Research Assistant, Conditions Design & Tools

The New School; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 82,656,000 - 96,432,000; Part time

Job summary

The New School seeks a Research Assistant to help develop [TBD] Design, viewing structural conditions as active design material and contributing to scholarly work and a practical practitioner framework.

Hybrid/Remote work with periodic on-campus presence, compensation at $31.37 per hour. The role supports literature reviews, case studies, and tool prototyping using design thinking and prototyping tools; a pathway to push original scholarship and shared practitioners' resources.

Qualifications

• Coursework or project experience in institutional analysis, regulatory studies, administrative law, or public policy.
• Experience designing frameworks, canvases, workshop tools, or other structured decision-support artifacts.
• Familiarity with design thinking methodology and tools (customer journey mapping, service design, systems thinking).
• Proficiency with visual/prototyping tools such as Figma or Miro.
• Interest or background in sustainability, ESG, circular economy, or social innovation.

Responsibilities

• Conduct literature review and source verification across design thinking, institutional theory, regulatory studies, and related fields
• Research and help document real-world case studies illustrating the interaction between policy/regulatory conditions and innovation outcomes
• Assist in designing a practical framework or tool (e.g., a "Conditions Audit" or "Conditions Map") that operationalizes Conditions Design principles for business practitioners
• Support prototyping and iteration of the tool (e.g., in Figma, Miro, or similar), including structuring content, visual layout, and usability considerations
• Compile and organize research materials, citations, and supporting documentation
• Participate in regular check-ins to discuss findings, direction, and revisions.

Skills

Institutional analysis

Regulatory studies

Public policy

Design thinking

Sustainability

Tools

Figma

Miro

Job description

The New School seeks a Research Assistant to help develop [TBD] Design, viewing structural conditions as active design material and contributing to scholarly work and a practical practitioner framework.

Hybrid/Remote work with periodic on-campus presence, compensation at $31.37 per hour. The role supports literature reviews, case studies, and tool prototyping using design thinking and prototyping tools; a pathway to push original scholarship and shared practitioners' resources.