependents, and state or alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions.

Grounded in Ohio State Universitys Shared Values, our university community welcomes differences, encourages open-minded exploration and courageous thinking, and upholds freedom of expression.

Ohio State is a dynamic community where opportunity thrives, and individuals transform themselves and their world. Positions are available in countless fields and specialties. Become a Buckeye and contribute to an incredible legacy that serves to guide our future and shape a better tomorrow.

Located in Ohios capital city, Ohio States Columbus campus is near the center of a rapidly growing and diverse metropolitan area with a population of over 1.5 million. The area offers a wide range of affordable housing, many cultural and recreational opportunities, excellent schools, and a strong economy based on government as well as service, transportation, and technology industries. Additional information about the Columbus area is available here. Beyond its Columbus campus, Ohio State has four regional campuses including Ohio State Lima, Ohio State Mansfield, Ohio State Marion, and Ohio State Newark, in addition to the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) Wooster Campus, which houses Ohio State ATI.

The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check.

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