ABOUT THE OFFICE: THE OFFICE OF THE ASSIGNED COUNSEL PLAN: Pursuant to Article 18B of the County Law, the Assigned Counsel Plan (ACP) has been providing quality legal services to indigent persons since 1966. These services are funded by the City of New York through the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice and provided with oversight of the 1st and 2nd Appellate Division Departments. The ACP provides compensation to private attorneys for representing indigent clients charged with criminal offenses. Attorneys are assigned matters by the Court and the Administrator's office when a conflict exists prohibiting the institutional providers from providing representation.

THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE: The Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) advises the Mayor and First Deputy Mayor on criminal justice policy and is the Mayor’s representative to the courts, district attorneys, defenders, and state criminal justice agencies, among others. The office designs, deploys, and evaluates citywide strategies to drive down crime, reduce unnecessary arrests and incarceration, and improve the system’s fairness. MOCJ works with law enforcement and city agencies, non-profits, foundations, and others to implement data-driven strategies that address current crime conditions, prevent offending, and build the strong neighborhoods that ensure enduring safety.

ABOUT THE ROLE: The Social Work Director will provide support to 18-B attorneys advocating for clients facing misdemeanor and felony charges in the Criminal and Supreme Courts of New York City. The Social Work Director will support best practices and will be responsible for ensuring oversight, support, and professional development for social workers and psychological forensic experts. The Social Work Director responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Oversee the development and work product of social workers and forensic experts.
- Work closely with 18-B attorneys to guide them in their efforts to communicate with clients and identify appropriate resources for clients.
- Direct attorneys to effectively utilize forensic and mitigation experts.
- Help attorneys and social workers identify state and non-profit programs, social workers, and other experts who can assist in client representation.
- Assist in the recruitment of experts.
- Coordinate with the Supervising Attorneys for Training to develop trainings for panel attorneys and social workers.
- Collaborate with other ACP Supervising Attorneys to identify and respond to practice gaps and/or deficiencies.
- Respond to client, community, and staff concerns.
- Other duties as assigned.

TO APPLY, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR RESUME, COVER LETTER, AND REFERENCES.

CITY RESEARCH SCIENTIST - 21744

Minimum Qualifications

1. For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.
To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have:
1. A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or
2. A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or
3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in "2" above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in "1" and "2" above.

NOTE:
Probationary Period
Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.

Preferred Skills

- Master of Social Work - Experience with indigent clients charged with crimes. - Experience navigating federal and state benefits, including but not limited to healthcare, housing, and ACT teams. - Ability to work comfortably with people at different levels within and outside ACP.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.