Principal Policy Associate: Innovation for Inclusion - The Urban Institute (DC)

Who: At the nonprofit Urban Institute, we believe in the power of evidence to improve lives and strengthen communities. Our employees are empowered to open minds, shape decisions and offer solutions. We encourage intellectual honesty, innovation, diversity, and mutual respect, and our analysis elevates the debate, wherever it takes place.

Urban’s greatest asset is our people. We strive to attract and cultivate a vibrant, creative, and diverse community. Our employees drive Urban’s mission through entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, effective communication, results-orientation, and relationship cultivation. Our success depends on engaging individuals who possess and value these attributes.

Within the Urban Institute, the Research to Action Lab (The Lab) is an innovation hub serving decision makers and creative thinkers eager to effect social change. We draw on the breadth and depth of Urban’s research insights to test new strategies and develop cutting-edge tools, programs, and trainings, as well as to provide strategic and philanthropic advice to public, nonprofit, and private sector leaders. The Lab is currently seeking a dynamic and highly motivated principal policy associate to serve in a leading role in an initiative that fills knowledge gaps on how a range of “smart” technologies affect historically excluded populations. The initiative will also identify and support best practices for incorporating equity into local technology policy and planning.

What: The Principal Policy Associate will serve as the managing director for an initiative to explore ways that the private sector and local leaders can harness technology and innovation to advance mobility, equity, and inclusion in cities. This expert will be responsible for leading research and policy projects that inform such efforts in the public and private sectors, managing relationships with funders and external partners, and conceptualizing and developing new bodies of work pertaining to technology, equity, and inclusion. The principal policy associate will work closely with the Urban Institute’s chief innovation officer and research and policy leaders from across Urban research centers, and our data and technology and communications teams. Responsibilities:

Community Organizer - PASO West Suburban Action Project

Who: PASO is deeply rooted in the Western Suburbs working from a gender justice perspective on issues impacting the Latinx and other communities of color. PASO’s model is unique as it combines empowerment tools, support, education, leadership development with policy/advocacy and immigration legal services. No other grassroots immigrant rights organization employs a multi-faceted approach by engaging those directly impacted to inform and lead the organization and its work. PASO’s approach to providing direct services, engaging in outreach, education and policy is informed and led by people directly impacted and in close collaboration with partner organizations and key institutional stakeholders.

What: West Suburban Action Project seeks a passionate and energetic community organizer to provide expertise in organizing, leadership development, membership development, and campaigns with a focus in empowering local community members to create systematic change.

Assistant or Associate Professor, The Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (ESPM) at the University of California, Berkeley

The Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (ESPM) at
the University of California, Berkeley is recruiting for a tenure-track or
tenured academic year position at the Assistant or Associate Professor
level in the area of Race, Culture, and Environment. The successful
applicant's expected start date is July 1, 2016. Specifically, we seek
applicants whose research and teaching address the relationships between
racialized social and political differentiation and access to or control of
the environment or resources. We are particularly interested in a social
scientist focused on issues of race, culture, class, and/or social
inequities (including gender difference) as these relate to environmental
change, management, and access to natural, agrarian, and urban resources
and land. We seek applicants who are excited about contributing to UC
Berkeley’s land grant mission, ESPM’s commitment to multi-disciplinary
problem solving, and working with scholars across other social sciences and
the humanities, as well as those based in the natural or physical sciences.
Research should focus on either the US or international contexts, but
teaching should address empirical and theoretical applications for both,
treating the US as one of many global sites of differentiation.

The successful applicant will be expected to develop a nationally
recognized research program on some dimension of race, culture, society,
and environmental relations, including, but not limited to, the
entanglements of poverty, class, and race relations as they influence,
produce, and intertwine with the key environmental challenges we face
(e.g., climate change, food security, land and natural resource access).
The successful candidate will teach an undergraduate core course on Race,
Culture, and Environment, and a graduate course in his/her area of
specialization. S/he will also share in teaching other required
interdisciplinary graduate and undergraduate courses.

