YOUR COMMITMENT
Hours per week: 10-20 hours per week
Commitment: 3+ months
Start Date: May 2009
Reports to Specific Policy Director

SUMMARY OF POSITION
This research assistant will help with SPUR’s policy team with quantitative and qualitative research, including analysis of publicly available data sets, survey design, and literature reviews. In many cases, this candidate will have 1-2 specific projects they will be focused on.

This position is appropriate for anyone with strong research skills who wants to understand what shapes metropolitan areas. In particular, we are looking for students of economics, planning, engineering, business, environmental science, political science, and sociology. Topics could include the following:

• Quantifying the climate impacts of public policies
• Identifying funding options for new transit lines
• Analyzing economic data on job and population sprawl
• Conducting comparative research on local strategies to lower the cost of housing production

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Interest in cities, public policy and urban issues.
• Work closely with a policy director to develop a research project
• Work with Excel spreadsheets to compile and develop the research
• Assist in the writing and editing of reports summarizing findings
• Strongly self-motivated
• Strong research and writing skills

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Familiarity with Macs.
• Competence in Microsoft Office Suites
• Knowledge of statistical analysis and regression
• GIS and other mapping software
• Indentifying and manipulating public data sets i.e. census data
• Graphic Illustration (E.G. Illustrator)

CONTACT
To apply, send your cover letter and resume to Jordan Salinger, Volunteer & Intern Coordinator, at internship@spur.org.