Berkeley Food Institute

Student Communications Assistant 

(Title Code 4920: Student Assistant III)

Appointment: August 26, 2026 – May 14, 2027, with the possibility to extend into the summer

Compensation: $20.30/hour (8-10 hours per week)

Application Deadline: Friday, July 10th, 2026, 5 pm Pacific Time

The applicant must be a matriculated student at UC Berkeley. Priority 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.” Please include the following in your application: 

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

About the Berkeley Food Institute: Established in 2013, the Berkeley Food Institute (BFI) is a collaboration among eight colleges and schools at UC Berkeley (Natural Resources, Public Health, Law, Public Policy, Journalism, Business, Environmental Design and Division of Social Sciences of the College of Letters & Sciences). Today, BFI is an interdisciplinary research, education, and policy institute that works in partnership with communities to advance a just and sustainable food and farm system. 

BFI has grown into a network of more than 150 affiliated faculty and staff. Through this network, we train tomorrow’s food and farm systems leaders. We support a robust agriculture and food studies curriculum on the Berkeley campus and with UC system partners through the Graduate Certificate in Food Systems, the Food Systems Minor, and our summer UC-wide field quarter offerings. We organize and sponsor events to connect our campus community to the larger food movement. We elevate and catalyze new, timely food and farm systems research. Working with community partners, we connect those policy-oriented research efforts with state and federal decision-makers to advance just and sustainable food and farm systems policy innovation. 

About the Position: The Student Communications Assistant supports BFI’s storytelling, digital communications, and public engagement efforts. This is an excellent opportunity for a student interested in communications, media, design, journalism, marketing, public policy, sustainability, or interdisciplinary research. We also seek a candidate with a strong interest in BFI’s focus areas: agroecology, good food access, fair and healthy jobs, and/or racial equity in food systems. You’ll gain hands-on experience creating content for diverse audiences, supporting events, and helping communicate ideas that advance a more equitable and sustainable food system. 

The Communications Assistant works closely with BFI staff and is supervised by the Communications Program Manager. This is a hybrid position with remote and in person work, including potential support at some weekend and evening events.

Responsibilities

Storytelling

• Draft and copyedit blog posts, event recaps, spotlights, and website content
• Support newsletter production and distribution (food systems opportunities newsletter and the BFI news & events newsletter) 
• Help translate research and policy topics into clear, engaging public-facing stories

Digital Communications

• Create and schedule content for BFI’s Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Bluesky social media accounts 
• Support short-form video, reels, and event promotion
• Update BFI’s website pages using WordPress
• Design graphics for print and digital materials
• Help maintain brand consistency across communications materials
• Track analytics and data-driven insights related to the website, social media, webinar, and email marketing channels

Event Support

• Promote BFI online and in-person events through BFI channels 
• Participate in and provide comms support for BFI events (e.g. Resume & cover letter night; annual community showcase, etc.) as student schedule permits

What You’ll Gain:

• Portfolio-building communications experience
• Mentorship from BFI staff and Communications Program Manager
• Experience translating research for public audiences 
• Opportunities to strengthen strategy, writing, and design skills 
• Exposure to food systems, policy, and community engagement work
• Network of like-minded students, staff, and faculty on campus

Required Qualifications:

• Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills
• Excellent communication and visual design skills
• 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
• Professionalism, punctuality, and reliability
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Interest and experience in public service and social equity in line with the core tenets of the UC Berkeley experience and the BFI mission
• Interest in food systems, sustainability, or public health

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with email marketing with tools such as Mailchimp
• Experience with social media platforms (Instagram, LinkedIn)
• Experience distilling research or complex topics for consumption by wider audiences
• Experience designing graphics with tools such as Canva
• Experience with any of the following programs within the Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere, and/or Illustrator
• Experience using WordPress

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, please 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