Analyst (Limited Term)

Overview

The Judicial Council of California is accepting applications for the position of Analyst in the Criminal Justice Services office. 

The Analyst position is a temporary, full-time assignment for a duration of approximately two years, contingent on the availability of funds, and no later than August 31, 2028.  

Under the direction of a supervising analyst, the Analyst supports the development, refinement, and statewide dissemination of bail determination resources for judicial officers and court staff in response to changing legislation and case law. The position conducts policy research, assists in drafting practical tools and guidance, coordinates with courts and internal partners, and helps ensure materials are accessible, accurate, and responsive to trial‑court needs. The Analyst works collaboratively with program staff, legal staff, training partners, and field stakeholders to support bail practices across California.

The Judicial Council
The Judicial Council of California is the policy setting body for the state court system and has constitutionally conferred statewide rule-making authority. This authority includes developing, advocating for, and allocating the judicial branch budget. A majority of Council members are California state justices and judges; however, the Council also includes lawyers, legislators, and court administrators.

By enhancing its role as a leadership, knowledge, and service resource for the judicial branch, the Judicial Council’s staff organization seeks to continue to evolve as one of California’s most dynamic public service entities, focused on improving access to justice for all Californians by innovating and responding to the changing needs of the courts and the public. As a government body charged with improving the statewide administration of justice, the Judicial Council has multiple offices with diverse responsibilities relating to court policy and operations. As employees of the council, every member of staff should view and approach their work as one Judicial Council with a public service mission that is greater than the sum of its parts.

The Judicial Council strives for work life balance and includes substantial vacation and holiday time. In addition, we offer an excellent benefits package including pension, medical, dental, and vision coverage, flexible spending, up to $130 per month reimbursement for qualifying commuting costs, student loan forgiveness as part of Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), and retirement savings plans. In San Francisco, the office is only a 7-minute walk from the Civic Center BART station. In Sacramento, the office is located minutes from downtown, just north of Discovery Park.

The Judicial Council offers hybrid work arrangements for many positions. The successful candidate will be expected to work in person at the Judicial Council’s San Francisco or Sacramento office at least two days per week, based on their office leader’s direction, and reside in the areas surrounding these locations. To be eligible for Judicial Council employment and participation in the Judicial Council’s Hybrid Work Program, a prospective or current employee’s primary residence/remote work location must be in the State of California and within a 150-mile driving radius of their assigned reporting location.
 

Responsibilities

• Conduct policy and operational research on supreme court rulings, statute, and court and justice system partner processes related to setting bail.
• Research and summarize requirements from Kowalczyk, Humphrey, and related bail case law and relevant legislation.
• Identify operational needs for judicial officers, including individualized bail determinations, ability-to-pay bail considerations, required findings, and procedural mandates.
• Review local practices, court resources, and national trends to support evidence-based recommendations for tool development and guidance.
• Research and summarize other states’ laws and processes related to bail.  
• Develop and evaluate bail determination decision-making resources and risk assessment tools.
• Assist in drafting, editing, and maintaining statewide bail resources, including bench guides, decision guides, flowcharts, reference sheets, and checklists.
• Convert legal expectations into practical, plain language tools usable at arraignment and other bail setting stages.
• Support development of new materials that respond directly to gaps identified by courts following Kowalczyk (e.g., documenting findings, distinguishing between detention vs. release decisions, understanding evidentiary standards). This includes supporting the pilot effort to provide defendants with a tool to confirm their public benefits status.
• Support the Supervising Analyst in identifying possible budget change requests and drafting necessary reports and applications.
• Support training and technical assistance to courts and their justice system partners.
• Coordinate with trial courts to identify needs, gather feedback on draft resources, and surface operational challenges in implementing bail case law.
• Provide initial triage and clarification for court inquiries, escalating complex legal questions to the supervising analyst or attorneys as needed.
• Capture themes and questions from the field to guide future training topics and resource revisions.
• Assist in preparing materials for statewide trainings, webinars, and workshops focused on bail determinations.
• Develop handouts, slide decks, and talking points aligned with judicial education needs identified during statewide sessions.
• Coordinate with CJS internal teams to support training logistics and content accuracy.
• Create and maintain organized, version‑controlled documentation and an accessible repository for all developing resources while tracking project timelines, workplans, and review processes.
• Draft preliminary Judicial Council and legislative reports, program summaries, and Executive Office briefings.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree and three (3) years of analytical experience in program analysis, development, implementation, research, and/or evaluation. An additional four (4) years of professional experience as noted above may substitute for the bachelor’s degree. Or, additional directly related experience and/or education may be substituted on a year-for-year basis

OR

Master’s degree in a directly related field for the assigned discipline, such as political science, public administration, statistics, mathematics, etc., that included qualitative and quantitative research.

OR

Two (2) years as an Associate Analyst with the Judicial Council of California or two (2) years of experience performing the duties of a class comparable in the level of responsibility to that of an Associate Analyst in a California superior court or California state-level government entity.

Other Information

Please note, if you are selected for hire, verification of employment eligibility or authorization to work in the United States will be required.

How To Apply

This position is Open Until Filled and requires the submission of our official application, a resume, and a response to the supplemental questions. To ensure consideration of your application for the earliest round of interviews, please apply by Tuesday, August 25, 2026.  
 

To complete an online application, please click the Apply to Job button.

Pay and Benefits

Salary Range: $7,513 - $11,270 per month

Some highlights of our benefits package include:

• Health/Dental/Vision benefits program
• 14 paid holidays per calendar year
• Choice of Annual Leave or Sick/Vacation Leave
• 1 personal holiday per year
• Up to $130 per month reimbursement for qualifying commuting costs
• CalPERS Retirement Plan
• 401(k) and 457 deferred compensation plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
• Pretax Parking
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligibility

Please note due to statewide fiscal conditions, the posted salary range is subject to a temporary 3% reduction. In exchange for this temporary reduction, judicial branch employees accrue an additional 5 hours of paid personal leave per month through June 30, 2027.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Judicial Council of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Supplemental Questions

To better assess the qualifications of each applicant, please provide a response to the following questions:

1. What makes you uniquely qualified for this position?