ETCH Jobs of the Week (JOTW) is a collaboration between ETCH, your home for EdTech news and information; and my recruiting practice, Tenzing, which helps orgs positively impacting education efficiently attract, source, vet and hire mission-aligned talent.
I spent the first 39 years of my life not thinking much about prison. Sure, I was aware of the concept, and saw representations of prison in movies, but - I will admit - I did not spend much time thinking about how the corrections system worked.
That all changed when one of my closest friends got sentenced to 7 years.
Just talking to my friend was complicated. First, I had to create an account for his facility’s communication system through a phone tree so complicated it would make the Wall Street Journal’s cancelation department proud. Then, I had to download another app with a Web 1.0 look and feel to send messages, photos, and videograms.
I would then pay $.12 per message (really $.24 per message if I want to pre-pay for his response), $.12 per digital photo sent, and a constantly moving target of additional fees for videos and phone calls (not that pricing was publicly available to check). For me, it wasn’t a big deal to pay fees to stay in contact with my friend. But for the 42% of women with an incarcerated partner in households with incomes below the poverty line, you can imagine the significant impact of these costs and how quickly they can stack up when trying to maintain regular communication.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of prison fees!
To give you a sense of the full scale and scope of the fees that incarcerated folks and their loved ones must constantly contend with, check out the Worth Rises’ Prison Industry Corporate database. This project, initiated by Bianca Tylek, catalogs and provides “Harm Scores” for the roughly 4000 corporations that comprise the $80 billion industry.
Worth Rises’ activism is leading to reforms like this one in Massachusetts that will make communications free for incarcerated people and their families. (And they are hiring, see below.)
I learned about Worth Rises from Stacy Burnett, who runs the JSTOR Access in Prison Initiative, at SXSW EDU in 2023. This initiative works to provide “a college-level research experience for students in jails and prisons,” which often entails getting free access to JSTOR libraries. I also saw Stacy recently repost JFF’s Navigating the Approval Process for Prison Education Program Technology by Ben Jones, which is worth checking out. (JSTOR, which is owned by ITHAKA, is also hiring, see opportunities below.)
I soon learned there was a whole category of EdTech devoted to improving opportunity and access to the incarcerated. Shortly after meeting Stacy, I ran into Nate Ober of Orijin (formerly APDS), which is a B-Corporation that provides a learning platform to prison facilities and career readiness courses to justice-impacted individuals. (They are also hiring, see below.) And then, at 2023 EDTECH WEEK, I had the good fortune of meeting Chris Santillan, Co-founder of Unlocked Labs, which employs justice-impacted software developers to create solutions that bridge educational gaps in correctional facilities. Soon after meeting Chris, Unlocked Labs won the 2023 Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition.
There is still a lot of room for improvement in the US corrections system (to put it mildly), but it has been encouraging to meet folks in the EdTech community committed to improving life for the current and formerly incarcerated.
It is also critical that this work is coupled with a shrewd approach that scrutinizes incentives, business models, and outcomes so that the work being done reduces harm and increases human flourishing. If you are interested in being part of this, check out the career opportunities below. Also, please comment on this post to share other organizations and resources working to improve the corrections system.
Now, let’s get to the Jobs of the Week…
Academic Support Representative - Web Development | The Last Mile
Location: Remote
Education Focus: Technology Education & Training
Mission: The Last Mile’s (TLM) mission is to provide opportunities for personal and professional growth for justice-impacted individuals through education and technology training
Job Summary: As Academic Support Representative you’ll assist students in TLM's Web Development program. Responsibilities include grading student projects, addressing student inquiries, and participating in Remote Instruction sessions to clarify project requirements. The ideal candidate should have intermediate to advanced proficiency in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and the MERN stack, along with the ability to embrace challenges, provide individualized feedback, and collaborate effectively with instructors. Preferred qualifications include teaching or software engineering experience and strong communication skills.
Compensation: The expected salary range for this position is $45,750 - 76,250
State Partnerships Manager | Recidiviz
Location: Remote (New York City, or SF Bay Area)
Education Focus: Data Analytics
Mission: Recidiviz is creating safer, healthier communities by improving outcomes for justice-involved people. They build tech that reduces the number of people in prison and helps criminal justice leaders embrace data-driven decision-making.
