Join Terner Labs as a Graduate Student Fellow
Help us uncover and elevate the most promising early-stage models to advance housing affordability in the United States!
Terner Labs’ Housing Venture Lab seeks graduate student fellows to aid in recruiting and selecting the 2026-2027 Housing Lab cohort. This cohort of for-profit and non-profit ventures will provide solutions to advance housing affordability, equity, and sustainability.
About the Housing Venture Lab
The Housing Venture Lab (HVL) identifies and accelerates creative models to lower housing costs with a focus on addressing equity, affordability and sustainability. Members of the cohort receive a $75,000 grant, personalized advising, and access to the Lab’s national network of policymakers, developers, and investors. It is the only accelerator program in the United States dedicated to advancing early-stage innovations to promote housing affordability.
The Housing Venture Lab started in 2019 and is in the process of completing its sixth annual cohort program (learn about their work here). Alumni from the previous five cohorts (2020-2024) have gone on to improve housing and wealth outcomes for 318,000 people, raise nearly $581M to expand their work, and secure impactful private and government partnerships.
Details
We expect each fellow to develop expertise in one or more verticals within housing innovation, including real estate development, sustainable engineering and construction, consumer finance, or technology. Fellows will research the national landscape, conduct first-round evaluations, contact companies, and lead company interviews within their vertical.
While work hours are highly flexible, fellows are expected to commit an average of 7-10 hours per week from mid-December 2025 through the end of May 2026. For interested fellows, there may be an opportunity to continue full or part-time work during the summer.
It is desired (but not mandatory) that applicants have some prior exposure to innovative approaches to housing finance, development, engineering/construction, or technology, and/or experience in evaluating for-profit or nonprofit start-up models in other industries. Strong written and oral communication is required. Fellows will be paid $36/hour.
How to Apply
Graduate students studying urban planning, public policy, business, real estate, engineering or other related disciplines are highly encouraged to apply. We welcome applicants from all accredited academic institutions throughout the Bay Area, but fellows are expected to work in our Oakland office at least one day per week (and may be asked to come in more frequently if needed). Fellows must also be available to work in alignment with the UC Berkeley 2025-2026 academic calendar.
Please submit your resume and brief responses to our application questions here by Monday, October 13, 2025 at 5pm PT.
About Terner Labs
Terner Labs is a nonprofit organization which scales critical housing innovation at the intersection of affordability, equity, and sustainability. We create programs, platforms, and connections between entrepreneurs and experts to build effective solutions for system-level change.
Terner Labs works closely with UC Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation, which generates actionable housing solutions through rigorous research, policy engagement, and cross-sector collaboration. Together, we combine bold innovations and deep expertise to advance affordability, equity, and sustainability.
