Student job opportunities

Fiscal Health Open Source Software Development RA position (applications closed)

Summary:

The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), through its Fiscal Health Project, is conducting a project to develop and pilot an open data standard for local government financial data based on eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL), a tag-based system like HTML. Municipalities can use XBRL-formatted data to easily share their financial information with the public, the State, and other stakeholders in a user-friendly format. To maximize local government’s abilities to use this new data standard, there is a need for a simple, free, and open source application for converting financial data into tagged XBRL format.

Student job description and desired qualifications:

The research assistant will work with researchers at CLOSUP and at other organizations to help develop a tool that can convert financial data from Excel to Inline XBRL (a format based on HTML). This will primarily involve developing, documenting, and modifying Python code to add functionality to a tool that is currently being developed.

Significant experience with coding in Python is required. Familiarity with software and/or web application development is strongly preferred. Familiarity with financial concepts and data is preferred, although not required.  The ability to work both independently and as part of a team is critical. Strong written and oral communication skills are needed. The work can be completed remotely, with regular meetings / supervision. Strong preference for availability to continue working on the project during the spring/summer semester. We expect the work to range from 10-20 hours per week during the winter semester, and 20-30 hours during the spring/summer semester, with the possibility of additional hours depending on the applicant's needs.

Interested students should monitor this listing on the CLOSUP website to see if the position is still open, and then email their resume and a brief statement of interest to [email protected], with the subject line "Fiscal Health Open Source Software Development RA position."

Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) Survey Methods Policy Analyst RA position (applications closed)

Summary and Job Description:

The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) at the Ford School of Public Policy is looking for a policy analyst/research assistant to assist with a set of projects related to survey research methodology based on data collected through the the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS). The MPPS, launched in 2009, is an annual census survey of all 1,856 general purpose local governments in Michigan that investigates local officials’ opinions and perspectives on a variety of important public policy issues. The program gathers longitudinal tracking data on “core” fiscal, budgetary and operational policy issues, as well as covering a wide range of additional topics over time.

The MPPS Research Assistant will conduct a literature review of survey interventions to boost response rates, and will make recommendations designed to boost non-respondents’ participation in the MPPS. If time allows, the research assistant may also conduct a research project to review the many intervention strategies the MPPS has employed to identify their efficacy, and whether that has changed over time.

The research assistant’s work can mostly be completed remotely, though space in Weill Hall is available too. Hours will vary, averaging 5-7 hours per week.

Desired qualifications:

Interest and coursework in survey methodology is strongly preferred, though other students in public policy, political science, economics, or a relevant social science discipline will be considered. Experience in survey research, especially internet based surveys, is desired. Strong computing skills including Excel and Word are required, and experience with a social science statistical software package such as Stata is preferred. Applicants should also have strong statistical analysis skills and a personal commitment to high quality work and attention to detail. Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to work both independently as a self-starter and as part of a team are required.

Interested students should check the CLOSUP website to make sure the position is still taking applications and then email their resume and a brief statement of interest to [email protected] with the subject line "MPPS Survey Methods Policy Analyst."

Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) RA position (applications closed)

Summary: 
The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) at the Ford School of Public Policy is looking for a research assistant to work in the fall 2023, possibly extending into winter 2024, on various projects related to the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS). The MPPS, an annual census survey of all 1,856 general purpose local governments in Michigan, investigates local officials’ opinions and perspectives on a variety of important public policy issues. The program gathers longitudinal tracking data on “core” fiscal, budgetary and operational policy issues, as well as covering a wide range of additional topics over time. MPPS topics for the upcoming year will focus on local government energy policy (fall 2023) and policing and criminal justice reform (spring 2024).

Student job description and desired qualifications:
The MPPS Research Assistant will work on projects and tasks that may include data management and analysis of MPPS opinion survey data; curation and archiving of past MPPS survey datasets with UM’s open ICPSR data archive, comparisons of MPPS data with survey data from other sources; developing new survey questionnaire items based on analysis of previous data; attending subject-area webinars and creating summaries for the research team; assisting in creating open-end coding schemes for qualitative open-end survey items and coding open-end responses from surveys; assisting in report development (initial analysis of cross-tabs, writing and reviewing text, finding references and citations, verifying tables, figures, graphs, etc.); data entry (entering hard-copy survey questionnaires into online database during November-early December and May-early June); sample frame maintenance (confirming names and addresses within the sample frame from updates via partner organizations and online research); and more.

The research assistant’s work can mostly be completed remotely, with some in-person work in Weill Hall during survey field period. Hours will vary, averaging 5-7 hours per week.

Ford School master’s students or experienced undergraduates are preferred, though other students in political science, economics, or a relevant social science discipline will be considered. Strong computing skills including Excel and Word are required, and experience with social science statistical software package such as Stata are strongly preferred. Applicants should also have strong statistical analysis skills and a personal commitment to high quality work and attention to detail.

