What are the responsibilities and job description for the (Casual Hire) Program Coordinator position at University of Hawaii?
****Applicants seeking short-term or part-time work with the University of Hawai’i may apply for Casual Hire positions, which include administrative professional and technical (APT) or Instructional-type positions. Because of the temporary nature of these appointments, Casual Hire employees are not eligible for most benefits as provided to regular BOR and Civil Service employees such as paid leave and holidays. Casual Hire appointments may last for up to 89 days for full-time employees and up to one calendar year for part-time employees.
Title: (Casual Hire) Program Coordinator for NRT Program
Position Number: *****Casual
Hire Hiring Unit: College of Engineering, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Location: Manoa
Date Posted: 10/19/2026
Closing Date: continuous
Salary: $29 per hour
Schedule: Up to 19 per week
Full Time/Part Time: Part Time
Temporary/Permanent: Temporary
Duties and Responsibilities
DESCARTES is a National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) award, working on core AI research and on preparing the next generation of workforce for an AI-infused workplace. The Program Coordinator (PC) will be the central administrative role for the DESCARTES collaboration. This role provides assistance to various components related to graduate students, faculty, curriculum and implementation of the NRT program. The PC must adapt to changing needs as the program evolves. In the lifetime of the grant, about 60 students will be trainees at various points.
The primary responsibility is administrative implementation of program goals with NRT faculty, and finding strategies and mechanisms for executing these goals in the framework of University of Hawaii (UH) regulations. In the process, the PC builds a network within UH to ensure smooth functioning and advance the goals of the grant. Duties change as the project evolves, and includes (but not limited to):
1. Provide administrative support for NRT activities and goals, including fiscal support specific to this grant;
2. Work with faculty, students and administrative personnel to assess, record, document, and disseminate research and teaching activities, and showcase them for open houses, public dissemination and reporting;
3. Organize events and activities related to the working, publicity and dissemination activities of the NRT grant;
4. Help with recruitment activities related to the grant, including but not limited to production, publication and advertising of graduate student brochures;
5. Travel or remotely attend NRT annual meetings as well as PC meetings, representing our program in the PC capacity;
6. Help with administrative support on new proposals spun off the program;
7. Coordinate with other stakeholders for social media outreach;
8. Work with administrative and fiscal staff to ensure compliance with UH regulations;
9. Assist with reimbursements, procurements, payments, applications and requests related to NRT functioning as need arises.
Candidates can expect a respectful and stimulating work environment with diverse stakeholders (students, faculty across multiple colleges in UH and from other NRT institutes). We are working to transform education to adapt to massive changes to come in the workforce due to the disruptive potential of AI, and we are looking for candidates who appreciate this potential and leverage this experience for their future endeavors.
This is a casual hire position for 19 hours/week. The pay is 29$/hour. While reasonable accommodations can be made, please note that this is not a remote working position. The initial appointment is one year, subject to satisfactory progress in periodic reviews. Upon satisfactory evaluation at the end of one year, candidates will be invited to continue, up to the term of the NRT project (expected to end in July 2028 or 2029), with possible pay revisions subject to budget constraints.
Minimum Qualifications
1. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a college or university of recognized standing in business, engineering, economics, computer science or a related field. Exceptional undergraduates will also be considered if they are proficient in AI tools and agents.
2. One (1) year of professional experience in research and education program administration, grant writing, economic development, or other professional research or instruction.
3. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, attention to detail, writing skills and time management.
4. Comfort and willingness to learn basic software and tools, including AI tools and agents.
5. Interest and ability to understand ongoing research at an executive level.
6. Ability to manage and prioritize multiple deadlines and tasks. Desirable Qualifications
7. Master’s degree from a college or university of recognized standing in business, engineering, economics, computer science or a related field.
8. Experience and interest in teaching, research and training programs in STEM.
9. Experience preparing competitive grants and project proposals, preparing budgets, negotiating contracts and awards.
10. Knowledge of, and experience with, state and federal funding agencies and procedures.
11. Familiarity with the methods, principles, and techniques used in student recruitment and program assessment, including marketing methods, assessment and evaluation, and survey research.
12. Evidence of past success in working with research-oriented faculty in program development and implementation.
13. Familiarity with AI tools, desktop publishing, database management, and web content management.
To Apply
Click on the “Apply” button on the top right corner of the screen to complete an online application through NeoGov
Submit resume, cover letter indicating how you satisfy the minimum qualifications, names of 3 professional references, and official transcripts via the NEOGOV Online application portal.
Note: If this is your first time applying for a position using NEOGOV, you will need to create a profile.
