[Courtesy of MPP] The overarching goal of the Legislative Analyst is to help MPP pass state-level legislation to (a) permit the use of medical marijuana by patients whose doctors recommend its use or (b) decriminalize marijuana possession. Qualifications include exceptional oral communication skills, flawless writing, and a professional appearance. Candidates should also be highly organized, self-motivated, and able to accomplish a defined and ambitious set of goals. Candidates who are lawyers are strongly preferred, as are candidates with experience working in public policy. Responsibilities include monitoring all marijuana-related bills -- and generating letters from the grassroots for or against the most important bills -- in approximately 18-21 states. To this end, the Legislative Analyst will act as the first point of contact and coordinate with grant recipients in each assigned state; use an online legislative monitoring system to determine which bills are relevant to marijuana policy in each assigned state; maintain each of MPP's state Web pages with updated legislative information, pre-written letters for constituents to send to legislators, "tell a friend" messages, pre-written letters-to-the-editor, and relevant news articles. (For example, see www.mpp.org/NY); write and e-mail legislative alerts to all MPP members and allies in a given state, asking them to visit their state's page on MPP's Web site to send pre-written letters to their state legislators; assist the Director of State Policies with legislative research and analysis and any other functions to assist in the passage of state legislation, including by identifying and preparing witnesses for legislative testimony and advocacy, and communicating with legislators; prepare and file lobbying expense reports, and, if the candidate is an attorney, perform occasional legal work such as reviewing contracts, revising legislation, and legal research. The Legislative Analyst reports to MPP's Director of State Policies, who in turn reports to MPP's Executive Director. The salary for the position is $35,000, plus full health insurance and a retirement plan. To apply, please see MPP's application guidelines at http://www.mpp.org/jobs/process.html and follow the instructions there. Interviews are being conducted on a rolling basis, so interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. With 38 employees, 25,000 members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, MPP is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP works to minimize the harm associated with marijuana - both the consumption of marijuana and the laws that are intended to prohibit its use - and believes that the greatest harm associated with marijuana is imprisonment.