Associate Director (Academic Coordinator) - Institute for the Study of Societal Issues

Position overview

Position title: Associate Director

Salary range: The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay determined by step at appointment. See the following table(s) for the current salary scale(s) for this position: Academic Coordinator Salary Scale. A reasonable full-time salary estimate for this position is $84,246 - $135,000.

Percent time: 100%

Anticipated start: August 1, 2026

Position duration: One year with the possibility of renewal based on funding and performance

Application Window

Open date: June 7, 2026

Next review date: Sunday, Jun 21, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Final date: Thursday, Jul 9, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Position description

The Institute for the Study of Societal Issues (ISSI) is UC Berkeley's home for interdisciplinary social change research. ISSI connects research on structural inequality to meaningful policy and community impact. Since its founding in 1976, the Institute has served as an intellectual hub, connecting eight research centers that examine structural inequities in areas such as health disparities, political movements, racial formations, Indigenous rights, criminalization, and more.

The Associate Director oversees the programs of ISSI and five centers: the Center for Research on Social Change, the Berkeley Center for Right-Wing Studies, the Berkeley Center for Social Medicine, the Joseph A. Myers Center for Research on Native American Issues, and the Center for the Study of Sexual Cultures.

• Coordinate and support academic events, programming, summer workshops, and related initiatives across ISSI and affiliated centers.
• Administer mini-grant and prize programs, including application coordination, review support, and program implementation.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for visiting scholars, providing logistical, administrative, and programmatic support.
• Provide research and organizational support to affiliated faculty and students, including facilitating collaborations, supporting writing and working groups, and coordinating resources across centers and initiatives.
• Assist faculty in securing extramural funding by identifying funding opportunities, advising on proposal development and submission strategies, guiding compliance with university and agency procedures, and reviewing grant proposal drafts.

The Associate Director also serves as Co-Director of ISSI's Graduate Fellows Program.

• Oversee curriculum development, program coordination, and training activities for Graduate Fellows.
• Lead seminars and provide mentorship, academic guidance, and editorial feedback to Graduate Fellows on research, scholarly writing, professional development, and academic presentations.
• Edit and publish Graduate Fellows' working papers through the California Digital Library's eScholarship Repository.
• Coordinate the Graduate Fellows recruitment and selection process, including application review, committee support, and fellowship communications.
• Liaise with campus offices regarding fellowship funding, program administration, and related support activities.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

• Advanced degree

Preferred qualifications

• Advanced degree in a field relevant to social sciences;
• Five years of program development and management or an equivalent combination of education and experience, preferably in an academic environment;
• Strong interdisciplinary intellectual background with ability to bridge fields and support collaborative research, programming, and graduate training;
• Evidence of scholarly achievement (e.g., at least one peer-reviewed publication preferred) and familiarity with the academic job market;
• Knowledge of systemic issues affecting marginalized communities in the U.S., with experience in community-engaged research preferred;
• Strong writing, editing, and communication skills;
• Familiarity with academic research environments and ability to work effectively within diverse scholarly communities;
• Experience with grant proposal development and submission to federal and non-federal funding agencies, including knowledge of compliance requirements;
• Fundraising experience in a university or nonprofit context;
• Experience using and/or teaching qualitative social science research methods.