Paid Positions

At this time, the Williams Institute has no paid positions open.  

However, we are actively seeking funding to expand the Institute.  As funding becomes available, we will open a variety of short- and long-term contract positions, short-term student positions, as well as permanent, full-time positions.  We invite you to browse the requirements below and submit a resume and cover letter indicating the type of position you would be interested in and your availability.  We will keep your information on file and contact you when we open a position suitable to your interests and expertise.

Unpaid Positions

We are presently accepting applications for unpaid internships from Bachelors, Masters, and PhD-level students for immediate and summer start dates.  Generally, internships are 5-20 hours per week during the semester and full- or part-time during the summer, but other time commitments or schedules can be arranged.  Duties will be commensurate with education, experience, and skill level.  Students desiring a paid internship should refer to the short-term student positions referenced above.

About the Institute 

The J. McDonald Williams Institute is a public policy think tank focusing on issues relevant to today’s distressed urban communities.  Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the Institute is the only research center in the nation born of a grass-roots public policy organization. Working in concert with major universities throughout the United States, the Institute’s research approaches issues of Quality of Life from six perspectives: Economic Development, Public Health, Crime and Safety, Civic Engagement, Education, and Housing. 

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work on a variety of high-profile, timely projects in many of the research areas outlined above. Because the Institute works closely with a variety of grass-roots policy and service organizations, as well as local, state, and federal governments, analysts and assistants are often rewarded by seeing their work result in lasting policy changes that affect the lives of their fellow citizens.

Qualifications for All Positions

• A demonstrated interest in urban/policy issues is required.
• A basic knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel (or other spreadsheet programs), and PowerPoint is required.
• Capacity to learn additional software programs as needed is preferred.
• Familiarity with a variety of background research techniques, including Internet, Lexis/Nexis, and online journal literature, is required.
• Strong organization and high initiative are required.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including an ability to interact and communicate with a variety of individuals of varying educational and social backgrounds and experiences are required.
• An eye for detail, creativity, and design is required.
• Mature judgment is a must.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment is preferred.
• Strong writing skills, including the ability to effectively communicate to a variety of academic and non-academic audiences is required.
• Competence to undertake high-profile research assignments with little supervision is a must. 

Principal Duties and Tasks

• Research and Data Analysis     40-50%
• Editing and Writing                   20-30%
• Presentation Preparation           15%
• Meeting and Administrative        15% 
   

Specific Qualifications for Research Interns

• Current undergraduate or graduate student in a relevant discipline.
• A desire to learn more about urban problems and research techniques.
• Ability to undertake unfamiliar projects with little supervision, seek out answers independently, and learn as you go.
• These unpaid positions have flexible time commitments to accomodate student needs.

 Specific Qualifications for Research Assistants

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline.
• Ability to undertake unfamiliar projects with little supervision, seek out answers independently, and learn as you go.
• Current undergraduate students may apply for short-term student positions (full-time summer or part-time semester).
   

Specific Qualifications for Quantitative Research Analysts

• Master’s degree  or current student in a relevant discipline.
• A basic knowledge of statistical packages like Stata or SPSS is required.
• A developed expertise in one or more of the following quantitative methodologies is preferred:
  • Time series and panel design analysis,
  • Hierarchical and structural modeling approaches,
  • Spatial analysis, or,
  • Other advanced methodologies.
• An ability to manipulate and analyze very large datasets is required.
• Familiarity with large database structure and language (e.g., SQL and Microsoft SQL Server) is preferred.
• Familiarity with GIS mapping is strongly preferred. 

Specific Qualifications for Qualitative Research Analysts

• Master’s degree or current student in a relevant discipline.
• Familiarity with the basic tenets of ethnography is required.
• Experience in in-depth interviewing is preferred.
• An ability to conduct participant observation in a variety of familiar and unfamiliar settings is preferred.
   

Position Details: 

Time
Research Intern positions are typically part-time, 8-20 hours per week.
Research Assistant positions can be structured as part-time or full-time.
Research Analyst positions can be structured as part-time or full-time. 

Salary
Commensurate with experience.  Internships are unpaid. 

You may submit your resume online by using the form below.