Benefits:
401(k)
Health insurance
Parental leave
Vision insurance
Title: Project Assistant
Location: Los Angeles, CA or Portland, OR (HYBRID)
Full-time, Exempt Position
Are you committed to advancing racial and gender equity to build a future where all communities can benefit from economic and climate investments? Are you a motivated and organized team player ready to apply your skills to help deliver impactful policies and strategies for our most vulnerable communities? Are you an early-career professional eager to gain a variety of experiences in the urban planning and policy field? If so, come collaborate with us! We are looking for a new team member to join either our Los Angeles or Portland, Oregon office.
Estolano Advisors (EA) is an award-winning urban planning and public policy firm that provides clients with equity-focused solutions to create thriving, healthy, vibrant communities. We use an interdisciplinary approach to advising our clients in nonprofits, philanthropy, and government on policies, programs, and actions that benefit communities most affected by racial, economic, and environmental injustice. We are a Latina-owned small business headquartered in Downtown Los Angeles, with staff in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Pacific Northwest. This is a hybrid position (two days in office).
EA is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.
What We Do
Community Planning
Equitable Economic Development Strategy
Financing Strategies
Grantmaking Program Design
Housing Policy
Implementation & Action Plans
Meeting Facilitation; Multi-Stakeholder Process Management
Non-Profit & Joint Powers Authority Management Services
Organizational development
Philanthropic Advisement
Policy Education & Training
Policy Research & Analysis
Real Estate Advisory Services
Spatial Analysis
Strategic Planning
Structuring and Facilitating Community Benefits Agreement Negotiations
Technical Assistance & Grant Writing
Workforce Development Strategies
Job Description With EA, you will help us grow our work with philanthropy, frontline communities and Tribal nations, and government to advance equitable outcomes. We work on programs and policies to transition to a climate-ready workforce, create care-based and just economies, shape large-scale mobility and climate projects, and advance engagement strategies that move decision-making power closer to communities. As a Project Assistant, you will work on a variety of projects across our areas of practice, and have a chance to work closely with team members across the firm. The Project Assistant will gain experiences integral to growth and professional development as an emerging planning and policy leader. You will build on your skills in critical research and analysis, multi-stakeholder coordination and communication, writing for a variety of audiences, and developing pragmatic and implementable strategies for our clients. The Project Assistant will work independently and as part of a team to demonstrate that a thoughtful and strategic interdisciplinary approach will create equitable, healthy, and sustainable communities. The Project Assistant will be guided by project managers and principals on and will be supervised by a senior-level team member.
The right person for this position will be a reliable and effective day-to-day communicator and collaborator, possess strong attention to detail, have excellent organizational skills, apply creativity and critical thinking to research and analysis, and have a working knowledge of urban planning and policy subject matter. You must be an energetic, self-starter. Previous experience in customer service (e.g. retail) is a plus. We are a client-focused firm.
Specific duties for the position include:
Support project managers to coordinate and prepare for stakeholder interviews, client meetings, and other project engagement
Provide support during in-person and virtual client meetings and stakeholder meetings
Support the planning, coordination, and implementation of community and stakeholder engagement strategies
Conduct web-based research and support primary research efforts
Analyze qualitative data and some quantitative data
Develop effective and engaging slide decks and presentation materials
Prepare written summaries, original analyses, and other client-related work product
Work closely with project managers to complete client requests
Support business development efforts including proposal development and research
Track local, state, and national policy issues; support the firm’s exploratory research efforts
Administrative tasks, as needed
Skills Excellent written and oral communication skills. Excellent organizational skills and comfort using project management software (e.g., Productive.io, Trello, Asana). Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), web-based research, and video teleconferencing software (Teams, Zoom). Experience with Adobe InDesign, Canva, Esri GIS, database analysis, social media platforms (LinkedIn, BlueSky), and web development software (e.g., Squarespace) are a plus.
Compensation/Benefits
Salary Range: This is a full-time position with a starting annual base salary range of $70,000 - $75,000 (based on location and relevant experience).
Benefits:
Fully covered health, dental, and vision insurance for you and your qualified dependents
Firm-sponsored 401(k) retirement plan with the firm automatically contributing 3% of your salary
Paid Vacation and Sick Time
18 paid holidays each year
Access to a Flexible Spending Account option (pretax benefits used for out-of-pocket medical expenses, out-of-pocket medicine and medical purchases, dependent care cost, etc.)
Life Insurance
Long-Term Disability Insurance
Annual professional development budget
Transit rider stipend
New benefit Flexible Fridays schedule (similar to a reduced work week)
Time/Duration 32 – 40+ hours/week (full-time)
Qualifications
Candidates must have education and some work experience in one or more of the following:
Urban Planning
Workforce Development
Climate Policy
Economic Development
Environmental Policy
Housing and Homelessness Policy
Public Policy
Transportation Planning
Real Estate Development
A Bachelor’s Degree and at least one year of relevant work experience (including internships) is required. Fluency in Spanish and cultural competency with communities of color are strongly preferred. We encourage applicants to also include experience from non-office jobs on their resume (e.g., service industry, manual labor, care-based jobs, etc.).
Ideal Candidate The ideal candidate will demonstrate a commitment to social and racial justice and building thriving, inclusive communities. The ideal candidate will possess a desire for real world experience and knowledge in the fields of urban planning, workforce development, community development, equitable economic development, climate resiliency, mobility justice, and/or housing. Ideal candidates will be intellectually curious and have a driving desire to improve the world. For the early-career public policy or urban planning professional this position provides an opportunity to build a resume, enhance professional credentials, network with top professionals in these fields, and develop as a thought-leader in emerging policy issue areas.
Application Process We seek candidates with the relevant qualifications and experiences described above, and who can demonstrate a strong commitment to racial, economic, and climate justice. In your cover letter, please provide examples of your past experiences, highlighting your contributions towards progress or achievements in any of these areas. This could include your previous involvement in initiatives, programs, or projects that aim to address and rectify disparities, advocate for equitable practices, and/or facilitate conversations for just outcomes.
To apply, please upload the following materials as a single PDF document. If you are experiencing issues uploading your application, please contact careers@estolanoadvisors.com.
Cover Letter
Resume
Writing sample (if part of a group project, indicate sections written by the applicant)
Slide deck sample
Three professional or academic references
After February 23, 2026, interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Flexible work from home options available.