Research Assistant, Center on Opportunity and Social Mobility

AEI’s Center on Opportunity and Social Mobility (COSM) seeks a full time, in-person research assistant to work with scholar Howard Husock and other members of the COSM team.

Launched at the beginning of 2023, COSM seeks to shrink opportunity gaps facing disadvantaged Americans and strengthen social mobility by publishing rigorous research and developing innovative policy solutions.

The research assistant will conduct extensive research on urban housing policy, civil society, philanthropy, and the general safety net.

Interested candidates should submit a resume, a cover letter noting interest in or experience with policies promoting social mobility, unofficial academic transcripts, and an 800-word writing sample.

• Support research by retrieving, analyzing, and manipulating data.
• Edit and contribute to scholarly papers, articles for a general audience, op-eds, and books.
• Create and format charts, graphic displays, and tables.
• Conduct literature reviews on various topics including philanthropy and housing policy.
• Summarize selected articles and reports.
• Coordinate and work with COSM’s research team to support the broader COSM mission and corresponding projects.
• Assist COSM scholars in planning and executing public events and conferences.
• Work internally with AEI teams on outreach for scholar work.
• Regularly track publications from key media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, The Economist, and the Financial Times, with a focus on coverage that overlaps with ongoing projects.

Physical requirements and working conditions at AEI:

• The employee is regularly expected to stand, sit, talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer, telephone, and keyboard. This job requires close vision abilities due to computer work.
• The employee must be able to lift up to 30 pounds at times.
• The employee must be able to work in a confined area.
• Moderate noise (e.g., from computers, phone, printers, and light traffic) is expected.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential responsibilities associated with this position.

• A bachelor’s degree is required; a bachelor’s degree in political science, economics, public policy, or a related field is preferred.
• Related internship experience is preferred.
• Quantitative skills, including proficiency in Excel, Stata, and R, is strongly preferred.
• A demonstrated interest in public policy and familiarity with US safety-net programs is required.
• The ideal candidate should be comfortable working both independently and on teams.
• The candidate should have strong initiative.
• Experience with social media (e.g., X, formerly known as Twitter) is a plus.