Job Summary: The State Partnerships Manager role at Recidiviz involves building strong relationships with state prison agencies, understanding their needs, and deploying Recidiviz's product offerings to support their objectives. Responsibilities include deconstructing and documenting correctional needs, fostering deep stakeholder relationships, driving partnerships towards success, and being a proactive problem solver. The ideal candidate possesses a track record of stakeholder engagement, is adept at implementing change, and excels in process leadership and clear communication. A minimum of 3 years of experience in relevant roles is required, with a preference for candidates with a connection to the criminal justice system or a passion for impactful work.
Compensation: The expected compensation for this role is between $112,000-$131,000. In addition Recidiviz offers benefits including 90% medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage for you and your dependents, PTO, paid parental leave, 401(k) with 5% match and no vesting period, Talkspace mental health support, ClassPass credit for personal fitness, company retreats, and more
Location: Remote (New York City, or SF Bay Area)
Education Focus: Data Analytics
Mission: Recidiviz is creating safer, healthier communities by improving outcomes for justice-involved people. They build tech that reduces the number of people in prison and helps criminal justice leaders embrace data-driven decision-making.
Job Summary: Recidiviz seeks a Product Analyst to lead impact evaluation, focusing on transforming internal data into meaningful insights through Looker dashboards. Responsibilities include stakeholder engagement to understand needs, designing and maintaining Looker dashboards, and conducting data analysis to identify key trends. The role requires 3+ years of data analysis experience, proficiency in SQL, and dashboard development skills in Looker or similar tools. Wild success entails establishing reliable impact metrics in Looker within a year. Preferred qualifications include proficiency in LookML, Python, and navigating datasets related to criminal justice.
Compensation: The expected compensation for this role is between $97,000 or $120,000. In addition Recidiviz offers benefits including 90% medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage for you and your dependents, PTO, paid parental leave, 401(k) with 5% match and no vesting period, Talkspace mental health support, ClassPass credit for personal fitness, company retreats, and more
Sr Software Engineer (Full-Stack) | ITHAKA
Location: Remote
Education Focus: Higher Education, Arts Education, e-Publishing
Mission: ITHAKA’s mission is to expand access to knowledge and education around the world. Their services — Artstor, JSTOR, Portico, and Ithaka S+R — enable people everywhere to learn, to grow, and to overcome historical barriers to education.
Job Summary: As Senior Software Engineer (Full-Stack) you’ll join ITHAKA’s Search team, contributing to educational accessibility through impactful product development. Responsibilities include developing rich web applications, collaborating with stakeholders to understand needs, leveraging web analytics for product discovery, and advocating for innovative technologies and processes. The ideal candidate has 2-5+ years of experience building large-scale web applications, proficiency in frontend and backend development using various languages and frameworks, expertise in AWS cloud services, and strong communication skills. Preferred skills include experience with profiling tools, cache management, data modeling, and interest in AI and machine learning.
Compensation: The starting salary for this position ranges from $108,000 – $135,455 per year. Their total compensation package includes medical, dental, and vision plans, an employer-paid 10% retirement contribution, paid parental and caregiver leave, PTO, wellness benefits, and more.
Partnerships and Business Development Manager | Orijin
Location: Remote
Education Focus: Cloud-Based Learning
Mission: To fulfill their vision of breaking the cycle of incarceration, Orijin is on a mission to prepare every justice-impacted individual for sustainable employment.
Job Summary: The Partnership and Business Development Manager role at Orijin is pivotal for driving growth by establishing strategic content partnerships aligned with the mission and vision of the organization. Responsibilities include identifying and securing partnerships, managing relationships with content providers, conducting market analysis, ensuring compliance and security standards, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. The ideal candidate possesses at least 5 years of partnership management or business development experience, preferably in EdTech or Workforce Development, and demonstrates a deep passion for empowering individuals for career success post-incarceration. Strong communication, negotiation, and strategic thinking skills are essential for success in this role. Understanding of security protocols and requirements is preferred but not required.
Compensation: The base range for this position is $125,000 - $135,000 a year
Director of Marketing & Communications | Worth Rises
Location: Remote
Education Focus: Data Analytics
Mission: Worth Rises’ mission is to dismantle the prison industry and end the exploitation of those it targets. They work to expose the commercialization of the criminal legal system and advocate and organize to protect and return the economic resources extracted from affected communities.
