Interest is booming in cooperative and municipal Internet infrastructure and related issues. We're looking for someone passionate about working to develop policies related to Internet access, network neutrality, and publicly owned broadband. If that's you, let's talk. Are you our next creative Research Associate? Applications are due May 11th.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Write compelling, well-researched documents:

• Articles
• Policy Briefs/Reports,
• Fact Sheets

Manage data projects:

• Data cleaning and analysis
• Map design and GIS
• Background research for coworkers or reporters as necessary
• Collaborate on Initiative-wide projects
• Assist with outreach on large projects
• Support other projects as assigned

Perform administrative tasks:

• Take notes at staff meetings
• Organize and purchase office supplies

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Effective writing and communication skills
• Background knowledge of public policy and economics
• Able to work independently and juggle multiple tasks
• Experience with a statistics program (Examples: R, Stata) or ability to learn quickly
• Some experience with GIS (Examples: ArcGIS, QGIS) or ability to learn quickly
• Innovative with publicly available databases
• Comfortable making cold calls to public officials
• Creative: graphics, video, audio, interactive maps, etc.

BENEFITS:

Salary is commensurate with experience. Position includes employer-paid health plan, retirement match, generous vacation, a laptop for work use, and a dynamic workforce of dedicated and friendly policy wonks trying to make the world a better place.

HOW TO APPLY:

Send your materials by May 11th. It never hurts to try after that date but the ship may have sailed.

Submit all materials to broadband@muninetworks.org with the subject line “Research Associate Application”

• Resume
• Writing Sample and/or Creative Work
• Cover Letter

Please do not call.

You can also...

As an increasing number of rural cooperatives make the decision to offer high-quality connectivity in their service areas, communities where local telephone and electric cooperatives already provide Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) are seeing benefits today. Paul Bunyan Communications, offering broadband in Minnesota’s northwest region, has lured a new employer who will bring at least 150 new jobs to the area.

Nonprofit Building In The North

On March 16th, the nonprofit Delta Dental announced that it has decided to invest in a new operations and technology center in Bemidji, located about four hours and 200 miles north of the Twin Cities. The seat of Beltrami County, Bemidji’s population is around 14,300 and the community is the largest place for commerce between Duluth and Grand Forks, North Dakota. The Bemidji area is also home to three Native American Reservations and rests on the shore of Lake Bemidji. Several national and state parks and forests, along with a recreation area, attract tourists looking to escape the Twin Cities for more natural surroundings.

Paul Bunyan Communications started in Bemidji as the Paul Bunyan Telephone Cooperative when a group of local citizens organized as a cooperative after purchasing a small private telephone system and another municipal telephone system in a nearby town. After expanding over the years and taking the initiative to offer Internet access, cellular service, video, and several other services, the entity has shifted to become Paul Bunyan Communications in 2010.

The cooperative has been expanding the FTTH network ever since as The GigaZone. It’s received grants from the Minnesota Border-to-Border Broadband Program to help fund the expansions. As of December 2017, GigaZone connections reached more than 29,400 premises and covered more than 5,000 square miles in Beltrami County, also entering five additional counties.

According to Greater Bemidji Economic Development Executive Director Dave Hengel, access to the fiber network in the community was a “major factor”...

Earlier this year, we shared the story of Clarksville, Arkansas, and described how they used supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) to make efficiencies in their municipal electric utility. The resulting fiber optic infrastructure reduced energy costs and allowed them to better manage other utilities but also gave Clarksville the opportunity to explore high-quality connectivity for the community. Their investment is paying off and bringing new jobs to Clarksville.

Stepping Up Economic Development

In a recent press release, the Clarksville Regional Economic Development Organization (CREDO) announced that Monro Shoe has entered into a partnership with Clarksville Light & Water (CL&W), the city, and CREDO to expand its production and add 25 new positions. The community’s gigabit fiber optic network played an instrumental role in the expansion. In addition to better connectivity, CL&W will provide an energy audit to help the company cut production costs.

Serving The Clarksville Community

Clarksville’s population is just under 10,000 with Tyson Foods, Haines, and motor control manufacturing processor Balder as some of the largest employers. University of the Ozarks also employs many of the people in Clarksville. CL&W plans to connect the University to the network in the near future.

Community leaders wanted to be sure to use the network to serve all sectors of Clarksville when they pounded out their plans for the network in 2015. They chose to allocate a designated number of strands each for educational facilities, healthcare institutions, public safety needs, and government facilities. The municipal utilities used another segment, and a sizable segment was left open for future economic development use, such as the connectivity arrangement for Munro Shoes. As Clarksville’s network serves more entities we expect to see more positions added to the community; after all, they're just getting started.

Learn more about how publicly owned networks bring better opportunity by perusing our economic development page.

We’re looking for an Intern to join the Community Broadband Networks Initiative team. The position is flexible with regard to hours and is based in our Minneapolis office. If you’re interested in working with us on Internet policy, check out the position posting and let us know.

DESCRIPTION

Interested in Internet policy issues? Want to work in an exciting field to build more resilient economies and encourage more vibrant democracy? Want to have fun doing meaningful work?

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance seeks a part-time or full-time paid intern for its Community Broadband Networks program.

Our Ideal Intern

• Is enthusiastic about technology policy and believes in balancing private interests with public interests
• Writes compelling, well-researched and concise articles on a short deadline
• Can juggle multiple tasks
• Works independently
• Is creative – graphics, videos, audio, whatever. Multimedia is wonderful.
• Is confident calling people to interview them over the phone
• Is self-directed
• Has some background knowledge of economics and public policy


The Kinds of Things We Do

• We run MuniNetworks.org – the hub of the community networks movement
• Create fact sheets, reports, videos, podcasts, and the occasional comic. The White House relied on our research for its own report on broadband networks
• Advise communities on how to improve Internet access for businesses and residents
• Educate the media and policymakers on Internet policy

HOW TO APPLY

• Send an email to broadband@muninetworks.org with Subject Line: ILSR INTERNet Application
• Explain in 3 paragraphs why you are the ideal intern.
• Attach a resume and writing sample (or relevant creative work)
• Please do not call

BENEFITS

• Flexible hours
• Experience in the fast paced high tech public policy world
• Pay based on qualifications and time commitment.

Get your responses in by August 18, 2017. If you are incredible, we may create another...