Applicants will have or be working towards a doctoral degree or equivalent
in the social sciences or humanities, or from an appropriate
interdisciplinary program, such as environmental, natural resource, ethnic,
race and gender, indigenous, legal, or urban studies. At a minimum,
applicants must have completed all Ph.D. or equivalent degree requirements
except the dissertation at the time of application. Candidates must have a
Ph.D. or equivalent degree by the appointment start date. We are interested
in candidates who will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity in
higher education through their teaching, research, and service. Women and
minority candidates are especially encouraged to apply.

Applications will be accepted through December 22, 2015.

Faculty Position in Urban Studies, Yale-NUS College - Singapore

Faculty Position in Urban Studies

Yale-NUS College

Professional Area: 

Academia

Email: 

yale-nus.college@yale.edu

Website: 

http://www.yale-nus.edu.sg/careers/faculty/academic-appointments/

Location: 

Singapore

Singapore

Yale-NUS College

FACULTY POSITIONS IN URBAN STUDIES

Yale-NUS College, a collaboration between the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Yale University, is seeking to hire one or more open rank, tenure-track/tenured faculty members for its urban studies program. 

We seek social scientists with research and training interests in any area of urban studies. Applicants may have had training in urban sociology, urban geography, or any other cognate discipline. Applications are especially encouraged from scholars with interests in urban society and social change, institutions, built environment and morphology, infrastructure, or urban and regional development. A complementary interest in GIS is desirable but not necessary.

Applicants should be active researchers with a commitment to creative and effective undergraduate teaching and mentoring within their specialties and in the Yale-NUS Common Curriculum.  An ongoing research program that incorporates undergraduates would be highly desirable.  For information about the curriculum, please see http://www.yale-nus.edu.sg/curriculum/common-curriculum. 

Salary, benefits, and leave policies will be competitive at an international level.  Yale-NUS College is committed to supporting faculty research through various grants, research, and travel allowances. 

Review of applications will begin on October 30, 2015, and continue until the position is filled.  For general inquiries please refer to http://www.yale-nus.edu.sgor e-mail Search Committee Chair, Jane Jacobs at yale-nus.college@yale.edu.  

The College values diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity.  For additional information about Yale-NUS College, living in Singapore, and the faculty hiring process, including submission guidelines, and to apply, we invite you to our web site at:  http://www.yale-nus.edu.sg/careers/faculty/academic-appointments/   To directly access our application portal please visit: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/YaleNUS.

Candidates should understand that by sharing information with Yale-NUS College, they authorize Yale-NUS College to use their personal data for the purposes of this application, which may include necessary exchange with 3rd parties. Candidates may also understand that Yale-NUS College will not use their data for any purposes beyond those relevant to the application process, and that their data remains secure and confidential.

Freelance Instructor, Planetizen Courses

Freelance Instructor

Planetizen Courses

Professional Area: 

Academia

Experience: 

3-5 years

Contact person: 

Chris Steins

Email: 

steins@planetizen.com

Website: 

https://courses.planetizen.com/

Location: 

CA

Planetizen Courses is seeking experienced instructors to record several hours of video training around one of the topics identified below. The ideal candidate will be an adjunct faculty or lecturer.

Background

• Planetizen Courses are developed in collaboration with working professionals to provide practical skills that planning professionals use in their work.
• Instructors work with with a Planetizen Courses producer to plan and record hour-long courses on a freelance basis.

Topics

We are seeking courses on a variety of topics following topics, but we are also open to topics not explicitly mentioned here. If you propose a course on a topic not mentioned here, please be sure to tell us how/why you think it will be a compelling course for practitioners of the built and natural environment.

