About the Position
Harvard University’s Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute’s Community Science Alliance and Climateverse projects, in collaboration with the Balsari Lab and CrisisReady, are seeking a highly motivated and talented undergraduate or graduate student at Harvard to join our team full-time this summer or part-time in the Fall and Spring.
The candidate will work on developing mobile device compatible web platforms for both these projects. The web platform will include demos, texts, social media posts, blogs, and other updates. The design should be clean, accessible, and very user-friendly.
This is an exciting opportunity for a Harvard graduate (or experienced undergraduate) student to contribute to the development of web platforms that are expected to have a very large audience. The successful candidate will work in a collaborative and dynamic environment, gaining valuable experience in designing for social impact, climate change, and global health. Overseas travel may be required, if feasible.
Note: For the Community Science Alliance project, the web platform will host a clinical decision-support tool to be deployed in resource-constrained settings.
Responsibilities
- Collaborate with the teams to understand the requirements and objectives of the projects and their target audiences in resource-constrained settings.
- Develop and implement a user-centered design approach to create visually appealing, clean, and accessible web platforms.
- Work closely with the research teams to ensure that the web platforms effectively present the functionalities and benefits of the research work.
- Design and integrate interactive demos, informative text, social media posts, blogs, and other relevant updates into the website to engage and educate users.
- Apply user experience (UX) principles to ensure a seamless and intuitive user interface (UI) design, considering the limited resources and technological constraints of the target settings.
- Conduct user testing and gather feedback to refine and improve the web platform’s usability, functionality, and overall user experience.
- Collaborate with the project teams to regularly update the websites with new content, features, and improvements.
- Ensure the website’s responsiveness and compatibility across different devices and browsers.
- Stay updated on the latest trends and best practices in web design and UX/UI to enhance the quality and effectiveness of the platforms.
- Adhere to accessibility standards and guidelines to make the websites inclusive and usable for individuals with disabilities.
Preferred Qualifications
- Enrollment in a graduate (or undergraduate) program at Harvard, preferably with a focus on web design, interaction design, or a related field.
- Strong proficiency in web development languages and frameworks such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React.
- Experience in designing and developing user-friendly web platforms or websites, preferably with a focus on healthcare or social impact projects.
- Proficient in UX/UI design principles and tools, with a keen eye for clean and aesthetically pleasing design.
- Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary team members, including researchers, developers, and content creators.
- Familiarity with designing for resource-constrained settings, considering limited connectivity and technological infrastructure, is a plus.
- Knowledge of accessibility standards (WCAG) and experience in creating accessible websites is highly desirable.
- Strong attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and ability to meet project deadlines.
- Portfolio showcasing previous web design and development projects is required.
Apply
To apply, please submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, portfolio or examples of relevant web design projects, and contact information for two references on the Harvard Student Employment Office website.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.