Research assistant for spatial analysis

at  ETH Zrich

JOB DESCRIPTION

The successful candidate in the competition will execute the following tasks:
1) Extract information on key Points Of Interest (POIs) for the city of Singapore from Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, or comparable data sources.
2) Classify POIs into the following categories: recreational (parks, cinemas, theaters, opera houses, museums); restaurants and bars; shopping centers and shops; administrative offices (police stations, government offices); schools and universities.
3) Produce a cross-sectional data set (for one point in time, ideally, the year 2019) with longitude and latitude information on all POIs per subcategory of the above as a csv file.
4) Extract information on public transportation in Singapore from publicly available sources, and generate 1) a table (csv file) that includes all bus stops with longitude and latitude information, 2) a table (csv file) that includes all Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stops with longitude and latitude information, 3) a table (csv file) that includes distance and travel time between all directly connected bus stops, and 4) a table (csv file) that includes distance and travel time between all directly connected MRT stops.
5) Perform spatial aggregation of the transportation networks generated in tasks 3) and 4).
6) Perform review of Matlab code that implements general equilibrium models of internal city structure. Model descriptions will be given in the form of algorithms to be implemented, and no knowledge of economics or general equilibrium models is required.
7) Perform review of Stata code that implements data processing and regression analysis.
Tasks 1) through 5) can be implemented in any programming language, though there is a preference for candidates that can execute the tasks using Python.
Candidates that do not have experience with Stata will be considered.

PROFILE

We are primarily looking for a master student or senior bachelor student that fulfill the skillset. Examples of relevant backgrounds include statistics, data analytics, and computer science, but students with other backgrounds are also encouraged to apply.
Languages: English

CURIOUS? SO ARE WE.

You can start as soon as possible. You must be enrolled at a Swiss University and must be willing to work 15h/week on average during the semester. It is possible to work more during the semester breaks (up to 40 hours possible). We handle working time flexibly such that you can take time to study for exams or fulfil other obligations for your studies while coordinating with the team when tasks need to be completed. Ideally, we are looking for individuals who can stay employed as a student assistant for at least one year (e.g., while taking courses for their Bachelor’s or Master’s degree), possibly longer.

• An interdisciplinary team with good support and a friendly learning environment.
• Most of the work will be done remotely.
• Standard ETH student RA salary.

We look forward to receiving your online application with the following documents:

• CV
• Motivation letter
• Transcripts
• Coding snippets (git, zip)

Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.
Further information about the chair can be found on our website. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Einar KJENSTAD (einar.kjenstad@sec.ethz.ch) (no applications).

• An interdisciplinary team with good support and a friendly learning environment.
• Most of the work will be done remotely.
• Standard ETH student RA salary