Topics

• American Urban History
• Bicycle Planning
• Citizen Participation
• Economic Development Fundamentals
• EcoTourism
• Environmental Planning Fundamentals
• Ethics in Planning
• Information Technology in Planning
• International Development Fundamental
• Legal issues in Planning
• Research Design
• Social Equity
• Survey Design and Implementation
• Theory of City Form
• Urban Design Fundamentals
• Urban Planning Theory
• Zoning Fundamentals

Software

• Autodesk 3ds Max
• Autodesk UrbanSim
• AutoCAD Civil/Civil 3D
• Chaordix
• Drupal (to build a planning-related website)
• ESRI City Engine 3D Modeling
• IdeaScale
• Land F/X
• Microsoft Project 
• Microsoft Excel
• Open Geo Suite
• Open Trip Planner
• Rhino 3D and VRay
• Textizen
• TransCAD
• Twitter & Facebook for Citizen Participation
• URBEMIS & emissions modeling
• Wikis
• WordPress (to build a planning-related website)

Examples

If you'd like to see some examples of courses we produce, here are a few direct links

• Building Websites with Squarespace, by Ben Schulman
• Form Based Codes 101: Learning How To Look, by Tony Perez and Geoffrey Ferrell
• Photoshop CC for Planners: Creating Visual Simulations, by Mike Ernst
• Defensible Sign Regulations, by Eric Damian Kelly
• Full list of instructors: https://courses.planetizen.com/instructors

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of teaching experience. (Ideally, you are a college or university adjunct instructor or lecturer.)
• Minimum 3 years of planning, design, architecture or related experience.
• Demonstrated expertise with the topic(s) you propose to teach.
• Prepared curriculum. (Ideally, you are already teaching the topic, and can deliver a similar course for Planetizen.)
• If teaching about a software product, the Instructor should have a functional, licensed copy of the software for demonstration.
• Excellent computer and Internet literacy.
• Complete fluency in English.
• Strong presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Participate in an initial orientation call or Skype meeting.
• Prepared a detailed course outline in consultation with the Planetizen Courses Producer.
• Work with the Planetizen Courses Producer to determine appropriate images, video and other materials.
• Participate in two course planning meetings with the Planetizen Courses Producer.
• Record video courses at Planetizen's video studio in Los Angeles, California.
• Prepare ten-quest quizzes for each course.
• Courses must be completed within 30 days of the project start date.

Compensation

• Compensation is based on a per course hour basis, and based on teaching experience.
• Instructors receive visibility on the Planetizen Courses website.
• Instructors can work from any location to plan the courses, but must visit Planetizen's studio in Los Angeles, California to record the course. 
• Planetizen provides a travel stipend for instructors outside of Southern California.

To Apply

Please submit the following to Chris Steins, steins@planetizen.com.

• Your resume.
• A one-paragraph summary for each course you propose to teach.
• A 1-minute audio and video recording of yourself discussing any topic. (This could be recorded using a smart phone or any inexpensive camera. We're not looking for video quality, just your presentation style.)

Thanks for your potential interest in becoming a Planetizen Instructor.

Research and Development Manager, The George Washington University - Washington, D.C.

Research and Development Manager

The George Washington University

Experience: 

5-7 years

Contact person: 

Patti Niles

Phone: 

202.994.5206

Email: 

pniles@gwu.edu

Location: 

Washington, DC

The George Washington University Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis seeks an experienced and skilled Research and Development Manager to conceptualize, manage, and conduct technical and quantitative analyses regarding a wide variety of issues associated with the built environment and transportation, including economics, real estate, social equity, and the environment.

This is a full-time, joint appointment with Smart Growth America.

About the position
The Research and Development Manager would work closely with the Chair of the Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis, Chris Leinberger, the Vice President for Economic Development at Smart Growth America, Chris Zimmerman, and the rest of the Smart Growth America team, including its partner organizations, LOCUS, and T4A, to develop and execute research methodologies related to the above topics, and to communicate the results. The purpose of the work is to provide evidence-based advice, based on leading-edge research, to governments, stakeholders, and developers across the country about how and why to build sustainable communities.

Initial projects would include an analysis of the economic and social equity performance of walkable urban places in the largest 30 metropolitan areas, a comprehensive identification and analysis of walkable urban places throughout the New York metropolitan area, and a compilation and analysis of transit-oriented developments throughout the country.  

