The Applied Social Media Lab (ASML) is an initiative of Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. Our mission is to build social media solutions that center the public interest and create a better internet. We have assembled a team of industry-trained technologists to work with experts from academia and civil society to build new software, protocols, and designs to foster healthier human connections. Teams of industry-trained engineers, designers, and product managers work on key challenges and opportunities such as transparency and governance, decentralized networks, online safety, and healthy discourse.
As a Software Engineer Graduate RA, you will play a key role in designing, building, and testing new social media infrastructure. You’ll work with programming languages such as TypeScript, JavaScript, Dart, Python, Rust, or Go to develop innovative solutions that integrate ASML technology into the broader tech ecosystem.
Right now, we are actively looking for graduate-level students with advanced knowledge and skillsets in any one or more of the following domains:
- Android app development
- Protocol implementation, design, and deployment, particularly utilizing Rust
- Trusted execution environments
- Fullstack web development on tools designed to combat online abuse (JavaScript, TypeScript, React, and PostgreSQL experience would be most helpful)
You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other ASML teams, identifying technical synergies and proposing innovative ideas that could shape the future of social media. Staying connected with the broader BKC community, you’ll participate in workshops and seminars to stay updated on the latest trends and developments in social media and public-interest technology.
Basic Qualifications:
- Currently pursuing or recently completed a graduate degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or have already completed an undergraduate degree in related field, or relevant work experience.
- Experience in mobile (e.g. React Native or Flutter) or web development
- Proficiency in at least one of the following programming languages: TypeScript, JavaScript, Dart, Python, Rust, or Go.
- Ability to tackle open-ended problems and navigate ambiguous challenges, both independently and as part of a team.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Strong organizational skills, with the ability to stay on track independently while still working in a small team environment.
Preferred (but not required):
- Experience developing mobile applications using Flutter and deploying them on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
- Experience with protocol design, implementation, and testing, particularly utilizing Rust
- Experience with machine learning techniques or processes, including prompt-based learning, fine-tuning, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and inference.
- Familiarity with decentralized systems, peer-to-peer networking, applied cryptography or related technologies, such as Tor, end-to-end encryption protocols, and zero-knowledge proof systems
This is a paid, part-time (15-20 hours per week) opportunity for Fall 2025 semester, with opportunities to renew for Spring 2026 semester.