Research Associate (7397U), Othering & Belonging Institute - #80102

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.

We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, Principles of Community, and Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.

Departmental Overview

The Othering and Belonging Institute ("the Institute") at UC Berkeley brings together researchers, stakeholders, policymakers, and communicators to identify and challenge the barriers to an inclusive, just, and sustainable society and to create transformative change. The Institute is a vibrant hub of researchers, community leaders, policymakers, artists, and communicators that advances research, policy, and work related to marginalized communities. We engage in innovative narrative, communications, and cultural strategies that attempt to re-frame the public discourse around marginality and inclusion and respond to issues that require immediate and long-term action. Our work is informed by understanding how structures and systems work to create or exacerbate othering and exclusion.

Position Summary

The Network for Transformative Change comprises multiple projects that aim to leverage the expertise and power of a cross-sector network to bring about innovations, knowledge, and strategies towards a society based on belonging. The Network looks both inward at the ways our social justice movements operate to help shape their work and outward at the population level to develop empirically grounded knowledge that can be translated into actionable interventions. Both domains strive to shape capacity, strategy, and innovations that will ultimately impact the infrastructure that sustains progress along the lines of our vision and values.

The Blueprint for Belonging (B4B) is a project of the Network and partners with community-based organizing and civic engagement groups to develop research based interventions that promote bridging across divides in an effort to expand belonging through greater civic engagement and power building. The B4B Research Associate position supports program across several strategies including qualitative research, trainings, research application, and partnership development. In addition to carrying out qualitative research such as facilitating focus groups and interviews, the position is responsible for managing projects and coordinating partnerships. This position relies on experience in social change movements and the public sector; judgement within parameters set by the Program Director and/or project specifics; ability to manage multiple workflows; and strong communication and analysis skills.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: 08/13/2025.

Responsibilities

• Leads project management from scope setting to dissemination phases, ensuring workflow milestones are on track with the timeline and in line with the budget; and maintains communications to coordinate B4B team and partners.
• Carries out qualitative research and analysis-- including implementing focus groups or interviews from recruitment to analysis, carrying out participatory research activities, and developing memos and presentations synthesizing results and recommendations.
• Develops and carries out case studies and trainings informed by OBI research and analysis--coalescing research and timely current events into conceptual frameworks and areas of interrogation that can support field strategy and narrative development.
• Prepares, edits and modifies documents including slides, memorandums, reports, meeting agendas or minutes.
• Supports partnership development through events, speaking engagements or carrying out field scans that result in a growing network of practitioners engaged in OBI initiatives and experiments.
• Maintains Network database, carries out administrative duties, and participates in OBI-wide initiatives and meetings and other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Three years social change movement building experience in civic engagement or community organizing fields within the social justice sector.
• Solid communication and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively with all levels of staff, both verbally and in writing for events, reports, presentations, and social media.
• Ability to carry out appropriate mixed methods research methodologies including facilitating focus groups, conducting interviews, conducting literature reviews, and synthesizing quantitative and qualitative data.
• Project planning and management skills to support multiple projects at once.
• Ability to multi-task with demanding timeframes while remaining flexible to rapidly changing priorities.
• Excellent writing skills and ability to develop communications for academic, funder, and popular audiences including reports, briefs, concept papers, curriculum, or presentation slides.
• Strong degree of political acumen, tact and follow-through when working with staff and community partners, including within projects designed to cross geographic, political, social, or economic divides.
• Understanding of the social justice movement sector including prevailing analyses shaping the field.
• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.
• Ability to reliably travel to and from the primary work location and other designated sites as required to fulfill job responsibilities across California.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with digital message testing, dissemination and production strategies.
• Digital strategy development and content creation; or graphic design skills.
• Spanish-English bilingual proficiency is not required, but would support this project's ability to connect with diverse communities. We encourage all candidates with relevant experience to apply.

Salary & Benefits

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $29.31 - $39.85, commensurate with experience and informed by our organizational equity-based salary scale.

• This is a 2-year, full-time (40 hours/week), contract appointment that is eligible for UC benefits.
• A contract renewal is possible after two years pending available funding.
• This is a non-exempt, biweekly-paid position.

How to Apply

• To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

Other Information

• This is not a visa opportunity.
• This position is eligible for up to 80% remote work. Exact arrangements are determined in partnership with your supervisor to meet role responsibilities and department needs, and are subject to change.

Misconduct

SB 791 and AB 810 Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy

UC Anti-Discrimination Policy

Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.