Program Coordinator, Technology and Democracy Research Hub

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is seeking a Program Coordinator I for The Rutgers Democracy Lab (RDL) at the Eagleton Institute of Politics.

The Rutgers Democracy Lab (RDL) was established through a transformative gift received in November 2024. Its mission is to serve as a vibrant hub for civic engagement and a collaborative workshop for studying, analyzing, and addressing the challenges and opportunities of contemporary democracy. Housed within the RDL, the Technology and Democracy Research Hub (the Hub) examines how social media use relates to civic engagement and democratic participation, including the pervasive influence of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

Among the key duties of the position are the following:

• Provides general administrative support to the Director and Associate Director, contributing to the success of the Hub’s internal operations, research outputs, events, and student engagement.
• Assists Director and Associate Director with recruitment, training, and management of student interns, including providing guidance on tasks, ensuring deadlines are met, and helping build a professional and productive learning environment.
• Works with the Rutgers Democracy Lab Business Manager and other staff to ensure that expenses, invoices, and purchases are processed in a timely manner.
• Supports copy-editing, graphic design, publication and promotion of Hub research outputs, including reports, website content, newsletters, and social media outreach.
• Conducts basic research for Hub projects, including, but not limited to cleaning and coding of data, conducting exploratory reviews of literatures and methodologies, and writing for internal and external audiences.
• Organizes Hub-sponsored events, workshops, and public programs, including managing venue booking, speaker arrangements, catering, promotion, and day-of operations.
• Participates in cross-team and Institute-wide projects at the RDL and Eagleton Institute of Politics.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in the social sciences or a related field and 2 years of work experience that demonstrates knowledge and understanding of program coordination, research, communications, and political issues relevant to social media and democracy or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Detail oriented with strong organizational skills, efficiency and creativity.
• Comfortable using and learning new technologies and software.
• Excellent writing, editing, proofreading, and verbal communications skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Comfortable working with diverse groups of stakeholders including faculty, outside experts, public officials, students and community members.
• Ability to independently manage multiple tasks and short deadlines in high-stress situations.
• Comfort working for an organization that is political yet non-partisan and straddles the worlds of politics and academia.
• Familiarity with large-institution processes (finance, HR, procurement) such as those at Rutgers or comparable organizations.
• Understanding of issues at the intersection of social media and democracy and an awareness of sensitive political issues.
• Thorough grounding in U.S. and New Jersey politics and government whether through coursework, professional experience, or personal involvement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in political science, communication, public policy, or related field.
• Familiarity with qualitative or quantitative social science research methods.
• Experience supervising students, interns, or volunteers.
• Background in communications, public relations, or community engagement.
• Skills in graphic design, web development, and/or Adobe Creative Suite.
• Experience with social media content creation, scheduling, and analytics.
• Familiarity with survey platforms, data visualization tools, or video editing.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• Eagleton offices are located within a historic building with no elevator. The duties of this position regularly involve navigating stairs numerous times a day.
• An applicant may request a reasonable accommodation if they have a disability that restricts them in their ability to climb and/or navigate stairs.

Special Conditions

• This position is paid from a five-year gift, and continuation is contingent upon available funds.
• Ability to work evenings occasionally during the academic year and some weekends.

Rutgers provides a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. The specific benefits vary based on the position and may include:

• Medical, prescription drug, and dental coverage
• Paid vacation, holidays, and various leave programs
• Competitive retirement benefits, including defined contribution plans and voluntary tax-deferred savings options
• Employee and dependent educational benefits (when applicable)
• Life insurance coverage
• Employee discount programs