The position provides substantial opportunity for speeches and publications, as well as exposure to leaders in the fields of metropolitan trend research and real estate development.

Responsibilities may include, among others:

§  Developing research proposals including scopes of work and budgets

§  Conducting fiscal impact analyses and refining Smart Growth America’s fiscal impact model

§  Analyzing metropolitan development and real estate market trends

§  Analyzing affordable housing strategies/policies

§  Estimating revenue potential of various “value capture” plans to finance new transit or other community benefits

§  Developing and calculating metrics, by which a place or community may assess its economic, social equity, and environmental performance

§  Writing reports, and preparing and/or delivering presentations

Attributes of a successful candidate
We seek a Research Manager with a quantitative mindset, who cares about shaping the built environment in a more sustainable fashion. The successful candidate will have a demonstrated interest in urban planning issues and capacity for quantitative analysis. In addition the candidate must have the confidence and capability to independently design, manage, and conduct multiple research assignments with minimal supervision. 5-8 years of related experience and a graduate degree in urban planning, economics, real estate, or geography, would be ideal. Specific skills desired are listed below:

§  Advanced Excel, Powerpoint, and online research skills

§  Experience designing research and writing proposals

§  Experience writing professional reports and delivering presentations

§  Experience analyzing and synthesizing large amounts of data to the most salient points

§  Detail-oriented and motivated to be accurate

§  Advanced skills ESRI’s ArcGIS platform

§  Knowledge of statistical concepts and statistical software, such as SPSS

§  Knowledge of zoning, affordable housing policies, and real estate finance

§  Deep knowledge of demographic and economic data sources, especially the US Census

§  Strong writing skills

§  Willingness and capacity to direct and train junior staff

§  Ability to prioritize and efficiently deal with multiple assignments, and multiple supervisors

§  A “self-starter”, capable of learning on the job when necessary

Senior Land Use Planner, PlanSmart - Trenton, NJ

Senior Land Use Planner 

PlanSmart NJ

Experience: 

5-7 years

Email: 

info@plansmartnj.org

Website: 

http://www.plansmartnj.org/

Location: 

Trenton, NJ

PlanSmart NJ, a non-profit planning and public policy organization in downtown Trenton, has an opening for a full time Senior Land Use Planner.  PlanSmart NJ undertakes research, advocacy, public education and technical services in the land use planning field.  We provide a unique perspective by exploring and developing cutting edge land use planning concepts.  We are looking for a candidate who enjoys innovative thinking as much as detailed analysis. The Planner will play a leadership role in the organization on all planning matters. They must be knowledgeable of land use issues in New Jersey and planning best practices. Candidates must be skilled in project management, public speaking, data and policy analysis, and writing reports and proposals, as well as interacting with the public. We are a team-based organization, working closely together to share ideas, offer feedback, and provide helping hands on whatever the job at hand requires. 

The successful candidate will be a member of a small planning team, and be involved with projects that cover a range of topics, including economic development, environmental planning, affordable housing development, transportation infrastructure, urban revitalization, regional equity, and regional planning.  

Responsibilities

• Conduct and support quantitative research and analysis.
• Conduct literature reviews and other analysis.
• Draft policy reports, short policy columns, and articles.
• Maintain expertise in assigned areas of responsibility.
• Represent the organization at coalition meetings.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• A Masters Degree in Urban Planning, or related field
• A minimum of 5 years full-time planning experience
• Excellent writing, analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative research
• Strong analytical skills
• Skill in distilling large amounts of information/data into relevant insight
• Knowledge of land use, transportation, social equity and regional planning issues in NJ
• Proficiency in GIS, Adobe Creative Suite, Database management, and Microsoft Office
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of specific projects
• AICP and PP strongly preferred

Benefits

• Health insurance
• 401K
• Generous PTO package

Salary

• Commensurate with experience

Application Process

Applicants should submit a resume and cover letter to info@plansmartnj.org with “Senior Land Use Planner Application” in the subject line.  Application deadline July 20, 2015.  Please do not call.