Associate Director, Technology and Democracy Research Hub

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is seeking an Associate Director for the Technology and Democracy Research Hub. Reporting to the Director of the Hub and up to the Administrative and Academic Directors of RDL, this position combines expertise in social science research methods with the ability to manage projects, foster partnerships, and represent the Hub at state and national levels. The position works directly with the Program Coordinator, as well as a Graduate Assistant and student interns also working at the Hub. The role also participates in cross-team and Institute-wide projects at the RDL and 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:

• Contributes substantively to research projects with expertise in one or more areas: computational social science methods; qualitative and field-based approaches; or policy analysis related to social media and democracy.
• Develops data pipelines and models for collecting and analyzing data from social media platforms and users.
• Fields surveys and experimental studies to analyze the effects of technologies on political behaviors.
• Conducts field research including interviews to understand how social media impacts society.
• Assists Director with the research project management from start to finish including developing project plans, publishing academic and policy reports, supervising and mentoring Graduate Assistants and student interns, managing outside research consultants and vendors, and ensuring the integrity of data and compliance with IRBs.
• Promotes the Hub’s research products through policy and academic publications, email newsletters, social media, and other venues to build the profile of the Hub.
• Develops partnerships across Rutgers academic units, other universities, think tanks, industry, and civic organizations.
• Represents the Hub at conferences, policy forums, and academic events at the state and national levels.
• Takes initiative in developing new lines of research, refining ongoing projects, and securing external partnerships.
• Collaborates with the Director to organize public events and workshops showcasing Hub research and advancing public dialogue.
• Supports grant writing and development of external funding opportunities.
• Participates in cross-team and Institute-wide projects at the RDL and Eagleton Institute of Politics.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree and five years of social science research experience on social media and/or democracy, with increasing responsibility or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience that demonstrates expertise in project management, research methods, and issues relevant to technology and democracy.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to contribute substantively to research projects in at least one of the following areas: Computational social science methods (e.g., data pipelines, statistical modeling, large-scale text analysis); Qualitative and field-based approaches (e.g., interviews, ethnography, participant observation); Policy analysis on issues related to social media, AI, democracy, misinformation, or polarization.
• Experience managing research projects from design through publication, including supervising students or research assistants and working with outside consultants or vendors.
• Familiarity with IRB processes and standards for data integrity and human subjects research.
• Excellent project management, organizational, and communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work across disciplines and with diverse partners.
• Excellent writing, editing, proofreading, and verbal communications skills.
• 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.
• 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 data science, computer science, social sciences, or a related field.
• Technical expertise in one or more of the following: Programming in R or Python; Developing data pipelines for collecting and analyzing social media data; Large-scale computing environments or machine learning / large language models.
• Experience conducting surveys and experimental studies of political behavior.
• Experience in qualitative fieldwork, including interviews or community-based research.
• Prior publications in academic journals, policy reports, or public-facing media.
• Experience mentoring undergraduate student researchers.
• Record of building partnerships with universities, think tanks, advocacy groups, or civic organizations.
• Public speaking experience at conferences, policy forums, or academic events.
• Skills in graphic design, web development, and/or Adobe Creative Suite.

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

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

Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

It is university policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all its employees and applicants for employment regardless of their race, creed, color, national origin, age, ancestry, nationality, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, disability status, liability for military service, protected veteran status, affectional or sexual orientation, atypical cellular or blood trait, genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing), or any other category protected by law. As an institution, we encourage all qualified applicants to apply. For additional information please see the Non-Discrimination Statement at the following web address: http://uhr.rutgers.edu/non-discrimination-statement

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