Become a PDA Executive Board Member!

The Rutgers Postdoctoral Association Needs You!

We are seeking new postdoc talent to take up the PDA mantle.

Check out descriptions of the PDA officer positions below,

and SUBMIT your application today!

Applications are due by Wednesday, June 17,

and new Board members will be announced in early July.

 

PDA EXECUTIVE BOARD ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES (2020-2021)

President

The President is the main contact person and public face of the Rutgers Postdoctoral Association (PDA), responsible for setting the PDA’s objectives for the upcoming academic year and overseeing PDA activities to ensure these objectives are met. Other responsibilities include:

1. working with the Rutgers University-wide Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) to keep track of and manage PDA resources
2. acting as a liaison between the PDA and Rutgers University administration
3. overseeing the liaison between the PDA and the Postdoc Union (Rutgers AAUP-AFT)
4. holding a monthly planning meeting open to all members of the postdoc community to gather new ideas, disseminate information, and engage new postdocs in PDA affairs
5. overseeing the Campus Activities Coordinator’s management of the Postdoc Research Symposium in the spring

Professional Development Opportunities

As President, you will have the opportunity to develop the following skills:

1. leadership
2. strategic vision and planning
3. budgeting
4. project management
5. teamwork & delegation
6. problem solving
7. networking
8. communication, esp. public speaking

The elected PDA President will be invited to be part of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs’ Postdoctoral Advisory Council (PAC) a small university-wide group of faculty, staff, and postdocs who has an interest in improving the culture, experience, and professional development for postdocs at the University. The PAC works together to make formal recommendations for related policies that will be reviewed/approved by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs’ Executive Steering Committee.

Note: This position is open only to postdocs who have been in residence at Rutgers and active participants in the PDA for at least one academic year.

Campus Activities Coordinator

The Campus Activities Coordinator is responsible for coordinating the PDA’s two main events: the Postdoc Appreciation Lunch in the fall and the Postdoctoral Symposium in the spring. Although working in conjunction with the President, the Campus Activities Coordinator is the point person on both of these events and is empowered to make decisions. Generally speaking, organizing these events includes the following:

1. creating a budget
2. reserving space
3. recruiting volunteers
4. creating an agenda/schedule of events
5. inviting guest speakers
6. finding sponsors (University and otherwise)
7. creating programs and other event materials
8. ordering food

Professional Development Opportunities

As Campus Activities Coordinator, you will have the opportunity to develop the following skills:

1. event planning & management
2. teamwork & delegation
3. resource management & budget justification
4. networking
5. fundraising
6. leadership
7. cultural competence
8. communication

 

Communications Manager

The Communications Manager is responsible for managing the PDA’s written communications and building a stronger social media platform.

Responsibilities include:

1. acting as an administrator of the Facebook group
   • managing membership
   • posting announcements/reminders/etc.
2. managing the PDA website (https://rutgerspda.wordpress.com/)
   • maintaining and updating calendar of events
   • creating and managing registration (Eventbrite) sites for the events
   • recruiting writers to report on postdoc-related events for the website
   • maintaining a postdoc blog
3. acting as a liaison to the OPA to include PDA activities in the weekly postdoc newsletter
4. creating advertising material for postdoc events (e.g., Postdoc Appreciation Lunch, Research Symposium, etc.), post through social media and other formats (e.g., flyers)
5. checking the PDA email inbox on a regular basis and responding to queries in a timely fashion

Professional Development Opportunities

As Communications Manager, you will have the opportunity to develop the following skills:

1. writing & editing
2. marketing & publicity
3. social media literacy
4. web design (WordPress)

Social Outreach Coordinator

The Social Outreach Coordinator is primarily responsible for maintaining a robust postdoctoral community and encouraging postdoc participation in University events. Responsibilities include:

1. hosting a monthly Postdoc Happy Hour at a venue of your choosing
2. organizing postdoc social outings (“New Jersey cultural experiences”), in collaboration with Rutgers Universitywide Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) and GAIA, as necessary
3. building University and local community connections for postdocs
4. acting as a liaison between Rutgers postdoctoral researchers (both Fellows and Associates) and the PDA
5. recruiting new PDA members by visiting each New Brunswick campus (Busch, Livingston, College Ave, Cook/Douglass) on a regular basis to promote the PDA
6. organizing outreach efforts using advertising material created by the Communications Manager (e.g. posting flyers, emailing listservs etc.)

Professional Development Opportunities

As PDA Social Outreach Coordinator, you will have the opportunity to develop the following skills:

1. organization and time management
2. resource management and budget justification
3. networking
4. teamwork & delegation
5. leadership
6. advocacy
7. cultural competence

Liaison to the AAUP-AFT

The Liaison to the AAUP-AFT is the primary connection between the Postdoctoral Union (Rutgers AAUP-AFT) and the PDA. He/she is responsible for maintaining contact between the Union and the PDA and effectively communicating the needs of each.

Responsibilities include:

1. Meeting with AAUP-AFT representatives regularly, and reporting back to the PDA President
2. Gathering information on the needs and concerns of postdocs, and communicating them to the PDA President and the Union
3. Engaging in Union recruitment activities
4. Raising awareness of Union activities and efforts
5. Organizing events with the Social Outreach Coordinator as needed

Professional Development Opportunities:

As the PDA Liaison to the AAUP-AFT, you will have the opportunity to develop the following skills:

1. advocacy
2. networking
3. communication
4. organization and time management
5. teamwork
6. project management
7. problem solving