Positions

The MIT Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism (LCAU) is hosting a working workshop on water, sanitation, and flooding in informal settlements, and we are looking for Spanish/English bilingual students to provide consecutive written translation during select portions of the session.

This workshop is part of an ongoing collaboration between MIT LCAU and the World Food Programme (WFP) Colombia focused on La Pista, an informal settlement in Maicao, La Guajira, Colombia. The project examines water management strategies in communities experiencing severe drought, recurrent flooding, and climate-induced migration, and builds on household WASH surveys, participatory mapping, drone imagery, and hydrological modeling.

The workshop is supported by MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS) and a gift from Rorra, a water filtration company, and will convene faculty and researchers working on water, sanitation, flooding, climate resilience, and governance, as well as our partners in Colombia. The session will present current findings and early directions for recommendations, followed by thematic discussions aimed at grounding these ideas in real-world implementation contexts.

Workshop structure:
Friday, March 6, 2026
9:00-10:00 am - Project presentation: context, findings, and early recommendations
10:00 am-12:30 pm - Thematic roundtable discussions (Water / Sanitation / Flooding)

Role & logistics
What: Consecutive written interpretation (EN ? ES) during project presentation, Q&A, and small-group thematic discussions.
When: March 6 (let us know if you can join for the full morning or specific hours).
Compensation: $25/hr.
Preferred profile: Strong working proficiency in Spanish and English; comfortable with consecutive written interpretation; interest in water, climate, urban planning, and migration is a plus.

Please reach out to LCAU Researcher Gaby Carucci at gcaru95@mit.edu by this Friday, February 27th with:

• Name, program, and year
• Brief note on EN/ES proficiency and any interpreting experience
• Availability during the workshop window (9:00 am–12:30 pm)

• We will review responses on a rolling basis and follow up with specific assignments and prep materials.

   

Job Requirements:

• Strong working proficiency in Spanish and English; comfortable with consecutive written interpretation
• Availability during the workshop window (Friday March 6, 9:00 am–12:30 pm)
• Interest in water, climate, urban planning, and migration is a plus

Hourly Rate: $25.00/hr

To view the listing on JobX please go here

The Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism (LCAU) is looking for a student to take photos during public lectures and events during the spring semester.

Primarily this will be during the Urbanism Lecture Series co-organized with SMarchS Urbanism program, but could also include other events.

The Urbanism Lecture series takes place from 12-1 in the Long Lounge in Building 7 on the following dates: 
Tuesday March 3
Tuesday March 17
Thursday April 2
Thursday April 9
Tuesday April 21

We also anticipate an event the evening of March 31st.

Ideally looking for a student who would be available for all of these dates but are open to working with multiple students to get full coverage.

Job Requirements;

• Photography.
• An interest in urbanism is nice, but not a requirement.

If you are interested please reach out ot Berit Lavender, beritl@mit.edu with a few examples of your previous photography work

Hourly Rate: $22.00/hr

To view the listing on JobX please go here

The Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism (LCAU) is looking for a designer to join our team, to work on a project related to migration, water, sanitation and flooding. The LCAU, in collaboration with WFP Colombia, received a seed grant from MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS) to develop and implement a framework to address the different water, sanitation and flooding challenges at La Pista, a Colombian and Venezuelan migrant settlement in the region of La Guajira, one of Colombia’s most water-stressed regions.

The project will involve design of data visualizations, context drawings and maps to communicate a narrative and key findings from the research and analysis done to date, as well as helping communicate a series of best management practices and community recommendations. We are seeking students with excellent design skills, including but not limited to experience with graphic design and architectural/urban design. Familiarity with web development (i.e. responsive design, javascript, D3.js, web mapping), data analysis, GIS, and Spanish language skills are welcomed as well.

We are looking for students who can work during the spring semester for 7-9 hours per week.

Please respond to Gaby Carucci, gcaru95@mit.edu, with your resume/CV and portfolio (include design portfolio and other related materials) by Wednesday, March 4th, at 5:00pm.

Hourly Rate: $22/hr

To view the listing on JobX please go here

Job Title: Research Associate 2
Position Title: Research Associate 2
Effort: 100%
Term: One-year appointment, with the possibility of renewal dependent upon funding and research priorities

Position Summary
The MIT’s Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism (LCAU) and the Civic Data Design Lab (CDDL) are seeking a researcher who has combined skills in computation and design and in the use of data to understand urban complexity. The Research Associate will work on ongoing projects and will be responsible for planning and conducting research that advances innovation in urban environments, as well as collaborating with the LCAU Director and affiliated faculty to develop new research initiatives.

Experience in producing scholarly publications, exhibitions, and interactive multi-media is highly desirable, as our work often culminates in academic publications as well as public-facing installations and multi-media displays.  The researcher will also be responsible for coordinating and preparing grant proposals. As project manager of a research projects that includes technical needs, the researcher will also be responsible for  maintenance of the CDDL Amazon servers, adding research output for the Civic Data Design Lab Website (civicdatadesignlab.org), and the GitHub site, and contributing to communication materials. Given LCAU and CDDL’s commitment to innovation in teaching, there may also be opportunities to contribute to MIT courses on urban design, GIS, data visualization, and the relationship between technology (including AI) and the urban environment.

Applicants should submit:
•    Cover letter summarizing expertise, design philosophy, and research interests
•    Curriculum vitae
•    Link to a digital portfolio (20-page max as part of either their CV or Cover Letter)
•    (Optional) List of courses the candidate is prepared to teach

Primary Responsibilities (Essential Functions)
•    Plan and conduct research aimed at improving urban design and planning
•    Contribute original ideas on research directions and methodologies
•    Lead design of ideation workshops and other research-related events with collaborators
•    Develop exhibitions tied to research initiatives
•    Produce web-based visualizations and communication strategies
•    Prepare high-quality reports for funders and stakeholders
•    Build a strong publication record (traditional and non-traditional outlets)
•    Manage research projects to ensure quality and timely delivery
•    Innovate and refine research methods
•    Oversee the development of data collection tools and instruments including GIS data.
•    Conduct quantitative and qualitative data analysis
•    Draft research narratives and prepare grant/funding proposals
•    Represent the Center to sponsors and assist with presentations to potential funders
•    Build partnerships across MIT, industry, NGOs, and governments
•    Pursue new research opportunities within the LCAU
•    Maintain CDDL website, github, and amazon servers
•    (Optional and to be discussed after successfully performing other aspects of the role) Teach up to two courses per semester
•    Mentor/coach junior researchers in advanced methods as appropriate
•    Supervise and guide TAs, RAs, and students

Minimum Qualifications
•    Master’s or terminal degree in architecture, urban design, urban planning, geography, or a related field
•    Minimum of four years of direct research experience
•    Knowledge of JavaScript, D3, Python, HTML, CSS is essential.
•    Data Science and GIS skills required.
•    Interest in machine learning for urban environments including the use of vision recognition software.
•    Interest in generative AI, understand and concept as applied to urban planning and architecture.
•    Experience with web development, data visualization, web mapping tools and data science required
•    Evidence of original or collaborative scholarship
•    Excellent research skills and outstanding written/verbal communication
•    Demonstrated project management and exhibition experience
•    Experience working across diverse disciplines and with broad networks of collaborators. 
 

Hiring Range; $85,000-$105,000

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until role is filled. 

Please apply through MIT's application system HERE

(last updated 3/9/2026)