Interested students should monitor this listing on the CLOSUP website to see if the position is still open, and then email their resume and a brief statement of interest to [email protected], with the subject line "MPPS RA position."

Fiscal Health Project RA position (applications closed)

Summary: 
The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), through its Fiscal Health Project, is conducting a project to develop and pilot an open data standard for local government financial data based on eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL), a tag-based system like HTML. Municipalities can use XBRL-formatted data to easily share their financial information with the public, the State, and other stakeholders in a user-friendly format. To maximize local government’s abilities to use this new data standard, there is a need for a simple, free, and open source application for converting financial data into tagged XBRL format.

Student job description and desired qualifications:
The research assistant will work with researchers at CLOSUP and at other organizations to help develop a tool that can convert financial data from Excel to XBRL. This will primarily involve documenting, cleaning up and modifying Python code for a tool that is currently being developed.

Experience with coding in Python is required. Familiarity with financial concepts and data is preferred (e.g. Pub Pol 715), although not required. The ability to work both independently and as part of a team is critical. Strong written and oral communication skills are needed. The work can mostly be completed remotely, with regular meetings / supervision. We expect the work to range from 5-10 hours per week and to last at least through the fall semester, with the possibility of new projects in the winter semester.

Interested students should monitor this listing on the CLOSUP website to see if the position is still open, and then email their resume and a brief statement of interest to [email protected], with the subject line "Fiscal Health Project RA position."

Student Opportunities at CLOSUP for AY2022-23

Recycling Project Policy Analyst/RA (applications now closed for spring-summer 2023)

Summary and job description:
The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) at the Ford School of Public Policy seeks a student policy analyst/research assistant for its Michigan Local Recycling Policy Program (MiLRePP), conducted in partnership with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). MiLRePP is a stakeholder engagement program to understand Michigan communities' recycling service provision, challenges, and needs through surveys of local government leaders and Michigan residents.

The MiLRePP policy analyst/research assistant will conduct data analysis, dataset management, and report writing on local recycling policies, comparing opinion survey data gathered from Michigan local government officials with surveys of Michigan residents. Depending on the student’s skills and interests, other tasks may include mapping/GIS development; research on recycling issues in Michigan and across the country; cleaning, matching, and merging responses from separate datasets; and communications and graphics.

Desired qualifications:
Familiarity with recycling policies and programs is strongly preferred, although not required. Experience with social science statistical software package such as Stata is preferred. Strong written communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently are critical. The work can be completed remotely, with regular meetings/supervision by CLOSUP project staff. We expect the work to range from 10-15 hours per week and to last through the spring-summer term.

Interested students should send their resume and a brief statement of interest by email to [email protected], with the subject line “MILREPP RA position.”

Redistricting Project Policy Analysts (applications now closed for winter 2023)

Summary and job description:
The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) is looking for three to five students to review and code open-end text data, in the form of citizen comments and suggestions that were submitted to the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) during the state's recent redistricting process. Michigan's new citizen-approved approach is likely to serve as a model for reform in other states, but much remains to be learned about Michigan's first experience with its new approach. To-date, the extensive resident input submitted to the MICRC has not been systematically analyzed by any third party. Before that can happen, the comments need to be reviewed and coded. 

We hope to hire students before spring break, but the work itself can begin after spring break and is likely to last through the winter semester.  CLOSUP is likely to have summer research assistant positions as well, and students hired for this project may have the opportunity to continue at CLOSUP beyond the winter semester.

The research assistants will work individually and as a team, to review and code the comments and suggestions submitted by Michigan residents to the MICRC. The work will be done primarily in Excel and/or Google Sheets. Training will be provided.

Desired qualifications:
Desired qualifications include experience working with spreadsheets, familiarity with Michigan and its communities, interest in state and local policy, careful attention to detail, reliability, and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. The work can mostly be completed remotely, with regular meetings / supervision. We expect the work to range from 5-7 hours per week and to last at least through the winter semester.

Interested students should email their resume and a brief statement of interest to [email protected], with the subject line "MICRC Coding RA position."

U-M Democracy & Debate Research and Administrative Assistant (applications closed for fall 2022)

Summary and job description: 
The University of Michigan Democracy & Debate Initiative, with support from the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, seeks a student research and administrative assistant to support a range of program activities throughout the fall and winter semesters. The student will correspond with university leaders, help schedule meetings, conduct a variety of research efforts, produce resources such as Powerpoint presentations, and more.

A university-wide educational initiative, Democracy & Debate encourages students, faculty, staff, and the Michigan community to explore the exchange of ideas and free speech, the responsibilities of members of a democratic society, structural inequalities in our democratic systems, the power of the voice of the individual voter, and democracy from a local to a global perspective.

