The Sociotechnical Equity and Agency Lab frequently hires current Northeastern University undergraduate and master’s students to join us as junior research associates and apprentices. We are interested in working with students who are highly aligned with the core mission and pillars of the lab, and who want to learn how to do qualitative, design, and critical research on technology. Students from all areas of the university are welcome to work in the lab.
Undergraduate Research Assistant Co-op: Online Security, Privacy, and Safety for Marginalized Communities
The Sociotechnical Equity and Agency Lab is looking for a full-time undergraduate co-op student for Spring/Summer 2025 to assist with research projects which aim to better understand the needs of and build improved privacy, security, and safety tools for online communities centered on the needs of marginalized groups, especially in terms of balancing the need for broad visibility and inclusion with privacy and security concerns. We are currently working in the context of transgender mutual aid, health, and cultural information, and on platforms such as Discord and the Fediverse (Mastodon, Lemmy, etc.). We will be approaching these questions through a study design that hybridizes interviews, social media data analysis, and online community discussion in order to provide in-depth qualitative and technical data which we can use to design tools that aid marginalized users in securing and managing their own community spaces.
Co-Op Responsibilities
The Co-Op RA will be responsible for directly aiding in the execution of lab research projects in the above area, including qualitative investigatory work to gather user requirements, threat models, and points of friction, and/or technical development work on outputs such as new Discord plugins and Fediverse extensions that put these community-based tools into practice. Additionally, research associates are responsible for basic lab duties such as attending lab meetings, giving feedback to other lab members, and contributing to project recruitment. Extensive mentoring will be provided by the lab director around Qualitative HCI/Computer Science methods.
Co-Op Student Qualifications
No specific coursework is required for this position. For applicants more focused on the social/qualitative research side of our work, prior experience with and involvement in online community spaces for marginalized groups (especially trans-focused spaces), as well as moderation experience, is a plus. Prior knowledge of transfeminist theory or interpretivist methods is especially desirable. For more technical development-focused applicants, demonstrated prior experience with Discord plugin development and/or Fediverse extension development is a must. Due to the fact that the lab works directly with human subjects on all projects, the selected student must complete the online CITI Human Subjects Protection training for Social and Behavioral Research Investigators module before the start of the co-op.
This position is only open to Northeastern undergraduates. You must apply via NUWorks, job ID 122463.
Current Master’s Students & Non Co-Op Undergraduates
We also welcome and highly encourage applications from students through Northeastern’s various research funding mechanisms. Current MS students interested in working with SEALab are HIGHLY encouraged to apply to the Khoury Research Apprenticeship and should also reach out to Dr. DeVito directly.
Prospective PhD Students
***The lab is not actively recruiting PhD students at this time. Check back for our Fall 2025 recruiting updates. We do not admit PhD students at any other time during the year other than the Fall cycle, no exceptions.***
In general, the lab hires students who are strongly aligned with our lab’s goals and our research pillars, and we are especially interested in students who intend to carry out member-research and/or want to train as research leaders and mentors. In general, PhD students will start with an initial period of assisting the PI with her research agenda, eventually progressing to taking direct charge of key elements of the agenda, then proposing and leading their own work related to the PI’s agenda (and available funding sources), leading to a dissertation.
We are interested in applications from students with a variety of technical, design, and critical backgrounds. Heavy technical skills are not required to be part of the lab (though they are welcome and often helpful). We primarily train students in qualitative computer science, design, and critical methods.
To apply to join the lab, prospective PhD students should apply to either Khoury College’s Computer Science PhD program or the College of Arts, Media and Design’s Interdisciplinary Design and Media PhD program. Be sure to mention our director, Dr. Michael Ann DeVito, as one of the faculty members you are interested in working with in your application (this functions as a sort of internal routing mechanism). Prospective PhD students are also highly encouraged to reach out to Dr. DeVito via email with a CV and a short description of your research interests as they relate to the mission and pillars of the lab.
Dr. DeVito will not be able to respond to applications and requests that do not clearly demonstrate a very close alignment with the topics, methods, and philosophical/research pillars described on the rest of this website.