Research Assistant

Opportunity The Housing and Communities Division seeks a DC‑based research assistant (Step1 / Research track) with strong quantitative, coding and analytic problem‑solving skills to work across our six practice areas. The position is based in Washington, DC, and requires attending our offices in L’Enfant Plaza two or more days a week. The research assistant will support senior researchers and research teams in executing defined research tasks, focusing on managing and analyzing data, producing clear tables and summaries, writing and reviewing code, and using emerging tools—including AI—when appropriate and consistent with Urban policies to troubleshoot code and improve efficiency. The assistant will be assigned to one of the Division’s research practice areas but may work across additional areas. A hybrid work schedule of two or more days per week in the office is strongly preferred. Responsibilities Collect, clean, manage, and analyze qualitative and quantitative data, with particular emphasis on large administrative, survey, program, and other policy‑relevant datasets. Write, run, document, and review reproducible code in software such as R, Stata, SAS, and/or Python; troubleshoot code and improve analytic workflows. Use AI tools responsibly and in accordance with Urban policies to support coding problem solving, identify possible approaches, check syntax, and make routine tasks more efficient while protecting confidential data. Produce basic and intermediate tables, charts, maps, and descriptive statistics; summarize key patterns and provide clear first‑pass interpretations of data for research teams and nontechnical audiences. Support quality assurance by checking code, reviewing data outputs, documenting analytic decisions, reconciling results, and identifying inconsistencies or data limitations. Contribute to literature reviews, field work such as interviews and site visits, publications for different audiences, research proposals, events, project management, meeting summaries, and other tasks as assigned. Complete logistical tasks for research proposals, internal and external research events, and research management. Complete administrative tasks such as tracking project timelines, project reporting, taking and summarizing meeting minutes, and other tasks as assigned. Manage time independently and collaborate with teams to prioritize and complete multiple tasks. Qualifications Education and experience Bachelor’s degree or associate’s degree with equivalent experience (preferably in Public Policy, Urban Studies, Urban Planning, Data Science, Sociology, Economics, Statistics, Environmental Studies, Geography, Social Welfare, Education, Psychology, Business or a related field). Demonstrated quantitative research skills, including comfort with descriptive statistics, data cleaning, and basic data analysis. Experience managing, cleaning, merging, documenting, and analyzing large datasets; experience with administrative, survey, geographic, longitudinal, or other complex data is a plus. Experience writing, running, documenting, and reviewing code in R, Stata, SAS and/or Python; willingness to learn new tools and follow team coding standards. Ability to produce clear tables, charts, maps, and other data summaries and explain what the results do and do not show. Sound judgment using AI tools to support coding and analytic problem solving, including awareness of confidentiality, data security, and the need to verify AI‑generated outputs. Initiative to suggest improvements or innovations on assigned tasks, including coding, data management, workflow, and quality‑control improvements. Strong time management skills and a high level of professionalism, organization, attention to detail, motivation, creativity, and self‑confidence. Ability to work effectively, both on teams and independently, and simultaneously on multiple projects with changing work assignments, deadlines, and team environments. Strong interest or experience in one or more of the following topics: housing and housing‑related assistance programs housing finance homelessness demographic and population studies urban planning and land use community economic development city governance and public‑sector capacity climate change environmental justice housing and neighborhoods as a platform for other household and societal outcomes structural racism inequality Bilingual abilities (preferred) and willingness to travel when safe. Salary and Benefits The target salary range for this position is Min$52,520 – Mid$59,085 – Max$65,650. Salary is commensurate with experience and considers internal equity. Benefits include generous paid time off, including nine federal holidays; medical (including prescription), dental and vision insurance; transit benefits; a 403(b) retirement plan with immediate participation and matching after six months; health advocacy; personal finance coaching; an Employee Assistance Program; and educational assistance for undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Union Information This position is included in the Union‑represented collective bargaining unit. Specific employment terms and conditions are subject to collective bargaining negotiations. Equal Opportunity Statement The Urban Institute is an equal‑opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender or gender identity, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, veteran status, pregnancy or family responsibilities, matriculation, disability, political affiliation, or any other protected status under applicable law. The Urban Institute is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. If you have a physical and/or mental disability and are interested in applying for employment and need special accommodations to use our website to apply for a position, please contact Human Resources at View email address on click.appcast.io. #J-18808-Ljbffr