Job Details  

Research Associate I
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Job ID 75139
Job Funding Source Work-Study, Non-Work-Study, Remote
Employer Engineering, College of
Category Professional/Administrative
Job Description
The Center for Entrepreneurship is working in cooperation with the Urban Entrepreneurship Initiative (UEI), an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, to facilitate entrepreneurial innovation that improves the quality of life in urban communities. UEI connects urban entrepreneurs, support organizations, and other stakeholders through its Urban Innovator Platform (UIP)—a growing digital platform that empowers entrepreneurs with knowledge and tools to enhance urban vitality. Examples of UIP applications include curated business profiles, a problem base fed by user submissions, and a compilation of resources to support urban entrepreneurship.
 
As a Research Associate, you will support UEI’s Urban Innovator Platform expansion and maintaining content quality. You will be responsible for identifying, evaluating, and documenting urban-focused businesses and entrepreneurship resources that belong on the platform—ensuring that the UIP remains a credible, comprehensive, and useful reference.
 
Visit https://urbanei.org to learn more about the Urban Entrepreneurship Initiative.
 
Responsibilities:
  • Identify novel and especially effective urban-focused businesses that align with UEI’s Game-Changing Business framework—evaluated on impact, scale, and sustainability across UEI’s 10 community vitality categories (Housing & Energy, Safety, Health, Mobility, Education & Skills, Economic Opportunity, Consumer Goods & Services, Public Services, Community & Culture, and Environment & Sustainability).
  • Perform primary research by conducting interviews with leaders at the identified companies.
  • Supplement primary research findings with secondary sources.
  • Document business model information for subject companies.
  • Research and identify Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs), accelerators, incubators, and community development programs relevant to urban entrepreneurship, and document their profiles for inclusion on the platform.
  • Identify notable academic research, publications, blogs, and other knowledge resources related to urban-focused entrepreneurship and community development for inclusion in UIP’s Knowledge Base.
  • Suggest urban-focused events for inclusion in the Urban Innovator Platform’s Events portal.
  • Give feedback on UEI’s content quality, platform user experience, and growth strategies based on research findings.
Educational Value
This position provides a wealth of educational opportunity, including but not limited to the following:
  • Primary research and qualitative interviewing. You will design interview guides, conduct interviews with founders and organizational leaders, and synthesize findings into structured profiles. These are core skills in consulting, venture capital, investment banking, and academic research.
  • Business model analysis and strategic evaluation. Applying UEI’s Game-Changing Business framework, you will assess companies across impact, scalability, and sustainability dimensions—building analytical skills directly applicable to investment analysis, due diligence, and strategic consulting.
  • Secondary market research and competitive intelligence. Using tools such as PitchBook, Crunchbase, and academic databases, you will map companies, sectors, and entrepreneurship ecosystems—the same research toolkit used in equity research and VC deal sourcing
  • Impact measurement and ESG frameworks. Working with UEI’s community vitality categories, you will evaluate businesses across social and economic dimensions—building fluency in impact measurement approaches used in impact investing, corporate social responsibility, and public policy.
  • Ecosystem mapping and stakeholder analysis. By researching ESOs, accelerators, CDFIs, and academic programs across multiple cities, you will develop a working understanding of how urban entrepreneurship support ecosystems function—a perspective highly valued in economic development, community finance, and social enterprise careers.
Job Requirements
  • Current graduate student at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
  • Previous experience conducting interviews in an academic or entrepreneurial setting (e.g., clinical/behavioral research, customer discovery).
  • Familiarity with secondary research databases (e.g., PitchBook, Crunchbase)
  • Understanding of basic entrepreneurship concepts such as business model generation, market analysis, and customer discovery.
  • Demonstrated research skills and ability to synthesize information from multiple sources into clear, structured summaries.
  • Demonstrated interpersonal skills with a superior ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and verbally.
  • Strong preference will be given to students who have experience with urban community issues and/or have a demonstrated interest in urban community development.
  • Familiarity with our team’s tech stack (WordPress, Google Suite, Notion) is a plus.
Hourly Rate $20.00/hour to $28.00/hour
Hours 8.0 to 12.0 hours per week
Time Frame Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
Start Date ASAP
End Date At completion of project
Primary Contact William David Tarver
Primary Contact's Email wdtarver@umich.edu
Supervisor W. David Tarver
Work Location Partial remote.
Phone N/A
Fax N/A