Inquiries
Yuanzhang Xiao, yxiao8@hawaii.edu
Title: (Casual Hire) Program Coordinator for NRT Program
Position Number: *****Casual
Hire Hiring Unit: College of Engineering, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Location: Manoa
Date Posted: 10/19/2026
Closing Date: continuous
Salary: $29 per hour
Schedule: Up to 19 per week
Full Time/Part Time: Part Time
Temporary/Permanent: Temporary
Duties and Responsibilities
DESCARTES is a National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) award, working on core AI research and on preparing the next generation of workforce for an AI-infused workplace. The Program Coordinator (PC) will be the central administrative role for the DESCARTES collaboration. This role provides assistance to various components related to graduate students, faculty, curriculum and implementation of the NRT program. The PC must adapt to changing needs as the program evolves. In the lifetime of the grant, about 60 students will be trainees at various points.
The primary responsibility is administrative implementation of program goals with NRT faculty, and finding strategies and mechanisms for executing these goals in the framework of University of Hawaii (UH) regulations. In the process, the PC builds a network within UH to ensure smooth functioning and advance the goals of the grant. Duties change as the project evolves, and includes (but not limited to):
1. Provide administrative support for NRT activities and goals, including fiscal support specific to this grant;
2. Work with faculty, students and administrative personnel to assess, record, document, and disseminate research and teaching activities, and showcase them for open houses, public dissemination and reporting;
3. Organize events and activities related to the working, publicity and dissemination activities of the NRT grant;
4. Help with recruitment activities related to the grant, including but not limited to production, publication and advertising of graduate student brochures;
5. Travel or remotely attend NRT annual meetings as well as PC meetings, representing our program in the PC capacity;
6. Help with administrative support on new proposals spun off the program;
7. Coordinate with other stakeholders for social media outreach;
8. Work with administrative and fiscal staff to ensure compliance with UH regulations;
9. Assist with reimbursements, procurements, payments, applications and requests related to NRT functioning as need arises.
Candidates can expect a respectful and stimulating work environment with diverse stakeholders (students, faculty across multiple colleges in UH and from other NRT institutes). We are working to transform education to adapt to massive changes to come in the workforce due to the disruptive potential of AI, and we are looking for candidates who appreciate this potential and leverage this experience for their future endeavors.
This is a casual hire position for 19 hours/week. The pay is 29$/hour. While reasonable accommodations can be made, please note that this is not a remote working position. The initial appointment is one year, subject to satisfactory progress in periodic reviews. Upon satisfactory evaluation at the end of one year, candidates will be invited to continue, up to the term of the NRT project (expected to end in July 2028 or 2029), with possible pay revisions subject to budget constraints.
Minimum Qualifications
1. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a college or university of recognized standing in business, engineering, economics, computer science or a related field. Exceptional undergraduates will also be considered if they are proficient in AI tools and agents.
2. One (1) year of professional experience in research and education program administration, grant writing, economic development, or other professional research or instruction.
3. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, attention to detail, writing skills and time management.
4. Comfort and willingness to learn basic software and tools, including AI tools and agents.
5. Interest and ability to understand ongoing research at an executive level.
6. Ability to manage and prioritize multiple deadlines and tasks. Desirable Qualifications
7. Master’s degree from a college or university of recognized standing in business, engineering, economics, computer science or a related field.
8. Experience and interest in teaching, research and training programs in STEM.
9. Experience preparing competitive grants and project proposals, preparing budgets, negotiating contracts and awards.
10. Knowledge of, and experience with, state and federal funding agencies and procedures.
11. Familiarity with the methods, principles, and techniques used in student recruitment and program assessment, including marketing methods, assessment and evaluation, and survey research.
12. Evidence of past success in working with research-oriented faculty in program development and implementation.
13. Familiarity with AI tools, desktop publishing, database management, and web content management.
To Apply
Click on the “Apply” button on the top right corner of the screen to complete an online application through NeoGov
Submit resume, cover letter indicating how you satisfy the minimum qualifications, names of 3 professional references, and official transcripts via the NEOGOV Online application portal.
Note: If this is your first time applying for a position using NEOGOV, you will need to create a profile.
Inquiries
Yuanzhang Xiao, yxiao8@hawaii.edu
The University of Hawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Institution and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment, including on the basis of veteran and disability status. For more information, visit: https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/policies/
Employment is contingent on satisfying employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986; reference checks of previous employers; and for certain positions, criminal history record checks.
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Accommodation Request: The University of Hawai'i complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the EEO coordinator directly. Determination on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. For further information, please refer to the following link: https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/accommodation-request/
Salary : $29