Hiring Data Scientist for Data Affordability Lab
ROLE
Position Title: Data Analyst, Housing Affordability Data Lab
Timing: December, 2023
Status: Full time, exempt
Location: Oakland, CA (Hybrid office)
WHO WE ARE
Terner Housing Innovation Labs (Terner Labs) is a nonprofit organization that formulates and advances bold strategies to house families from all walks of life in vibrant, sustainable, and affordable homes and communities. Launched by faculty and staff at the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley, we transform innovative research and policy expertise into actionable tools, programs, and partnerships with the public and private sector. We are committed to solutions that increase the supply and lower the cost of housing in ways that align with equity and environmental goals; expand access to quality homes and communities to support racial, social, and economic inclusion; and drive innovation in housing policy and practice.
The Data Lab is an initiative within Terner Labs which creates data tools and metrics to inform government and community decision-making around housing and land use policy. Terner’s Housing Policy Dashboard (the Dashboard), currently piloted within a handful of California jurisdictions, is a powerful analytical tool that overlays a real estate proforma on top of parcel-level land use and regulatory data. This allows local policymakers to understand how specific housing policies or market inputs – such as changes in building limits, development costs, density bonuses, or market conditions – might impact real-world decisions that affect housing development amounts and patterns across a city or region.
We are expanding the Dashboard to serve more cities across the country in subsequent years. Additionally, the Data Lab will soon be expanding its offering of data tools and metrics, offering an exciting opportunity for ground-floor development of new products.
HOW YOU’LL CONTRIBUTE
Terner Labs seeks an entrepreneurial and dynamic Data Analyst to join the Data Lab team. In this newly created role, the Analyst will utilize their data management and analysis expertise, policy knowledge, and strong project management skills to inform and build out the Data Lab’s initial projects. They will bring an energetic and open-minded spirit and thrive within a fast-paced, growing organization.
The Data Analyst will report to the Data Lab Director and will work alongside the Data Scientist and Graduate Student Fellows to play an essential role in the Data Labs’ expanding scope by helping more jurisdictions simulate the impacts of policy on the production of new homes, and enhancing the technical capabilities of our products. This is an opportune time to join and help shape the future of data-backed evidence in housing policy decisions.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Help build and expand the Terner Housing Policy Dashboard by collecting data from city planning departments, public records, industry data, state policy details, and other sources
- Enhance the simulation capabilities of the Dashboard by developing and implementing additions to the proforma methodology and refining various assumptions
- Liaise with partnering researchers, cities, other organizations using the Dashboard to understand city-level data sets, intricacies of various policies, methodology specifications, and policy simulation requirements
- Collect data/clean data, data engineering analyses
- Collaborate with an experienced team of technical contractors, partner organizations, graduate students, and Terner Labs and Center staff to implement methodology and UX improvements.
SKILL SETS / MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Demonstrated ability to use Excel and Python, to manage and analyze large datasets
- Extensive experience in geospatial data analysis and modeling using Geospatial Softwares QGIS, ArcGIS or open-source geospatial libraries such as GeoPandas.
- Strong understanding of data cleaning and data validation
- Familiarity with or ability to quickly learn housing policy and the history of past planning practices, including racial exclusion and historical redlining
- Familiarity with or ability to quickly learn elements of city planning zoning codes, land use policy, and real estate data
- Flexible self-starter comfortable managing multiple deadlines and priorities
- Strong problem solving skills
- Ability to effectively communicate technical information to a variety of audiences
- Inspiring and thoughtful communication style that meets the needs of diverse team members and partners and engenders trust and collaboration.
- Energetic and entrepreneurial mindset.
- 3+ years relevant work experience
- Relevant masters degree is a plus, but is not required.
Terner Labs is a young organization with growth potential. The person serving in this position needs to be excited to join the team while we scale and demonstrate comfort with the dynamism that entails. This means being open to fluidity, being willing to jump in and do what is necessary even if it isn’t in the job description, and being passionate about building the organization in partnership with the leadership team.
WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE
We are open to a wide range of past experiences for candidates interested in this role. The target salary range for this position is $75,000 - $115,000, commensurate with experience. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes: medical, dental, vision, disability, and mental health coverage, as well as 18 vacation days, one sick day a month, 14 paid holidays, and the opportunity to participate in a generous retirement savings plan matching program.
This position will be located in Oakland, CA, with opportunities for a hybrid work schedule.
Terner Labs is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We encourage individuals to apply who bring lived experience with issues of housing affordability and equity. Criminal background checks are not required.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, please submit your materials here. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
