Research Internship

Greenbelt Alliance is seeking a motivated individual with a passion for research and writing for an exciting internship through our Research Department in downtown San Francisco.

About Greenbelt Alliance
Greenbelt Alliance is the Bay Area's land conservation and urban planning nonprofit. Our mission is to make the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area a better place to live by protecting the region's greenbelt and improving its cities and towns. Since 1958, we have been active across the nine-county region protecting open space, opposing sprawl, and promoting smart growth. We have helped save over 1.1 million acres of greenbelt and we are a leader in promoting regional solutions to the problems of sprawl. Our Policy Research Department Greenbelt Alliance is located in the downtown San Francisco office and for the past two years has been conducting research to support the upcoming release of a vision for the Bay Area.

Between 2005 and 2035, the Bay Area will grow by two million people. This growth could make the Bay Area a better place to live, or it could hurt the region. Will people be able to find homes they can afford? Will they be able to walk or bike to work, or will they have to pay for gasoline, whatever it costs? Will natural areas and working farms continue to provide clean air, clean water, and fresh food? Greenbelt Alliance believes that by directing growth to existing cities and towns, by protecting the natural areas and farms around it, and by making sure this growth happens in an equitable way that benefits everyone, the Bay Area will remain a great place to live.

Responsibilities

Policy Research interns will support this vision by finding supporting material, investigating possible barriers, and answering objections. Using online research or phone calls to experts, interns will work to answer questions like "how much of the Bay Area's water comes from local streams and reservoirs?" "what is the demand for housing near transit?" and "will local schools become overcrowded if Bay Area cities build homes downtown?"

After finding solid facts from credible sources, interns will then write up the answers in short, clear, persuasive copy that can be used directly in publications. Similar research skills will be used to support the planning of possible upcoming research projects.

Interns may also assist with writing up these results, or other analysis of the results, for a web site being produced. Research Interns will work with the Policy Research Director and other staff in the communications and field departments as appropriate.

Commitment
This position requires a commitment of two to four days a week for at least two months. Interns are expected to adhere to a regular schedule, but working hours are flexible and interns can generally choose this schedule. Most work must be completed between 9 AM and 6 PM weekdays in the Greenbelt Alliance main office in downtown San Francisco. This location is BART and MUNI accessible and public transportation is encouraged.

Talents/Skills Desired
Greenbelt Alliance is seeking candidates with strong quantitative and qualitative research skills, strong writing skill, and a friendly and professional demeanor. Knowledge of urban planning or land use policies is helpful. Ideal candidates should have strong organizational skills and an ability to work independently to meet deadlines. Excel skills are a must; knowledge of GIS mapping software is a plus. Graduate students and recent college graduates are encouraged to apply, but advanced undergraduates will also be considered.

Benefits
This position is unpaid. Travel reimbursement is available for interns working more than 30 hours a week who can demonstrate financial need.

This position is an excellent opportunity to participate in exciting projects that will create a vision of open space in the Bay Area. The intern will meet professionals from around the Bay Area and will learn about environmental and urban planning issues while developing a network of contacts and references in the non-profit field. When applying for future jobs, interns will be able to point to tangible results from their work or describe discrete projects that they led.

To Apply
To apply, please send a resume, a cover letter, a short writing sample (one to three pages), and a short explanation (a bullet point list or a few short paragraphs) of the steps you would take to tackle one of the questions listed in the Responsibilities section above.

Applications will be evaluated as they arrive.

Please send application and inquiries to:
• volunteer@greenbelt.org
or to
• Greenbelt Alliance
Attn: Volunteer Coordinator
631 Howard Street, Suite 510
San Francisco, CA 94105