Title Code 4920: Student Assistant III
Undergraduate, part-time

Appointment: August 23, 2023 – May 3, 2024, with possibility of extension

Compensation: $20.30/hour (10 hours per week)

Application Deadline: August 4, 2023, 5pm Pacific Time
The applicant must be a matriculated student at UC Berkeley. Priority is given to work study students. To apply, submit the following items by email as a single pdf to foodinstitute@berkeley.edu with the subject line “Communications Assistant.”

1. Cover letter
2. Résumé (limit to 2 pages)
3. Contact information for 2 professional and/or academic references

About the Berkeley Food Institute:
The Berkeley Food Institute (BFI) at the University of California, Berkeley seeks to transform food systems to expand access to healthy, affordable food and promote sustainable and equitable food production. We envision a food system that prioritizes equity and justice to enhance the health of people and the environment. We pursue our mission through interdisciplinary programs in education, community engagement, research, and policy.

About the Position:
The role of the Communications Assistant is to provide vital support for BFI’s external communication activities. The right candidate would have a background in visual or written storytelling, with a demonstrated interest in agroecology, good food access, fair and healthy jobs, and/or racial equity in food systems. Preference is given to candidates with a background in some of the software and platforms listed under “required qualifications” below. However, BFI will train the Communications Assistant in print and digital communications tools we use. This is a great opportunity for a student interested in building a foundation in creative storytelling and communications, particularly related to agri-food systems. The Communications Assistant works closely with all BFI staff and is supervised by Austin Price, BFI Communications Coordinator. There is flexibility for a hybrid work schedule.

Responsibilities include:

1. Online Communications:
   • Manage BFI’s social media by creating and posting regular content to BFI’s Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
   • Maintain BFI web pages
   • Work with BFI team to create and distribute monthly newsletter of news, announcements, and upcoming BFI events
   • Produce compelling visual storytelling, included but not limited to graphic design, illustrations, photography, and video “reels”
   • Write and edit creative blog posts on events, research, student spotlights, and BFI programs
   • Monitor and record analytics data related to the website, social media, and emails
     Assist in other digital communications projects as necessary
2. Material Design and Media Relations:
   • Assist in content, design, and updating of BFI print materials
   • Maintain BFI Salesforce database of media contacts and help communicate BFI events and programs to journalists and other media
3. Event Support:
   • Assist with planning and logistics of BFI events
   • Promote BFI events through website, social media, and other visual materials like flyers

Required Qualifications:

• Excellent communication skills, both written and visual
• Commitment to justice, equity, and external communications across diverse groups
• Strong skills in copyediting and proofreading
• Experience with email marketing campaigns, with a preference for knowledge of MailChimp
• Skills in Adobe Creative Cloud, particularly Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator
• Experience with WordPress
• Experience with social media platforms and metrics
• Experience crafting written communications based on original reporting or research
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team
• Ability to learn and work independently and to foresee, identify, and recommend solutions in the position’s areas of responsibility
• Strong attention to detail and organization
• Comfort with creativity, innovation, and hard work
• Professionalism, courtesy, punctuality, and good humor
• Interest and experience in agri-food systems
• Interest and experience in public service and social equity, as core tenets of the UC Berkeley experience and the BFI mission

Desired Qualifications:

• Fluency in a second language
• Students with work study strongly encouraged to apply

Equal Employment Opportunity:

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. For more information about your rights as an applicant, see:
https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf

For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy, see:
http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct