Founded in 1993, Sightline Institute is committed to making Cascadia, a region stretching from Alaska to northern California and the Pacific to the Rocky Mountain States, a global model of sustainability—with strong communities, a green economy, and a healthy environment. We are among the largest think tanks in our region, and we promote smart policy and monitor the region's progress.
In programs for housing and cities, democracy and elections, climate and energy, and farms and forests, Sightline provides research reports and commentary; maps, graphics and tools; framing and messaging guidance; and Sightline Daily—news and views for the Northwest. We advise, inform, and advocate to public officials, change makers, and the media, and we collaborate with diverse allies in pursuit of our mission. Learn more at www.sightline.org .
The Opportunity for Impact: Our Housing + Cities team works to create housing abundance as a solution to multiple pressing challenges: affordability, climate change, racial equity, and sprawl. We develop and drive pro-housing policy at the local, state, and federal level, with a core goal to lift exclusionary zoning rules that limit affordable home choices, to promote policies that increase the supply of housing at all levels, and to bring down the cost of living in opportunity-dense cities and towns. We work to loosen restrictions on homebuilding that segregate neighborhoods, push lower-income people out—forcing burdensome, polluting commutes—and prevent Cascadian cities from welcoming new residents. In recent years we have:
Played a key role in Washington's big zoning reform wins on middle housing and ADUs along with bills improving codes and permitting, in the 2023 session that became known as the "year of housing"
Spearheaded two Washington bills introduced for the first time in 2024 that legalized co-living homes and set statewide standards for parking configurations
Influenced 2024 Montana bills that legalized duplexes, ADUs, and housing in commercial zones
Drove the regional conversation on housing abundance policy and messaging through published research, focus groups , social media, speaking engagements, press interviews, and explainer videos
Role Responsibilities:
About the Researcher Position: The Researcher will staff our work as a thought leader, policy researcher, analyst, writer, communicator, and advocate. They will develop and deploy expertise on policies to create housing abundance, primarily zoning reform, but also other types of reforms that Sightline has identified as promising. They will implement strategies for using information and communications to help win passage of these reforms, often in coordination with cross-partisan coalitions.
The Researcher will focus on opportunities for state legislation in Washington but will also engage on efforts in Alaska and Montana and on initiatives in local jurisdictions if strategic opportunities arise. The thrust of these efforts will be to further the Housing + Cities team's current priorities to (1) legalize larger apartment buildings in more places, especially near transit; (2) end costly parking mandates everywhere; and (3) hold local governments accountable for producing enough housing. The researcher will research, conduct detailed analyses, and develop arguments in support of these reforms; write articles, policy memos, and talking points; and create graphics, give presentations, serve as a resource to the media, and lobby public officials. They will cultivate relationships with leaders and partners across many types of diversity, including racial, ethnic, economic, geographic, and political.
The researcher will report to the Senior Director of the Housing + Cities team and collaborate with the
rest of that seven-member team, including staff members in Alaska, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. They
will benefit from being part of a high-functioning cadre of other researchers, communicators, and
advocates, supported by a well-run administrative and fundraising operation based in Seattle.
Candidate Qualifications:
Ideal Candidate, Skills, and Experience Sightline is a think tank, not a pressure group, so our influence depends on the depth and breadth of our researchers' expertise and their persuasiveness in presenting analysis and arguments. We aim to draw
attention to and build support for data-backed solutions to specific public problems through close engagement in policy debates. And we seek strategic deployment of our skills in the multilayered complexities of political processes, often as part of cross-partisan coalitions. The successful candidate will have a record of affecting influence in at least some of these ways. The ideal candidate will have a number of the following skills:
A record of influencing policy progress through careful research and analysis, excellent writing, persuasive presentations and advocacy, and strategic engagement in complicated coalitions
At least five years of relevant professional experience using ideas and information to advance the public good—preferably in the field of this position but at least in similar or related ones
Advanced analytical skills, such as GIS, real estate development economics, or demographics number crunching
Experience crafting or administering zoning and land use regulations
In addition, all candidates will have:
A pragmatic and long-term approach to policy reforms and political change
The ability to be self-directed and motivated and to work independently
Experience weighing diversity, equity, and inclusion in research, advocacy, and communication
Position Flexibility:
We most likely will hire a candidate who is at Sightline's "researcher" level of skill and experience, as just described. We are, however, flexible and will consider exceptional candidates who are less experienced and skilled. Duties, expectations, and compensation would ramp down, commensurately. We look for the overall promise of the candidate to contribute to our mission over the long term. Therefore, if you are somewhat underqualified for the position as described but still feel you could be a good fit for Sightline and the role, please apply.
Assemble all application materials in a single PDF, labeled with your name. Send everything to ******. Please put Sightline Researcher, Housing and Cities as the subject line. Please also tell us where you learned about this position; this information helps us streamline our recruiting process. Applications that do not include at least a cover letter, resume, and writing sample will not be considered.
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