PhD Plus Graduate Student Intern, Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs

The University of Virginia (UVA) Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs (OGPA) offers a collaborative and engaging learning atmosphere in which to work. OGPA is dedicated to creating a University-wide focus on graduate education and postdoctoral training by establishing good communication and working relationships with schools, departments, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers. We believe successful graduate and postdoctoral experiences rely on high-quality faculty, competitive financial support, and opportunities for professional and career development. To learn more about our office, please visit us at: https://gradstudies.virginia.edu/.

The PhD Plus program is a University-wide initiative to prepare graduate students and postdoctoral scholars across all disciplines for long-term career success. Our goal is to enable versatile academics who are deeply engaged with society’s needs to become influential professionals in every sector and field. To learn more about the program, visit https://phdplus.virginia.edu/.

Specific responsibilities:

The Graduate Student Interns will support PhD Plus and provide assistance to UVA graduate students and postdoctoral scholars by promoting career and professional development activities available through PhD Plus and its partners. For the 2026-2027 academic year, PhD Plus is seeking two interns to support the PhD Plus team by assisting with 1) a programmatic assessment, and 2) marketing and online content management. Depending on the candidates’ experience, skills, and interests, the selected interns may contribute equally to both of these priorities (described in more detail below) or primarily focus their effort on activities related to one of these priorities.

To support the program’s ongoing assessment goals, we are seeking interns who can directly contribute to data collection, analysis, and reporting of data collected on program participation and assessment (i.e., attendance, pre- and post-survey analysis, career outcomes). This work will include collating these data and assisting with report creation, preparing files to be uploaded to an existing database, issuing digital badges, and more. The data analysis will also include assessing and reporting usage data by department and graduate school, as well as postdocs engaged in PhD Plus programs. To support and expand upon the program’s existing email and social media marketing, we are seeking interns who can support the development of promotional and marketing materials (i.e., flyers, graphics, social media posts), and directly contribute to creating and updating digital content on the PhD Plus website, social media accounts, and newsletter emails.

In addition to the activities above, the selected interns will also learn to use Drupal, a web content management system, in order to update PhD Plus webpages, create event pages, and help manage online content. They will also assist in coordinating and setting up PhD Plus events, supporting PhD Plus staff, and periodically representing the program at networking and tabling events across Grounds.

Special consideration will be given to applicants with demonstrated interest in career advising and professional development programming, and/or the career outcomes of graduate students and postdocs. Previous experience in providing services, writing and editing, data collection and analysis, working with large databases, graphic design, social media marketing, and/or web content management is preferred.

Expectations:

In addition to the responsibilities outlined above, the Graduate Student Intern will be expected to:

• Be enrolled full-time as a graduate student at UVA throughout the time in the position
• Maintain a schedule of 15-20 hours per week
• Demonstrate willingness to take instruction/guidance and meet regularly with a supervisor
• Work effectively as a member of the PhD Plus team
• Maintain office standards and protocol with respect to processes, confidentiality, and other issues
• Organize and work independently on assigned tasks
• Possess strong organizational, communication, & time management skills
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Possess strong computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel spreadsheets
• Appreciate and internalize professional standards and ethics
• Be flexible, open-minded, proactive, and maintain a positive attitude
• Support the mission of the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs

Preference will be given to applicants who also have:

• Familiarity with Drupal and other website development software programs
• Experience with Canva or similar graphic design platforms
• Demonstrated experience with internet-based research
• Experience with data visualization and reporting

Compensation:

20 hours per week at $20 per hour. The PhD Plus Graduate Student Intern position is available throughout the academic year, including the fall and spring semesters.

Questions? Please contact Sam Lake, Associate Director of Career and Professional Development, at [email protected]. 

Please upload a cover letter (maximum 1 page) with your application.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education: Bachelor's degree. Registered as a UVA graduate student.
Experience: none
Licensure: None

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.