ABOUT CTBUH

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat is a nonprofit organization dedicated to smarter, more
sustainable cities and a more viable future for global populations. CTBUH convenes the shapers of cities,
providing the knowledge and resources that will transform cities into dense and livable centers of innovation.
 

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR

CTBUH is seeking a Technical Research Assistant to work in our Research and Thought Leadership group, to
assist initially with a two-year project exploring and documenting the use of steel-timber composite structural
systems in high-rise buildings, and then ideally to transition into additional research roles. This position involves
the coordination of the delivery of several outputs serving to disseminate practical information to the building
industry, including a significant material life-cycle cost analysis. The person in this role must thus possess
knowledge of material life-cycle analysis (LCA), and ideally have experience in the mass timber, tall building and
construction industries and/or previously worked in a closely-related field. Additionally, excellent interpersonal
and communication skills, along with strong quantitative and analytical capabilities, are required.

POSITION LOCATION

CTBUH is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with offices in Italy and China. This position is located in Chicago.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Undertake dedicated outreach to stakeholders in the tall building, steel, and timber industries, via email
questionnaires, phone calls, and face-to-face discussions around the project topic.
• Undertake a detailed Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) on select mass-timber high-rises, with the objective of
understanding the implications of material types, quantities and proportions on the cost, environmental impact,
and constructability of tall buildings with steel-timber composite structural systems.
• Coordinate with CTBUH staff to collect content developed internally and by the Steering Committee for editing
and incorporation into widely published program outputs, including a Research Report and self-contained web
portal / digital resource.
• Assist in the development of the CTBUH tall building and urban database.
• Assist in the development of proposals for future projects.
• Perform research and project administration for future potentially funded research projects, on themes similar
or related to prior CTBUH research projects, such as:
• Robotics in Tall Building Construction
• Skybridges: Bringing the Horizontal into the Vertical Realm
• Creating Industry-Accepted Criteria for Measuring Tall Building Floor Area
• Cyclone Glazing and Façade Resilience fo the Asia-Pacific Region
• Design Possibilities Enabled by Ropeless, Non-Vertical Elevators
• A Comprehensive Study on Tall Building Damping Technologies
• Properties of Composite Megacolumns
• Green Walls in High-Rise Buildings
• Wind Tunnel Testing of High-Rise Buildings
• Outrigger Design for High-Rise Buildings
• Natural Ventilation in High-Rise Office Buildings
• Roadmap on the Future Research Needs of Tall Buildings

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Relevant experience with at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• Knowledge and experience with environmental-impact assessment regimes, including but not limited to
life-cycle analysis (LCA) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)
• Excellent administration skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Practical knowledge of effective research methods
• Ability to multitask
• Ability to work under pressure
• Excellent time management skills

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree
• Knowledge and experience with high-rise construction and mass timber

Please note that the above attributes and qualifications are a guide and important. However we recognize that
suitable candidates could possess other strengths not mentioned here. The important goal is to secure the
right person to help move us forward with our important and exciting research mission.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

We believe at CTBUH that our work benefits from the diverse perspectives of our staff and the community we
serve. We encourage applicants to review our diversity statement at ctbuh.org/edi-committee-statement.

CTBUH provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits
discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin,
disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other
characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion,
termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send a brief cover letter explaining why you would be ideal for this role, along with a resume outlining work experience to [email protected].

See the job posting for the formal announcement.