Thank you for your interest in employment opportunities at the Terner Center for Housing Innovation.

Established in 2015, the Terner Center is a leading voice in the formulation of practical solutions and policies to meet the challenges of developing homes and communities that are affordable, vibrant, and environmentally sustainable.
Our Values
With a small but dynamic core staff, team members at the Terner Center take on a variety of different roles on many projects in a fast-paced, data-driven environment. We hold our work and each other to high standards through constructive feedback and iterative review. Most of all, we are committed to the success and growth of each member of our team. We encourage staff to share their knowledge, time, and perspectives, and to seek out opportunities for professional and educational development.
A key aim of our work is to guide and elevate the scholarship and leadership of students at UC Berkeley on issues in housing policy, development, and design. We regularly hire UC Berkeley graduate and undergraduate students from a variety of programs for semester appointments. Please check below for opportunities for students.
Our Culture
- We strive to foster collaboration and team engagement. Impactful research and policy development are rooted in exchange, both within our team and with external partners and organizations.
- We expect our staff to value research that is independent, based in evidence, and rigorous. We look for team members who are committed to producing high-quality and impactful work that advances the Terner Center’s mission.
- We believe our work is stronger when it engages a broad set of stakeholders. We look for team members who are always thinking about new ways to amplify our work and reach new audiences.
- We are family-friendly. With several working parents on our team, we offer flexibility in scheduling and enjoy when kids of all ages visit our office or pop up on video calls.
- We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace where every team member is welcomed, valued, and supported. The quality of our ideas, analysis, and execution is improved by learning from and supporting the diverse perspectives and experiences of our staff and partners, particularly those from groups who have experienced marginalization and oppression.
- We are an equal opportunity employer and seek applications from people with diverse backgrounds of all kinds. We strongly encourage Black people, indigenous people, and people of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer+ people; women; people with disabilities; veterans; formerly incarcerated people; and people with lived experience of homelessness or housing challenges to apply.
Benefits
- Comprehensive medical insurance, including health, dental, and vision coverage through UC Berkeley. Click here to learn more.
- Retirement savings or pension opportunities as well as retirement counseling and education through UC Berkeley. Click here to learn more.
- Paid vacation, sick time, and holiday leave.
- Access to the educational and professional development benefits of a world-class academic institution.
CURRENT OPENINGS
Current Openings:
- Associate Research Director of Land Use and Supply, Terner Center
- Finance Manager, Terner Labs
Associate Research Director of Land Use and Supply, Terner Center
The Terner Center for Housing Innovation is seeking a talented Associate Research Director to join our growing research team and help advance the understanding of U.S. housing markets, specifically as it relates to expanding the supply and affordability of housing through land use and zoning policies with a concern for climate and equity implications.
The Associate Research Director will collaborate closely with the Terner Center’s leadership team, including the Center’s Research Director, to identify new research opportunities, develop research design and conceptual frameworks for understanding the links between policies and housing supply, and produce evidence-driven research that can help to inform housing policy debates in California and at the federal level.
The Associate Research Director will supervise and review data collection, data analysis, and report production processes among Research Team staff and graduate student researchers, as well as conduct and publish their own research studies. The Associate Director must have an interest in policy-relevant research and the application of research to policy outcomes. The Associate Research Director will also be expected to represent the Terner Center at various conferences to present and share research.
The ideal candidate will bring a strong track record of research work in housing policy, land use, or real estate. The ideal candidate will be interested in research that supports both affordable and market-rate housing production. The Terner Center seeks candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and inclusion in our internal management practices and collaborations, and to bring a thoughtful approach to equity issues when shaping our research agenda and methodological approaches. They will also bring an understanding of the history and current realities of racial inequity in housing markets and the skill and dedication to apply this lens to their work.
This position will be located at the Terner Center’s offices in Oakland, California but flexibility may be available to work remotely 1-2 days per week.
The position is open until filled. Review of applications will begin February 26, 2025.
If the link does not take you directly to the posting, please search for Job ID #76286. Thank you.
Finance Manager, Terner Labs
Our sister organization Terner Labs, which transforms innovative research and policy expertise into actionable tools, programs, and partnerships, is hiring a part-time Finance Manager to build and manage systems to grow their impact. The ideal candidate will bring a track record of managing financial functions at a growing organization.
The Finance Manager will manage critical organizational budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, contract and grant administration, compliance, tax, and audits. They will also partner with organizational leadership to design and implement improved systems and reports for key organizational financial processes, including tracking actuals vs. budget and invoicing.