Community Engagement Assistant, Harvard Kennedy School Library and Research Services, (Cambridge, MA)
Posted May 7, 2026
Description
Reporting to the Community Engagement Librarian, the Community Engagement Assistant supports events, communications, and projects that connect Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) students, staff, faculty, and beyond with the resources and services provided by HKS Library & Research Services (LRS).
HKS is Harvard University’s professional school for public policy and government. The School’s mission is to improve public policy and leadership through research, teaching, and practitioner engagement so people can live in societies that are more safe, free, just, and sustainably prosperous. LRS supports the research, data, and curricular needs of the HKS community by engaging with students, staff, and faculty to create and share knowledge, and connecting the world with the scholarship and insights created at HKS.
HKS, including LRS, is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community of staff, faculty, fellows, and students. This position will work toward building such a community and foster an inclusive environment in LRS that values and prioritizes diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
Responsibilities
- Support the planning, promotion, and hosting of LRS events including workshops, orientation sessions, and speaker series.
- Support digital and print communications including drafting the monthly HKS Library newsletter and library signage.
- Support community engagement activities related to the Political Buttons Collection and Community Voices & Perspectives Collection.
- Support the creation of monthly book displays based on community interest.
- Provide professional reference services to the library’s varied users, including faculty, staff, students, and fellows at the Library Services Desk.
- Other duties as assigned by the Community Engagement Librarian.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
- Current enrollment in or completion of an ALA-accredited graduate-level library and information science program AND/OR professional experience in a patron-facing library role, community engagement, event planning, and/or communications.
- Strong patron-centered orientation.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Excellent communication skills.
- Experience using graphic design tools (e.g., Canva, InDesign).
- Experience using web editing and customer relationship management (CRM) tools (e.g., LibGuides, Drupal, Salesforce, Marketing Cloud).
Hours and Compensation
- Preferred start date is the week of July 12, 2026.
- This is a paid, part-time position at 14 hours/week.
- Hours are flexible but will not be outside Monday-Friday, 9AM-5PM.
- 7 hours per day on Tuesday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday is preferred.
- The position is onsite at the HKS Library in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- This is a temporary position through the end of the HKS academic year with the possibility for extension through the following academic year.
How to Apply
How to Apply: Send an up-to-date resume, unofficial transcript from your most recent undergraduate and/or graduate program (if applicable), and brief statement of interest to Alessandra Seiter, Community Engagement Librarian at [email protected].