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Research Associate

Employer
University of Virginia
Location
Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
View more categoriesView less categories
Employment Type
Full Time
Institution Type
Four-Year Institution

Job Details

The University of Virginia's Karsh Institute of Democracy seeks a Research Associate for a one-year appointment, with the possibility of renewal for a second year, to support a collaborative research project examining the history and development of state constitutions. The Research Associate will conduct historical and constitutional research, coordinate research activities, and oversee student researchers contributing to the 50 Constitutions project. This position is in the Karsh Institute of Democracy, with an affiliation with the Karsh Center for Law and Democracy at UVA's School of Law.

Project and Position Description

The 50 Constitutions project is led by the State Democracy Research Initiative (SDRI) at the University of Wisconsin Law School. It aims to capture the full history of each state constitution and facilitate engagement with state constitutions, with the aim of creating resources on state constitutions for scholars, practitioners, and the broader public. The project has a public-facing website that allows users to see how a state constitution has developed over time. Users can access a timeline of important dates in their state’s constitutional history, access and read all amendments to the constitution, see the state constitution as it existed on any date since its adoption, and run a tracked changes tool to see how provisions have changed.

50 Constitutions will be a tool for legal research, for community engagement, and nonpartisan civic education. By allowing researchers and the public to access the complete and full history of a state constitution, to review amendments, and to compare the language of provisions over time, the project will catalyze broader and deeper understanding of each state’s constitution and of state constitutions collectively. In turn, it will enhance the ability of courts, journalists, scholars, legal advocates, and members of the public to engage in informed analysis of the state constitutions that shape many consequential issues today. This work has currently been completed for several states with more to come as the project continues.

The Research Associate based at UVA’s Karsh Institute will be responsible for historical and constitutional research on up to five state constitutions in two years. Along with conducting research, the associate will oversee work of law students and undergraduate student researchers on the project. Specifically, the Research Associate will train student researchers, oversee information collection and the data entry process for the 50 Constitutions website, help draft constitutional timelines, manage accuracy and quality control in all areas, and coordinate with state constitutional experts. The Research Associate is expected to meet deadlines set by the project leadership and will coordinate closely with the project team at SDRI at the University of Wisconsin to coordinate research activities.

Salary Range 

The annual salary for this position is $70,000 per year.


Anticipated Start Date

The ideal start date for the position would be July 1, 2027.


Minimum Requirements

Qualified candidates must have their J.D. or Ph.D. completed by the beginning of the fellowship. The disciplinary backgrounds for the role could include history, law, political science, library and information science, or related fields that enable an understanding of the history of constitutions, would support historical data collection on constitutions and amendments through time, textual analysis and data entry, and in partnership with the Karsh Institute, management of student researchers.


Application Timeline 

Candidates must submit their application materials by January 4, 2027.


Position Type & Work Location 

This position is a one-year appointment with the possibility of renewal for a second year, contingent on performance and continued funding. The role is a hybrid position, but the candidate will be expected to relocate to the Charlottesville area.


Physical Demands

This position is primarily office-based but requires occasional travel to on-site locations, which may involve walking, climbing stairs, or navigating uneven terrain. The role may occasionally require lifting materials up to 20 pounds and use of personal protective equipment (PPE).


How to Apply  

Please apply through online, and search for R0088774.

Candidates must submit their application materials by January 4, 2027, and include the following materials:

  • A cover letter outlining their interest in and relevant experience connected to the fellowship’s responsibilities
  • A CV
  • A writing sample representing work that would be relevant for this position
  • Names and contact information for three references who could be contacted for letters of reference
Upload all materials into the resume submission field, multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission. Applications that do not contain all required documents will not receive full consideration.

Internal applicants: Search and apply for jobs on the UVA Internal Careers website.


Reference Check Process  

Reference checks will be completed by the search committee during the final phase of the interview. Three references will be requested.  


