Research Assistant - Charles Nesson

Summary: Professor Charles Nesson, Weld Professor of Law and co-founder and director of the Berkman Klein Center, seeks a Research Assistant to support his work at the intersection of law, technology, and society. The RA will play a critical role in advancing Professor Nesson's research on civil and university discourse and global cooperation. This role will include project work on Nymity, a discussion tool for pseudonymous communication in closed groups.  

This is an opportunity for a motivated individual to work on a diverse array of topics with a leader in the legal field.

Key Responsibilities

• Draft reports, presentations, and briefs. Assist in preparing materials for lectures, keynotes, and other public engagements.
• Support ongoing and new projects focused on discourse by coordinating meetings, tracking progress to ensure alignment with overall goals, and liaising with collaborators.
• Support project documentation, planning, tracking, and communication for Nymity in collaboration with staff at the Applied Social Media Lab.
• Communicate with interdisciplinary collaborators, including legal scholars, technologists, policymakers, and community partners.
• Assist with organizing events, conferences, or workshops hosted by Professor Nesson or in collaboration with the Berkman Klein Center.

Qualifications

• Proactive, organized, and comfortable working on a variety of tasks in a dynamic environment. 
• Ability to distill complex, abstract, or ambitious ideas into clear, actionable research plans and project milestones. Project management experience is a plus.
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Interest in internet governance, civil discourse, or technology for education.
• Software development experience is a plus, but not required.

Information and Eligibility

• The hourly wage for this position is $21 per hour. No other benefits are provided.
• This role is funded through the end of the 2024-2025 academic year, with the potential to carry on into the summer depending on project needs.
• The time commitment for this position is 5-20 hours per week, depending on individual availability.
• Research assistants must be actively enrolled, full-time students at Harvard University.
• This role may be performed in either a in-person or remote setting; a hybrid option is also available.
• Applicants must possess authorization to work in the United States. We do not have the ability to provide authorization to work in the U.S. If you are an international student in the U.S., you must check with your host institution concerning your ability to use CPT/OPT in order to determine your eligibility.
• Due to pay structures and systems at Harvard, applicants must reside in and work from the U.S. during the duration of their employment, within one of the following states: Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington state.

To Apply: Applications will be accepted through this form. Required materials for all applications will include:

• A current CV or resume in Word Doc/Docx or PDF format
• A cover letter describing your skills and interests. You may wish to consider the following questions: What has led you to pursue research with the Berkman Klein Center and the areas we study? What would you like to gain from working with us, and what will you contribute? How might the experience influence your future efforts?

Please feel free to reach out to Brigitte Fink at brfink@cyber.harvard.edu or Tavia Sons a2eon@law.harvard.edu with any questions.

About BKC

Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society is a University‐wide research center and one of the largest and most influential conveners and accelerators of scholars, technologists, activists and makers working on cyberspace and related law and public policy matters in the public interest.