How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit a combined pdf file as an application as soon as possible. Interviews may begin as soon as the minimum posting period has elapsed or soon after July 1, 2024, depending on the quality/strength of the applicant pool. The application should be one document and include a cover letter (attached as the first page); c.v./resume; and a personal statement (maximum 3 pages) detailing relevant experiences and skills, research interests, DEI work, and evidence of commitment to publicly engaged and/or community engaged scholarship. The cover letter should describe your interest in the role and communicate how your experience meets the job requirements of this posting. Links to web/media/projects and portfolios are also welcome as part of your cover letter and/or resume. Finally, applications should also contain contact information for at least two references. Submit the application (and direct any questions) to [email protected] with the last name of the applicant at the start of the document.
Summary
The University of Michigan's Carceral State Project (CSP) seeks a Project Coordinator to contribute to and help coordinate its Documenting Criminalization, Confinement, and Resistance (DCCR) research initiative. DCCR is a collaborative, multifaceted public engagement project committed to investigating the historical and contemporary contours of the carceral state in its broadest dimensions ? encompassing prisons and jails, policing and prosecution, immigrant detention and mixed-status communities, activists and impacted populations, policies and discourses in the state of Michigan and in the modern U.S.
The project coordinator will be a full-time position for 12 months, with a projected start date between August 15TH and September 1ST, 2024. The position involves 50% time dedicated to overall DCCR administrative and public-facing work, and 50% time allocated to The Reckoning Project, a research team affiliated with the Carceral State Project. The Reckoning Project is a major research program that seeks to achieve transparency and justice for people who have been harmed by official misconduct committed by key actors in the criminal legal system.
Mission Statement
The mission of the University of Michigan is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.
Who We Are
In collaboration with the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies (DAAS) is seeking a Project Coordinator with experience in grant writing, project management/coordinator and carceral, urban inequality issues to work on the Carceral State Project. The position will be housed in DAAS with a reporting line to and working relationship with the Project's Principal LSA Investigators.
For more information about the Carceral State Project and its research initiatives, visit https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/dcc-project/.
Responsibilities*
For the general DCCR role, the project coordinator will collaborate with DCCR faculty leaders, Heather Thompson and Matthew Lassiter to provide administrative support to include event coordination, website and communications, project tracking, and to lead the creation of a synthetic public database that archives and makes accessible the research documents and interviews compiled by various Carceral State Project teams. The database work involves analytical as well as technical skills, including document interpretation, tagging/cataloging, and narration to enhance public and scholarly use and accessibility.
For The Reckoning Project role, the project coordinator will collaborate with faculty leaders, Christian Davenport, Kentaro Toyama, and Marc Howard to manage the research team of undergraduate and graduate/law students and further the project's overall goal of building a database to track official misconduct in the legal system. The duties will include 1) coordinating and supporting teams of research assistants, 2) assisting with grant research and writing, 3) creating as well as facilitating meetings with partner organizations, 4) identifying and evaluating data source materials and 5) strengthening collaborative ties between The Reckoning Project and other Carceral State Project teams.
Required Qualifications*
- Bachelor's Degree or equivalent work and educational experience. Applications from advanced degree holders welcomed.
- Experience working in community-based settings.
- Direct experience collaborating with students, academic faculty, staff, and/or community partners.
- Demonstrated experience with aspects of goal setting, project planning, implementation/logistics, evaluation, and reporting.
- Ability to set priorities, handle multiple assignments and deadlines, and use good judgment, all while operating in a professional manner.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects in a busy environment and successfully meet deadlines.
- Professionalism, attention to detail, and excellent organizational and prioritization skills.
- Ability to work with diverse communities.
- Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
- Ability to self-initiate and to work both independently and collaboratively.
Desired Qualifications*
- Direct experience working in a managerial/oversight capacity.
- Direct experience working with issues of mass incarceration and criminalization.
- Prior involvement in humanities-based research, especially in collaborative and team-based configurations.
- Demonstrated capacity for creative problem solving, innovation, and anticipating future needs.
- Technical skills in database management and web platforms.
- Experience with grant writing and or administration.
Work Schedule
Hours/Days: 8:00AM to 5:00PM, Monday - Friday; some weekend and evening hours may be required. This position is expected to be onsite most days with an opportunity to work remotely some days.
Additional Information
- The salary range for this position is $45,000 to $56,000, please note a higher salary may be offered based on equity and the selected candidate's experience.
- This position is 1 year term-limited with the possibility of renewal.
As one of the world's great liberal arts colleges, LSA pushes the boundaries of what is understood about the human experience and the natural world, and we foster the next generation of rigorous and empathetic thinkers, creators, and contributors to the state of Michigan, the nation, and the world.
- To learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion in LSA, please visit lsa.umich.edu/lsa/dei.
- To learn more about LSA's Mission, Vision and Values, please visit lsa.umich.edu/strategicvision.
Background Screening
The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
U-M EEO/AA Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.