The research and administrative assistant will report to the faculty and staff leaders of the initiative, and will support planning efforts and implementation of activities across the initiative.

Desired qualifications:
Excellent written and oral communication skills are required, as the assistant will interact with university leadership offices. Strong computing skills are necessary, particularly with Powerpoint, in order to produce resources for the initiative. Reliability is essential, and seven to ten hours a week often during business hours will be required throughout the fall and winter semesters. The ability to work both independently as a self-starter, and as part of a team, and attention to detail are critical.

Interested students should email their resume and a brief statement of interest to [email protected], with the subject line "Democracy & Debate RA position."

Fiscal Health Project RA position (applications closed)

Summary: 
The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), through its Fiscal Health Project, is conducting a community-engaged research project to help modernize and digitize Michigan local government financial transparency and reporting. The project includes partnerships with the City of Flint and 2 rural jurisdictions in Michigan to implement a new open data standard, based on eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL). Municipalities can use XBRL-formatted data to easily share their financial information with the public, the State, and other stakeholders in a user-friendly format.

Student job description and desired qualifications:
The research assistant will work with pilot locations to convert their financial statements into XBRL format, and assist with training so that pilot locations can continue to produce XBRL-formatted statements after the pilot project ends. The research assistant will also assist with an evaluation of the process and outcomes for the pilot projects. As needed, the research assistant will work on other projects related to implementation of XBRL financial reporting in Michigan.

Experience building and working with databases (in Excel) is preferred. Familiarity with financial concepts and data is preferred (e.g. Pub Pol 715), although not required. The ability to work both independently and as part of a team is critical. Strong written and oral communication skills are needed. The work can mostly be completed remotely, with regular meetings / supervision. We expect the work to range from 5-7 hours per week and to last at least through the fall semester and possibly into the winter semester.

Interested students should email their resume and a brief statement of interest to [email protected], with the subject line "Fiscal Health Project RA position."

CLOSUP Redistricting Project RA position (Applications Closed)

Summary:
The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) seeks a student research assistant for its Michigan Redistricting Project. The research assistant will convert public testimony submitted by Michigan residents to the state's new Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC), out of PDF text documents and into an Excel database format. The data are intended for use by researchers and other stakeholders to better understand the initial experience with the state's new approach to redistricting, which is likely to serve as a national model for redistricting reform in other states. The database will be a unique and powerful research resource when completed and will allow analysis that is not currently possible.

Student job description and desired qualifications: 
The research assistant will review public testimony from PDF transcripts of the MICRC’s public meetings, and convert the testimony from PDF text format to Excel database format, using an existing Excel template. Quality control checks will be performed to ensure accurate data conversion. If additional time is available once the data have been converted, the research assistant might be able to conduct initial data analysis including coding and summarizing the testimony. Experience building and working with databases (in Excel) is preferred. Familiarity with redistricting and/or state and local public policy topics is preferred although not required. The ability to work both independently and as part of a team, and attention to detail are critical. Strong written and oral communication skills are needed. The work can mostly be completed remotely, with regular meetings / supervision. We expect the work to range from 5-7 hours per week and to last at least through the fall semester and possibly into the winter semester.

Interested students should email their resume and a brief statement of interest to [email protected], with the subject line "CLOSUP Redistricting Project RA position."

For updates on CLOSUP student positions, see: http://closup.umich.edu/people/student-job-opportunities

Fiscal Health Project (Applications Closed):

Summary:
The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), through its Fiscal Health Project, is conducting a project to lead the creation and design of an open data standard for local government financial data in Michigan. An open data standard will make information about local fiscal health more easily accessible and usable to the public. It promotes transparency, accountability, and facilitates discussions among policymakers and the public about setting priorities and understanding current conditions.

Student job description and desired qualifications:
The Local Fiscal Health research assistant will assist in the development of a "data taxonomy," which defines the elements of data (e.g. public safety spending, state aid, retiree healthcare liability, capital assets, etc.) that should be included in the open data standard. This will involve reviewing financial data for local governments and working with various stakeholders, including local governments and their representative associations, the Michigan Department of Treasury, transparency advocates, and affiliates of XBRL US, a nonprofit that develops digital financial data reporting standards for businesses and governments.

Experience building and working with databases (in Excel and Stata) is preferred.  Familiarity with financial concepts and data is strongly preferred (e.g. accounting, Pub Pol 715), although not required.  The ability to work both independently and as part of a team is critical.  Strong written and oral communication skills are needed.  The work can mostly be completed remotely, with regular meetings/supervision. We expect the work to range from 5-7 hours per week and to last through the winter semester. 

Interested students should email their resume and a brief statement of interest to [email protected], with the subject line "Fiscal Health Project RA position.”

