Open Positions

The Design Lab (https://designlab.ucsd.edu/) at UC San Diego is hiring a part-time (25% effort) Assistant Project Scientist to lead research on the California Air Resources Board (CARB) project evaluating how infill development can reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions statewide. Sitting at the intersection of land-use planning, transportation policy, environmental justice, and data science, this role turns complex data into actionable, climate-smart growth strategies for California state, regional, and local agencies.

This position will be conducting quantitative and spatial analysis using R or Python to model socioeconomic microdata, parcel-level zoning, and transportation networks. Day to day, that means working with datasets like American Community Survey (ACS) microdata, LEHD/LODES, CalEnviroScreen, ACE, and AFFH to build small-area VMT models, GHG accounting frameworks, and gravity-based accessibility metrics for employment and essential services.

Beyond the modeling side, this position will lead interdisciplinary literature reviews across urban economics, environmental science, public health, and transit policy, distilling findings into clear policy briefs, technical reports, and decision frameworks for state agency leaders. Environmental justice is central to everything we do here, so this position will also focus on operationalizing equity metrics to ensure our policy recommendations account for housing affordability, gentrification, and displacement risks in infill planning.

Further information and application instructions can be found at https://apol-recruit.ucsd.edu/JPF04666

The Department of Urban Studies & Planning within the School of Social Sciences at the University of California, San Diego, occasionally hires Lecturers (Unit 18-Non-Senate Faculty) for both its undergraduate majors: 1) Urban Studies and Planning and 2) Real Estate and Development.

Responsibilities entail the effective instruction of students, teaching classes in accordance with course objectives and published schedules, advising students on academic matters and maintaining an active interest in the advances/current thinking in their subject area.

The full list of undergraduate courses offered by DUSP can be found in the online course catalog. In the cover letter, candidates must identify the specific course or courses they are applying to teach and quarters they are available.

The Department of Urban Studies & Planning at the University of California, San Diego, is committed to academic excellence and diversity within the faculty, staff, and student body.

These positions are typically in-person and classes are held on the UC San Diego campus.

Department website

There is currently no open recruitment.

Please visit the Instructional Assistant Employment website and submit your application for the latest DUSP Graduate TA/Reader campaign.

• Please DO NOT email instructors or DUSP staff with your application materials.
• All materials are reviewed within the Instructional Assistant Employment website.

Types of Academic Student Employment

A Reader assists a course instructor by grading homework, papers, or exams and may also hold office hours to answer students' questions about such assignments. This is a paid position and the 2026-27 pay rate for a UG Reader is expected to be $21.86/hr. 

 
MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• A cumulative 3.00 UC GPA at the time of application and during the quarter of assignment.
• Receipt of least a "B" grade in the course (or equivalent) for which you are applying.
• A minimum of 90 units completed or transferred into UC San Diego at the time of application.

HOW TO APPLY

Please visit the Instructional Assistant Employment website and submit your application for the latest DUSP Undergraduate Reader campaign.

• Please DO NOT email instructors or DUSP staff with your application materials.
• All materials are reviewed within the Instructional Assistant Employment website.

Inquiries can be directed to DUSP Undergraduate Student Services.

Previously named Undergraduate Instructional Apprentice (UGIA), a Pedagogy and Learning Apprentice serves as an assistant in an undergraduate course under the supervision of the instructor.  The purpose of the apprenticeship is to learn the methodology of teaching through actual practice in a regularly scheduled course. Duties may include aassisting with discussion sections and studios, facilitating exam/assignment review sessions, providing non-graded feedback to students on their coursework, holding office hours, proctoring exams, and serving as a peer mentor.

This is NOT a paid position. Students will enroll in USP 195P and can earn 2 to 4 credits.

 
REQUIREMENTS

• Must be an upper division student (have earned at least 90 units)
• Must have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0
• Completion of the course for which you will be a PLA
• Achievement of an “A” or better in the course for which you will be a PLA
• Consent of the Instructor
• May not be a PLA for the same course more than once
• May not be a PLA for more than one course per quarter
• May not earn credit (Any course listed as a 195) for more than a total of 8 units

INTERESTED?

Contact the instructor of the course you are interested in.