Part-Time Digital Storytelling & Research Assistant (VOICE-DC Project)

Penn State University•University Park, IL

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The AI and Data Infrastructures Learning Lab (AIDILL) in the Department of Learning and Performance Systems seeks an Undergraduate Research Assistant to support the VOICE-DC project, a community-engaged research study examining civic engagement, storytelling, and learning related to AI data center development and governance. The undergraduate assistant will work closely with faculty and graduate researchers to support qualitative research, digital storytelling, and public-facing dissemination efforts. The project investigates how community members use stories, narratives, and other forms of civic participation to understand and shape decisions about emerging technology infrastructure.

Requirements

Strong attention to detail and ability to produce accurate written transcripts.
Strong organizational and communication skills.
Ability to work independently while collaborating as part of a research team.
Willingness to complete and maintain all required human subjects research and IRB training and to adhere to approved research protocols throughout the appointment.

Nice To Haves

Interest in education, learning sciences, communication, community development, digital humanities, science and technology studies, geography, media studies, or related fields.
Experience with graphic design, Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, ArcGIS StoryMaps, website content creation, podcast production, or related digital media tools.

Responsibilities

Produce high-quality manual transcriptions of audio and video recordings from interviews, working groups, and community engagement activities.
Assist with qualitative data organization, file management, and preparation of research materials for analysis.
Create graphics, visualizations, figures, and other research dissemination materials for conference presentations, grant proposals, manuscripts, and public reports.
Support the development and production of project podcasts, including transcription, episode preparation, audio asset organization, and dissemination materials.
Assist with the creation of digital storytelling assets, including story maps, narrative archives, website content, and visual media.
Format and organize photographs, documents, maps, and multimedia materials for public-facing project websites.
Conduct literature searches and assist with citation management as needed.
Participate in research team meetings and contribute to the ongoing development of community-engaged research resources.