New York University

Description

Background

Our cities were built in response to yesterday’s problems. As the world faces rising populations, climate change, and economic challenges, communities can’t afford to wait until after the next hurricane or flood, or ignore chronic stresses such as aging infrastructure and pollution, to plan for the future. Rebuild By Design is reimagining the way communities find solutions for today’s large-scale, complex problems.

Rebuild by Design convenes a mix of sectors to gain a better understanding of how overlapping environmental and human-made vulnerabilities leave cities and regions at risk. Rebuild’s core belief is that through collaboration, our communities can grow stronger and better prepared to stand up to whatever challenges tomorrow brings. Rebuild’s collaborative research and design approach is helping cities around the globe achieve resilience. To learn more, visit rebuildbydesign.org

Rebuild by Design is looking for an Assistant Research Scientist/Assistant Project Manager to join our dedicated and energetic team. The ideal candidate will help manage our work, partnering with cities to create inclusive and implementation-driven processes to help solve communities’ pressing needs whether they relate to water, housing, or community resilience. Projects have ranged from regenerating the historic Xochimilco neighborhood of Mexico City to designing tools for community engagement with community-based organizations in the City of Oakland to creating a one-stop-shop of climate data that enables communities to understand their risks better.

Position

The Assistant Research Scientist/Assistant Project Manager will focus on catalyzing equitable, community-centered resilient infrastructure, projects, policies, funding, and programs. The ideal candidate is flexible, works independently, and has an appetite to learn about a rapidly expanding field. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 2+ years of full-time work or educational experience in research, design, community engagement, communications, public relations, or a related field. Experience in policy/government, community non-profit, design, /engineering, planning, and environmental communications preferred.

Research initiatives will vary over time as needed; however, this position at a minimum will:

• • Work with Rebuild by Design to contribute to the development and implementation of a strategy to address flooding and extreme heat in cities by repositioning parks as critical climate infrastructure program, designing a program for cool corridors, and other pressing needs;
  • Conduct desktop research and spatial analysis;
  • Use research to design materials such as one-pagers, white papers, reports, testimony, powerpoints, website text and social media posts;
  • Contribute to materials and trainings for NGO leaders, policymakers, etc.
  • Support the team across projects in research, design, presentations, etc.

Essential Duties May Include:

• Collect, analyze and organize data and research
• Use data to create learning materials to educate the public, policy makers and community leaders. Draft public-facing materials such as reports, and presentations, website updates and posts on social media channels
• Strategic project management including facilitation of meetings, tracking deadlines, creating agendas, taking notes and following up on tasks
• Present at meetings and public events
• Online and in-person event management
• Support for grant writing, tracking and reporting

Rebuild by Design is housed at the Institute for Public Knowledge at New York University. This position will be an employee of New York University and will report to the Managing Director.

The salary for this position is $74,000- $77,000. The position is for one year and may be renewed based on available funding and current needs. You can view the benefit package here.

Qualifications

• Commitment to the vision of Rebuild by Design and equitable adaptation
• 2+ years of relevant experience (professional, lived or academic)
• Proven track record of accomplishments and demonstrated creativity
• Ability to work effectively in a small team structure to complete tasks in a timely manner, monitor the work program, manage multiple research projects simultaneously, and communicate ideas effectively
• Ability to work effectively under tight deadlines, have strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to negotiate sensitive issues
• Passion for community engagement, engagement processes, advisory committees, and/or external communications
• Excellent writing, public speaking, and design skills, including Adobe Creative Suite.
• Strong project management experience for administering multiple, simultaneous research projects with competing deadlines.
• Experience managing digital elements of campaigns and initiatives – including website content, social media, email management, and online advocacy and organizing tools
• Passion for social change, ability to be creative, strong sense of humor, flexibility and wants to work with fun people