Senior Project Lead

Overview

About Berkeley At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff. As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice.

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The Possibility Lab is composed of a team of policy researchers and practitioners who work with state, local and nonprofit partners to design, pilot, and scale new models of community participation for public-sector problem solving. We are a mix of faculty, led by Professor Amy Lerman, full-time staff, and students who value integrity, rigor, curiosity, and communication. Together, we celebrate our wins, learn from our missteps, and help each other—and our partners—find solutions.

Through our work, we are focused on community-engaged public policy research that is co-designed in collaboration with government and community partners using evidence-based and rigorous research methods.

At the Possibility Lab, we believe that communities need to have a voice in the policies that affect them. The lab’s I.M.P.A.C.T. Model offers a systematic process for clarifying the purpose of civic engagement, identifying partners and participants, choosing the appropriate design, and carrying out evidence-based strategies to arrive at community-informed policy solutions for public sector leaders.

The Possibility Lab seeks a Senior Project Lead to oversee civic engagement and community-engaged research, including providing leadership and vision for the portfolio, overseeing project implementation and managing project teams, as well as designing and managing pilot projects for partnerships with high-level state and local partners.

The incumbent will work directly with both government agencies and community organizations in project scoping conversations, exploring research and project design possibilities, and representing the Possibility Lab externally. They will manage the day-to-day aspects of various projects from design to analysis, implementation, reporting, and presentation of results. They will also monitor deliverables and have responsibility for ensuring all projects meet their stated timelines and goals.

The incumbent has a specific expertise in community-engaged research.

The incumbent will mentor staff and assume responsibility for professional development of staff and/or graduate students. Some travel may be required.

The First Review Date for this job is: 03/04/2026.

• Provides thought-leadership and technical guidance to the civic engagement team to design, implement, and evaluate instruments, tools, and training related to the initiative.
• Designs, coordinates, and conducts projects of broad complexity and impact.
• Manages high-level external partner relationships and project management for assigned projects.
• Develops and tracks project goals, budget, and timeline, along with internal and external-facing deliverables.
• Supports researchers in gathering, compiling,…