The National Association of Counties (NACo) in Washington, D.C., announces an opening for a research associate to work on the National Center for Public Lands Counties and NACo’s Economic Mobility Project. This position will work under the supervision of the Associate Director, Economic & Government Studies to provide research, writing and administrative support to the center. The National Center for Public Lands Counties is dedicated to empowering the nearly two-thirds of counties with federally owned land. Through robust research, compelling storytelling, and innovative solutions curation, our center seeks to fortify the invaluable relationship between counties and their public lands.

Primary Duties and Activities:

• Support all tasks related to National Center for Public Lands Counties, including written materials, conference calls, national webinars, small group convenings and national conferences
• Collect and synthesize qualitative and quantitative data from diverse sources, including government reports, academic publications, surveys and interviews with stakeholders
• Conduct comprehensive research on various aspects of county public lands management, including but not limited to land use planning, resource management, environmental conservation and recreation opportunities
• Support research and data analysis projects on the translation of economic mobility best practices, tools and resources into the rural county perspective
• Help advise on evidence-based and data informed policies and practices related to the collection tools and systems that capture the impact and outcomes of county economic mobility projects
• Assist in drafting, formatting and posting program resources including webinars, toolkits and news articles for national dissemination through NACo’s website and creation and maintenance of contact lists
• Track emerging issues and write articles and other communication materials to disseminate research findings to stakeholders, policymakers and the public
• Help develop and support the day-to-day quality and completion of deliverables and progress reports.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Bachelor's or Associate degree in relevant field or study required
• Excellent writing skills
• Strong customer service and communication skills
• Ability to work independently and handle multiple tasks under short deadlines
• Proficiency with statistical software packages such as R. Python or STATA preferred
• Eye for detail; strong organizational skills and ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• Prior experience with public lands management and intergovernmental coordination preferred

Working Conditions:

• Residents of western rural counties are encouraged to apply
• travel 3-4 business trips per year.

Application Procedures

Please submit a resume with cover letter and salary expectations to: resumes@naco.org.

Why Work a NACo:

Our vision is healthy, safe, and vibrant counties across America. Counties play an integral part of the intergovernmental responsibilities among federal, state, local and tribal government officials. We are guided by the belief that stronger counties result in a stronger America.

NACo is committed to fostering a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Our jobs are open to all applications regardless of race, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, national origin, marital status, pregnancy, disability, military status, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law.

We are passionate about advancing excellence in public service to help people and places thrive across America. We embrace and respect our diversity of experience, heritage, and thought and strive to cultivate an equitable workplace. As outlined in our Values and NACo Norms, we pursue our mission through a ONE NACo mindset of genuine care, empathy, and respect for each other, our partners, and our members.