Contact 

For additional information about the position, please contact Dr. Jessica Kimpell Johnson jk4sa@virginia.edu.


For questions about the application process, please contact Ashley Cochran, alc6dk@virginia.edu.


The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.

Organization

In 1819, the University of Virginia established a new model for intellectual exchange and cross-disciplinary collaboration in higher education. Two hundred years later, as a major research institution, we continue to challenge conventions, lead with ingenuity and advance knowledge for the common good.

What began as an innovative idea has become one of the nation’s leading public research universities, with over 21,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UVA also has over 3,000 full-time faculty offering more than 400 degrees.

Each of the University’s eleven schools has its own distinctive mission, working together to garner consistently high rankings—including #2 Best Value Public College (Princeton Review, 2016), #3 Public University in the Nation (U.S. News & World Report, 2016), and #3 Best Value Among Public Colleges (Kiplinger’s, 2016).  

As we invest in and strengthen our research capabilities, UVA seeks new faculty ready to uncover new insights, rewrite old rules and collaborate on intellectual discoveries.

RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS THAT CROSS DISCIPLINES

As an R1 institution, the University’s research centers, consortia and laboratories are on the leading edge of discovery and technology, offering collaborative spaces for students and faculty to solve global problems.

Our professors are recognized members of major national scholarly and professional organizations, including the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Our faculty’s engagement in interdisciplinary research is being facilitated by new research institutes specializing in everything from big data to brain functioning, and by cluster hires across schools.

NATIONALLY RANKED HEALTH SYSTEM

UVA is also home to a nationally renowned academic medical center and the UVA Health System, which serves a three-part mission to treat patients, conduct translational research and train medical practitioners in a wide variety of disciplines.

Established as the nation’s 10th medical school in 1825, the institution has since grown to include a 612-bed hospital and a Level I trauma center, nationally recognized cancer and heart centers, a Children’s Hospital, and primary and specialty clinics throughout Central Virginia.

The UVA Medical Center is consistently ranked among the nation’s best hospitals by the U.S. News & World Report magazine and has been named among the top 25 percent in seven specialties.

INSPIRING STUDENTS, INSPIRED TEACHING

The vast majority of UVA students come from the top 10% of their high school class, as well as from all 50 states, over 142 countries and a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds. Despite their diversity, all UVA students share a love of learning and a drive to achieve.

One of the reasons students choose Virginia is our unique residential culture. At UVA, the community of students, faculty and staff personifies the Jeffersonian idea that living and learning are connected. The Academical Village was constructed to support a unique residential experience, with faculty living in the Pavilions, students occupying Lawn rooms and the world-famous Rotunda at its heart. The University’s residential culture continues to support this experience today—strengthened by students, faculty and staff rich in backgrounds, ideas and perspectives. Our unique culture is also paying dividends in innovation:  UVA’s faculty have generated more than 130 patents since 2010.

Perhaps most importantly, faculty come to UVA knowing that instruction is as important as research, and they pride themselves on their many teaching awards.  Our best professors look for ways to encourage, mentor and develop tomorrow’s leaders inside and outside the classroom.

LIFE IN CHARLOTTESVILLE

Living in Charlottesville you’ll find sophisticated restaurants, world-renowned wineries and breweries, cosmopolitan arts and music, friendly urban and suburban neighborhoods and a Piedmont landscape that has lured adventurous souls for centuries.  No wonder the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research named Charlottesville the “happiest city in America” in 2014.

In addition to UVA and its health system, several major employers have facilities in Charlottesville, including State Farm, Northrop Grumman, the U.S. Department of Defense, GE and others.  Charlottesville is also becoming a center for innovative start-up businesses.  The University also actively helps spouses and partners of faculty members build their networks and pursue employment opportunities with a wide variety of area employers. 

The University of Virginia is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Company info
Telephone
434-985-4532
Location
2420 Old Ivy
Charlottesvle
Virginia
22911-7433
United States

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