Research Assistant, Researching Black Women in the Federal Writers’ Project (Student)

Work Where You Learn: Build Experience, Grow Skills, and Contribute to Your University Community. This position is available only to enrolled American University students. Most student positions at American University are eligible to use Federal Work Study (FWS) awards, with a few exceptions. FWS funds cannot be applied to janitorial, construction, partisan or sectarian positions. For information or questions regarding FWS funds, please contact American University's Office of Financial Aid. Important guidance for current American University employees: American University current employees, including those employed in student positions, must apply through their employee Workday account. If you are a current employee at American University, please log into your employee Workday account and select the Find Jobs report which will take you to our internal career listings. Applying outside of your employee Workday account may cause delays in a hire process. Department: College of Arts & Sciences Time Type: Part time FLSA Status: Non-Exempt Job Description: Summary: The research assistant will work closely with Dr. Anna Kaplan to identify and research Black women employed by the Federal Writers’ Project in the 1930s. The goal is to compile as much information about these women through online records (census records, Ancestry.com, historic newspapers, and digitized state archives). All research will be conducted remotely. The ideal candidate should have a strong academic background—especially in history, excellent skills in being organized with detailed note taking, and a passion for research. Previous experience with census records and Ancestry.com is a plus but not required. Essential Functions: 1.) Research Assistance Collaborate with the professor on an ongoing research project. Compile lists of FWP writers and assistants and identify which ones were Black women. Locate as much information as possible about these Black women using digital resources. Identify specific archival collections for future in-person research. 2.) Administrative Tasks As part of the research process, organize information found and keep records of all archives and collections exhausted. Position Type/Expected Hours of Work: Part-time. 20 - 25 hours per week. Salary Range: $18.40 - $22.50 per hour. Required Education and Experience: Good academic standing with a strong GPA from undergraduate and, if possible, graduate programs that the RA attended. Previous research experience is an asset and central to this position, including reading a range of handwriting in both print and cursive. Excellent written communication skills. Ability to track detailed information about research conducted, sources found, and collections consulted that yielded no results. Effective organizational and time management skills. Additional Eligibility Qualifications: Position is part-time and remote, through July 31, 2026. Hours per week are flexible, with maximum total hours ranging from 133 to 167 depending on degree status. Salary range depends on degree status, up to $3,000 total. RA will track hours (with professor’s supervision) and submit timesheets in Workday. Other Details This position is available only to enrolled American University students. Please note this job announcement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. American University is an E-Verify employer. Visit for additional information about American University employment and benefits. Current American University Employees American University current employees (including those employed in student positions) must apply through their employee Workday account. If you are a current employee at American University, please log into Workday and select the Find Jobs report which will take you to our internal career listings. Contact Us For more information or assistance with the American University careers site, email View email address on click.appcast.io. American University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, personal appearance, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, source of income, veteran status, an individual’s genetic information or any other bases under federal or local laws (collectively "Protected Bases") in its programs and activities. American University is a student centered research institution located in Washington, DC, with highly-ranked schools and colleges, internationally-renowned faculty, and a reputation for creating meaningful change in the world.