Graduate Research Assistants

The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute invites applications for three graduate research assistant positions for the 2025-2026 school year.

  • Demographic Research Team
    • The graduate assistant will work with the premier demographic team serving Utah by working with local and national data, demographic changes, and population characteristics.
  • Economic Research Team
    • The graduate research assistant will work with Utah’s premier economic research team. Research may include: coding, econometrics, forecasting, and data analytics in R and Python, data visualization, and general economic research.
  • Public Finance Research Team
    • The graduate research assistant will work with the chief economist and public finance research team. Research may include economic studies, public finance & public policy, and financial impact analysis.

Position Overview

  • Graduate research assistants will work 20 hours per week during the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters.
  • Compensation will be $22,000 ($11,000/semester) and may include a tuition benefit* through the student’s academic department and determined by the graduate school.
  • The graduate research assistant must be enrolled full-time (9-12 credit hours) for both semesters in a University of Utah graduate degree program. An excellent academic record and solid grounding in your area of study is desired.
  • Graduate research assistants must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher during the 2025-2026 academic year.
  • The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute is located off campus, near downtown Salt Lake City.

*The tuition benefit does not cover special fees or differential tuition. Other limitations may apply, and we encourage students to discuss those with their advisor. Please note that this position and tuition benefit are subject to approval by the graduate school, your academic department, and your acceptance into the graduate program of your choosing.

Please refer to the Career and Professional Development Center’s website for more information on how to format and write a compelling resume and cover letter when applying for student programs.

Applications will be accepted until Friday, January 10th at 5:00 PM MST

**NO LATE APPLICTIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED**

For more information, please contact: Ms. Shannon Simonsen, Research Coordinator, shannon.simonsen@utah.edu

APPLY NOW