Job Summary: As Director of Marketing & Communications you’ll lead traditional and digital communication strategies for the organization and its campaigns, focusing on dismantling the prison industry and advocating against exploitation within the criminal legal system. Reporting to the Executive Director, the ideal candidate will possess media savvy, strong relationships in various media outlets, excellent pitching and storytelling skills, and experience in marketing and advertising. Responsibilities include developing and executing comprehensive media strategies, managing branding and marketing efforts, overseeing traditional and digital media functions, and cultivating relationships with media professionals. You should have at least five years of experience in marketing and communications, including expertise in social media strategies and content development, along with a strong understanding of criminal justice issues. Strong interpersonal skills, project management abilities, and a commitment to organizational values are essential Compensation: The expected salary for this position is $135,000. In addition Worth Rises offers benefits including full medical, vision, and dental coverage, PTO, 401k contribution match, $75 monthly cellphone stipend, monthly wellness reimbursement, and dedicated budget line for professional development
Associate Director of Research, Beyond Jails Initiative | Vera Institute of Justice
Location: Brooklyn, NY, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, CA, or New Orleans, LA (Hybrid)
Education Focus: Community Engagement & Education
Mission: Vera’s mission is to end the overcriminalization and mass incarceration of people of color, immigrants, and people experiencing poverty.
Job Summary: Vera's Beyond Jails team seeks an Associate Director of Research (ADR) to lead research efforts aimed at reducing the nation's reliance on jails. Reporting to the Initiative Director, the ADR will oversee an interdisciplinary research team, develop research strategies, and manage research budgets. Responsibilities include supervising staff, developing research designs, leading data collection and analysis, and disseminating research findings. The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. or equivalent advanced training, along with 6+ years of relevant experience, including supervising interdisciplinary research teams and conducting applied policy research. Strong methodological, analytical, and project leadership skills are essential, along with a commitment to race equity. Preferred qualifications include direct experience with criminal legal or immigration systems. Advanced knowledge of statistical software, qualitative research methods, and project management tools is required.
Compensation: The salary range for this position is $127,000 - $132,000 in addition Vera offers benefits including PTO, health insurance, student loan repayment, professional development training opportunities, up to $2,000/yr for education relevant to Vera work, employer-funded retirement plan, and flexible time.
Location: Remote
Education Focus: Data Analytics
Mission: Worth Rises’ mission is to dismantle the prison industry and end the exploitation of those it targets. They work to expose the commercialization of the criminal legal system and advocate and organize to protect and return the economic resources extracted from affected communities.
Job Summary: As Chief Counsel you’ll lead strategic litigation and regulatory practices as in-house counsel, supporting the organization's mission to dismantle the prison industry and combat exploitation within the criminal legal system. Reporting to the Executive Director, the ideal candidate will have experience in movement lawyering and challenging corporate abuse, with a strong commitment to social justice. Responsibilities include overseeing corporate governance compliance, developing and implementing legal strategies, managing litigation, and collaborating with national partners on regulatory goals. The successful candidate should have a JD from an accredited law school, admission to the bar in at least one U.S. jurisdiction, and at least seven years of relevant legal experience, including litigation and management roles. Strong communication skills, familiarity with issues involving the prison industry, and a genuine commitment to organizational values are essential
Compensation: The expected salary for this position is $150,000. In addition Worth Rises offers benefits including full medical, vision, and dental coverage, PTO, 401k contribution match, $75 monthly cell phone stipend, monthly wellness reimbursement, and dedicated budget line for professional development
Chief Financial Officer | Vera Institute of Justice
Location: Brooklyn, NY (Hybrid)
Education Focus: Community Engagement & Education
Mission: Vera’s mission is to end the overcriminalization and mass incarceration of people of color, immigrants, and people experiencing poverty.
Job Summary: Vera is seeking a strategic and mission-oriented Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to lead its finance and technology functions during a transformative period. Reporting to the President, the CFO will oversee finance and IT operations, driving organization-wide strategies and ensuring financial sustainability. Responsibilities include managing financial capital, supervising financial operations, supporting technology infrastructure, and leading a team of 22 staff. The ideal candidate will have at least 15 years of organizational leadership experience in a large non-profit with a philanthropic business model, advanced analytical skills, and expertise in finance and technology. Key objectives include refining financial processes, optimizing revenue reconciliation, and enhancing forecasting capabilities within the first year.
Compensation: The salary range for this position is $250,000 - $260,000 in addition Vera offers benefits including PTO, health insurance, student loan repayment, professional development training opportunities, up to $2,000/yr for education relevant to Vera work, employer-funded retirement plan, and flexible time.
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