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Associate Director, Technology and Democracy Research Hub, Rutgers Democracy Lab

Rutgers

Rutgers

IT
USD 94,492-144,715 / year
Posted on Jan 7, 2026
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Position Information
Recruitment/Posting Title Associate Director, Technology and Democracy Research Hub, Rutgers Democracy Lab
Job Category Staff & Executive - Research (Laboratory/Non-Laboratory)
Department Eagleton Institute of Politics
Overview
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. Through rigorous research and collaboration with community members and practitioners, the Hub generates insights with national impact, contributing to the broader understanding of democracy’s evolution in the digital age. The Hub’s findings are positioned to inform policymakers, technology leaders, law enforcement, and the public discourse, ensuring that research drives actionable change.

Key Goals:
  • Informing Democratic Practice: promote a civic-minded community informed by research on how digital media and emerging technologies shape political behavior. By better understanding online discourse, the Hub seeks to rebuild trust and strengthen democratic participation at every level.
  • Student Engagement and Training: Put students at the heart of research. Students from all disciplines will not only study democracy’s challenges and the impact of social media on society but also apply their training in practical settings. The Hub offers hands-on learning, enabling students to work alongside faculty, policy experts, and tech industry leaders on real- world democratic issues.
  • Evidence-Based Solutions: The Hub explores and test ideas—such as interventions to counter false information or strategies to increase youth civic engagement—and develops recommendations grounded in data. Findings are disseminated to inform policymakers, educators, and social media platforms about effectives ways to bolster democracy in the digital age.
Key Research Areas:
  • Measuring Social Media Trends and Civic Participation: Examining how online discourse influences voter behavior, political engagement, and trust in democratic institutions.
  • The Role of Generative AI, Polarization, and Misinformation in Democracy: Analyzing how emerging technologies contribute to the spread of false information, political division, and public trust in media.
  • Platform Design, Policies, and Civic Engagement: Investigating how social media platforms’ algorithms, moderation policies, and content recommendation systems shape civic participation and democratic discourse.
Posting Summary
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.

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.
FLSA Exempt
Grade 07
Salary Details Maximum salary of $110,000
Minimum Salary 94492.000
Mid Range Salary 119604.000
Maximum Salary 144715.000
Offer Information
The final salary offer may be determined by several factors, including, but not limited to, the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and expertise, and availability of department or grant funds to support the position. We also take into consideration market benchmarks, if and when appropriate, and internal equity to ensure fair compensation relative to the university’s broader compensation structure. We are committed to offering competitive and flexible compensation packages to attract and retain top talent.
Benefits
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
Position Status Full Time
Working Hours
Standard Hours 37.50
Daily Work Shift
Work Arrangement
Consistent with the current application of Rutgers Policy 60.3.22, this position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement.
The flexible work arrangements outlined in Rutgers Policy 60.3.22 are part of a pilot program that is effective September 1, 2022 through January 31, 2026. Therefore, there is no guarantee that this flexible work arrangement will continue beyond that date. Flexible work arrangements are not permanent, are subject to change or cancellation and contingent on the employee receiving approval in the FlexWork@RU Application System. Additional information may be found at https://futureofwork.rutgers.edu.
Union Description Admin Assembly (MPSC)
Payroll Designation PeopleSoft
Seniority Unit
Terms of Appointment Staff - 12 month
Position Pension Eligibility ABP
Qualifications
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.
Certifications/Licenses
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.
Equipment Utilized
  • Microsoft Office Suite — Outlook Email/Calendar, Word/PowerPoint/Excel, Teams.
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.
Posting Details
Posting Number 25ST2453
Posting Open Date 11/26/2025
Special Instructions to Applicants
Regional Campus Rutgers University-New Brunswick
Home Location Campus Douglass (RU-New Brunswick)
City New Brunswick
State NJ
Location Details
Pre-employment Screenings
All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of all pre-employment screenings.
Immunization Requirements

Under Policy 100.3.1 Immunization Policy for Covered Individuals, if employment will commence during Flu Season, Rutgers University may require certain prospective employees to provide proof that they are vaccinated against Seasonal Influenza for the current Flu Season, unless the University has granted the individual a medical or religious exemption. Additional infection control and safety policies may apply. Prospective employees should speak with their hiring manager to determine which policies apply to the role or position for which they are applying. Failure to provide proof of vaccination for any required vaccines or obtain a medical or religious exemption from the University will result in rescission of a candidate’s offer of employment or disciplinary action up to and including termination.

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
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