For updates on CLOSUP student positions, see: http://closup.umich.edu/people/student-job-opportunities

Open Data Standard Pilot Project (Applications closed):

Summary:
The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), through its Fiscal Health Project, is conducting a community-engaged research project to help modernize and digitize Michigan local government financial transparency and reporting. The Fiscal Health Team at CLOSUP will form partnerships with 2-3 small and/or rural municipalities in Michigan to implement a new open data standard, based on eXtensible Business Language Reporting (XBRL). Municipalities can use XBRL-formatted data to easily share their financial information with the public, the State, and other stakeholders in a user-friendly format.

Student job description and desired qualifications:
The Fiscal Health research assistant will assist in identifying 2-3 small and/or rural local governments for pilots, assist them in implementing the open data standard with their systems, and conduct a comprehensive financial condition case study for each pilot municipality. This would involve interviewing staff and using existing data sources to calculate financial condition metrics, and identify other fiscal challenges facing the municipality. The goal of these case studies will be to demonstrate how financial data can be used to understand fiscal health and to explore what is unique about fiscal challenges in each municipality.

Experience building and working with databases (in Excel) is preferred.  Familiarity with financial concepts and data is preferred (e.g. Pub Pol 715), although not required.  The ability to work both independently and as part of a team is critical.  Strong written and oral communication skills are needed.  The work can mostly be completed remotely, with regular meetings / supervision. We expect the work to range from 5-7 hours per week through the winter semester and preferably into the spring-summer term, increasing to about 15 hours per week.

Interested students should email their resume and a brief statement of interest to [email protected], with the subject line "Open Data Standard Pilot Project RA position.”

For updates on CLOSUP student positions, see: http://closup.umich.edu/people/student-job-opportunities

Local Fiscal Health Project (Applications closed)

Summary:
The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), through its Local Fiscal Health Project, is planning a project to lead the creation and design of an open data standard for local government financial data in Michigan. An open data standard will make information about local fiscal health more easily accessible and usable to the public. It promotes transparency, accountability, and facilitates discussions among policymakers and the public about setting priorities and understanding current conditions.

Student job description and desired qualifications:

The Local Fiscal Health research assistants will assist in the first stages of the development of a "data taxonomy," which defines the elements of data (e.g. public safety spending, state aid, retiree healthcare liability, capital assets, etc.) that should be included in the open data standard. This will involve reviewing financial data for local governments and working with various stakeholders, including local governments and their representative associations, the Michigan Department of Treasury, transparency advocates, and affiliates of XBRL US, a nonprofit that develops digital financial data reporting standards for businesses and governments.

Experience building and working with databases (in Excel and Stata) is preferred.  Experience with python is a plus.  Familiarity with financial concepts and data is preferred (e.g. Pub Pol 715), although not required.  The ability to work both independently and as part of a team is critical.  Strong written and oral communication skills are needed.  The work can mostly be completed remotely, with regular meetings/supervision. We expect the work to range from 5-7 hours per week and to last at least through the fall semester and likely into the winter semester.

Interested students should email their resume and a brief statement of interest to [email protected], with the subject line “Local Fiscal Health Project RA position.”

For updates on CLOSUP student positions, see: http://closup.umich.edu/people/student-job-opportunities

Michigan Public Policy Survey (Applications closed)

Summary:
The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) at the Ford School of Public Policy is seeking to develop a small team of research assistants to work in the fall 2021, possibly extending into winter 2022, on various projects related to the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS). The MPPS, an annual census survey of all 1,856 general purpose local governments in Michigan, investigates local officials’ opinions and perspectives on a variety of important public policy issues. The program gathers longitudinal tracking data on “core” fiscal, budgetary and operational policy issues, as well as covering a wide range of additional topics over time.

Student job description and desired qualifications:
The MPPS research assistants will each work on a core analytical project and then may be asked to take on additional tasks on an ad-hoc project basis, depending on MPPS workload and students’ availability. The work can mostly be completed remotely, with regular meetings/supervision.  Hours will vary, averaging 5-7 hours per week, with the goal of producing a working paper, technical memo, or substantive analysis of a policy topic by the end of the term or academic year. Projects may include data processing and analysis of MPPS opinion survey data, curation and archiving of past MPPS survey datasets with UM’s open ICPSR data archive, comparisons of MPPS data with survey data from other sources; methodological tracking and statistical analysis. Other projects may include mapping/GIS development, communications and infographics, and mailing list management, depending on students’ skills and interests.

Ford School master’s students or experienced undergraduates are preferred, though other students in political science, economics, or a relevant social science discipline will be considered. Strong computing skills including Excel and Word are required, and experience with social science statistical software package such as Stata are preferred.  Students with other relevant software experience such as GIS or Illustrator/photoshop/other graphics packages will be considered as well.

Interested students should email their resume and a brief statement of interest to [email protected], with the subject line “MPPS RA position.”

For updates on CLOSUP student positions, see: http://closup.umich.edu/people/student-job-opportunities