Job Opportunities

The UR2PhD program would not be possible without the support of the computing research community. And we often hire members of the community to support our programming. As such, we recognize the importance of maintaining an open talent pool; if there’s a position, you’re interested in pursuing, we encourage you to apply.

Please note: Any persons hired will be considered independent contractors, and are not employees of CRA. Stipends represent compensation for services rendered. Stipends are reportable as gross income, but not as wages. By accepting a role and participating in the UR2PhD program, independent contractors recognize that CRA is not required to withhold any taxes, and no such withholding shall be done. CRA will issue 1099’s to independent contractors. It is the responsibility of each recipient to properly report the award as taxable income on their tax return for the year in which it was received. Independent contractors will need to complete and submit the appropriate W-9 or W-8BEN form to CRA for their stipends to be processed. Independent contractors must agree to follow CRA’s Code of Conduct which is outlined here.

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Workshop Designer-Facilitator for Engagement and Awareness Series

We are seeking a designer-facilitator to co-plan, co-lead, and co-facilitate a one-semester workshop series. The aim of the Computing Research Engagement Workshop Series is to increase computing research awareness and engagement among undergraduate students as part of the UR2PhD program.

The Computing Research Engagement and Awareness Workshop Series is an integral part of the UR2PhD program. It will target undergraduates who have previously participated or are currently participating in research. Our goal is to keep undergraduate researchers engaged in research while also fostering and supporting their interest in pursuing graduate education. Sessions will help bridge the gap between a student’s first research experience and their admission into a PhD program.

To achieve this, the designer-facilitators will develop and organize monthly virtual workshop sessions during the spring semesters of 2025. Each session will run for 60 minutes, offering participants the opportunity to engage with active computing researchers from various sub-disciplines through panel discussions and concise research presentations. Programming will also provide participants with opportunities to engage in active discussions about computing research-related topics, graduate study and research careers. Additionally, designer-facilitators will be responsible for organizing and leading community-building activities between sessions to help foster connections among participants.

Qualifications:

Experience leading research with undergraduate students (required);
Experience developing student-facing programs (required);
History of using identity-inclusive instructional practices (required);
Demonstrated organizational and communication skills (required);
Experience working with programs designed to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in computing (preferred)

Timeline:

The design and organization of the workshop series for the spring will begin in February and will end in June. In the fall, planning will begin in July and end in November.

Compensation:

Workshop series designer-facilitators will each be paid a $3,000 stipend for their work following the completion of the series.

To Apply:

Please complete this form (https://cra.jotform.com/243184534333050). The form will ask applicants to upload a cover letter and CV. The position will remain open until filled.

Questions:

Please contact ur2phd@cra.org with any questions.

Undergraduate Course Instructor

Roles will be filled as needed.

About the role and program:

The goal of the UR2PhD program (https://cra.org/ur2phd/) is to vastly increase the number of students who participate in high-quality undergraduate research experiences and continue into PhD programs.

UR2PhD is a virtual program with three pillars: (1) early undergraduate research support and training, (2) graduate student mentor training, and (3) a bridge program to support students between their first research experience and application to a PhD program.

Instructors will teach a synchronous research training course for new undergraduate researchers. Students will learn about the foundations of research (e.g., reading a research paper, doing a literature review, identifying and communicating a research problem, etc.), which they will apply in the context of their local research project. Instructors will also be expected to foster a network of support for undergraduate researchers. Instructors will not need to develop any curriculum. All materials needed to teach the course will be provided to the instructors.

Responsibilities:

Manage and teach all aspects of the course including coordinating with co-instructors, leading synchronous sessions, assigning homework, engaging with students between sessions, and grading and providing feedback on assignments.
Manage and engage with graduate teaching assistants; assisting with hiring, as needed.
Empower students to take an active role in their research; encouraging participants to consistently communicate with their peers, mentors, and faculty advisors.

Qualifications:

Experience leading research with undergraduate students (required);
Experience teaching student-facing programs (required);
History of using identity inclusive instructional practices (required);
Demonstrated organizational and communication skills (required);
Experience teaching a similar course (preferred);
Experience teaching virtual, synchronous courses (preferred);
Experience creating interactive learning experiences, facilitating group discussions, and providing constructive feedback (preferred);
Experience working with programs designed to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in computing (preferred).

Timeline:

The spring course will tentatively require availability between early December and mid-April.

The summer course will require availability from mid-March to July.

The fall course will require availability from mid-July to late December.

Compensation:

Instructors for the undergraduate research training course will each be given a $12K stipend for their work.

To Apply:

Please upload a cover letter and your CV to this Google form: https://forms.gle/DHrxXhGXsJdy88R48

Questions:

Please contact ur2phd@cra.org with any questions.

Graduate Course Instructor

Roles will be filled as needed.

About the role and program:

Instructors for the graduate student mentor training course will teach a synchronous course about the foundations of mentorship and best practices based on empirical research. Instructors will be expected to foster a community of support for participants, encouraging them to grow as mentors. Instructors will not need to develop any curriculum. All materials needed to teach the course will be provided to the instructors.

Course participants will be taking the course while concurrently providing mentorship to undergraduate researchers.

Responsibilities:

Manage and teach all aspects of the course including coordinating with co-instructors, leading synchronous sessions, assigning homework, engaging with students between sessions, and providing feedback on assignments.
Empower participants to take an active role in mentoring their mentees; encourage consistent communication between graduate students, their mentees, and their faculty advisors.

Qualifications:

Experience working with graduate students (required);
Experience teaching student-facing programs (required);
Experience mentoring researchers and enthusiasm for student empowerment (required);
History of using identity inclusive instructional practices (required);
Demonstrated organizational and communication skills (required);
Experience teaching a similar course (preferred);
Experience creating interactive learning experiences, facilitating group discussions, and providing constructive feedback (preferred);
Experience working with programs designed to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in computing (preferred);
Experience teaching virtual, synchronous courses (preferred).

Timeline:

The spring course will tentatively require availability from early December through the end of April.

The summer course will require availability from the end of April to late July.

The fall course is tentatively scheduled to have two sessions, and will require availability from mid-July through the end of December.

Compensation:

Instructors for the graduate student mentor training course will each be given a $8K stipend for their work.

To Apply:

Please upload a cover letter and your CV to this Google form: https://forms.gle/DHrxXhGXsJdy88R48

Questions:

Please contact ur2phd@cra.org with any questions.

UR2PhD: Undergraduate Research Methods Course by Computing Research Association’s UR2PhD Program. This work, “UR2PhD Undergraduate Research Methods Course”, is adapted from “Early Research Scholars Program” by Christine Alvarado, UC San Diego, used under CC BY 4.0. “UR2PhD Undergraduate Research Scholars” is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by the Computing Research Association’s UR2PhD Program and is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

UR2PhD: Graduate Student Mentor Training Course by Computing Research Association’s UR2PhD Program is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International