Research Assistant Application

 Content Management and Social Media Research Assistant Positions

The Shorenstein Center is looking for students to gain practical experience working in web content creation and social media management. These two positions will work directly with the center’s core Communications and Events team, focused on two particular channels of the center’s communications outputs. 

Commentary Blog Research and Editorial Assistant: 

The Shorenstein Center is launching a new “expert commentary” section on its website this fall, which will be a central place for center affiliates (faculty, staff, fellows, and alumni fellows) to publish short explainers and expert commentary on issues relating to media and the information ecosystem. The student research & editorial assistant will work closely with the Shorenstein Center’s Communications Manager (in her role as Editor-in-Chief of the blog) to monitor the news for topical hooks, research members of the Shorenstein Center community with expertise in relevant areas, solicit pieces, do interviews for q&a style articles, and post new articles to the website. They may also help with writing excerpts/blurbs about new pieces for the Shorenstein Center newsletter, and keeping a database of potential authors and their areas of expertise up to date. 

Social Media Research and Production Assistant: 

The Shorenstein Center engages directly with its core external audiences of journalists and policy makers primarily through email and social media channels.  We are looking for a very digital-savvy, creative Research & Production Assistant to join the team to help monitor our current social media channels, create native content (posts, graphics, and short video clips), and maintain a regular cadence of scheduled posts about our work and upcoming events, as well as helping the Communications team with launch campaigns for new publications and other research products. This person may also help with media monitoring and tracking interviews and other media hits for Shorenstein Center affiliated faculty, fellows, and staff. 

Successful applicants for both roles will have an interest in media, technology, and/or public policy relating to the information ecosystem, be highly organized, reliable, and able to work independently between regular check-ins with the manager and team, and have excellent written and verbal communication skills. Students with experience in communications, digital media, and/or journalism are encouraged to apply, but we also encourage applications from people without this direct experience, but an excitement to learn from and be part of a collegial communications team.  

RAs may work up to 20 hours per week, but we expect the average workload to be approximately 10-12 hours/week. RAs may start at any time during the semester, but are expected to stay in the position for at least 3-4 months (one semester) or more. 

Pay: $22/hour 

To apply for either role, please fill out this form. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Race and Technology Research Assistant

Purpose

This is an open call for a Harvard University graduate student responsible for quantitative data research gathering in support of original qualitative research and writing related to Black voter engagement and Black technoculture.

The primary focus will be on collecting information and data directly related to Black voter behavior, patterns, and online discourse during the 2020 national US presidential election cycle and specific down ballot races. Some historical sourcing and data collection as it pertains to Black voter behavior and patterns may also be required. The Research Assistant will work with the associate director of research and senior researcher at the Tech and Social Change Project.

Position Details

Time commitment: 20 hours total, to be completed no later than April 2023

Compensation: $25/hour, Harvard students only

Skills and Qualifications

• Self-motivation and a high level of responsibility to complete tasks in a timely manner and make significant progress without direct supervision.
•  Strong verbal and written communication skills
•  Developed research skills
•  Flexibility in adjusting to new work related requirements as they arise, capped at 20 hours total for project

Responsibilities

•  Handle confidential and sensitive data requests with integrity.
•  Prepare data and information for project
•  Assist in conducting qualitative research based on pre-existing sources and data sets
•  Perform other duties as assigned.

Specific Tasks

1. Compile and complete lists of BiPOC candidates in the 2022 midterms– Congress and state-wide offices
   1. Using Ballotpedia, Press, and any discoverable lists of candidates, RA will generate new lists and complete preexisting lists of 2022 Candidates, national and state, by Race and Party, i.e. Asian American Democrats, Black Republicans etc
   2. RA will also find preexisting lists of BiPOC elected officials as needed.
2. Race & Tech Policy review (platform & regulatory)
   1. RA will work with our preliminary lists of policy, both regulatory and platform TOS, which deal explicitly with race, gender and sexual orientation language
3. Black & POC television news figures
   1. Continue pre-existing work on tracking Black/POC pundits and commentators across news focused media outlets (eg MSNBC; CNN; Fox)

How to Apply

Email Lauren Faz at lfaz@hks.harvard.edu with your CV and paragraph of interest