PROJECT ASSISTANT: Annual or Academic, FALL 2026 – May or August 2027

Department Overview: The Center for Patient Partnerships (CPP) is an interdisciplinary, cross-campus center located within the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. CPP operates as a medical–legal partnership and offers experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students through coursework and community engagement. Current services include health advocacy and community resource navigation. Our staff is mission-focused, creative, collaborative, and dedicated to making health care work for each and all. In addition to our service and teaching, we research patients' diverse lived experiences, needs, and challenges, and test and evaluate interventions. Our model prioritizes systems change that advances access to timely, effective health care, and promotes patients’ personal agency in navigating their own health experiences. One 50% Project Assistant position is needed to work on site (Ag Hall) in intake and advocacy for a new health insurance advocacy program. This new program supports patients in using health insurance and coverage to gain timely, effective, and accessible healthcare in rural Wisconsin communities. This position will work on a newly established helpline to answer first-level questions about obtaining and using health insurance, refer callers to community resources, assist with cases that can be resolved with “brief interventions,” and gather intake information for callers who need more comprehensive help from our “intensive advocacy" department. The position will also handle a caseload of clients for whom they are offering brief intervention advocacy. Over time, the position will offer guidance to other helpers answering the helpline, including undergraduates. Position includes benefits and tuition remission. Anticipated Start Date: 9/14/2026 Anticipated End Date (If Applicable): Remote Work Eligibility Detail: Partially Remote Anticipated Hours Per Week: Minimum: 20 Schedule: Twenty hours per week total. One to two evening shifts per week (5–8 pm) required. Remaining hours scheduled during standard business hours (Monday–Friday, 8 am–5 pm (4pm on Friday)). This position will allow for very little remote work during the first semester; after program is up and running, remote work may be negotiated. Salary/Wage Range/Lump Sum: Minimum: $30,614 academic year / $37,417 annually Number of Positions: 1 Qualifications: Current UW–Madison graduate student in a related field or possessing relevant prior experience or degree. To be considered for this position, you must submit BOTH of the following: (1) a cover letter describing your interest in the position, relevant experiences, and how the position relates to your academic and/or career goals. It should also note all availability for consideration for scheduling between 8am-8pm M-R, and 8am-4pm Fridays. (2) a current resume or CV. For Assistance with your Resume, please see: https://oss.wisc.edu/resumes/ For Assistance with your Cover Letter, please see: https://oss.wisc.edu/cover-letters/ Questions can be directed to CPP Director Sarah Davis, [email protected]. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities : • Experience providing client-facing services in social services, health care, or related fields • Knowledge of how health insurance works in the United States, including private and public benefits • Interest in health equity, social determinants of health, patient advocacy, or related fields • Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills • Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and provide guidance to others • Experience working with individuals facing stress and/or significant life challenges Position Summary/Job Duties: • Answer a helpline and listen attentively to callers’ concerns • Triage callers’ needs to refer to community services, provide or schedule for brief intervention, or conduct an intake for intensive advocacy • Write and maintain call scripts, training materials, program workflow, and policy guidance documents. • Collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders on program operations • Contribute to smooth day-to-day operations in the new program, quality assurance, and program improvements Physical Demands: None Institutional Statements: Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: UW-Madison is an Equal Employment, Equal Access Employer committed to increasing the diversity of our workforce. Institutional Statement on Diversity: Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background-people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: diversity.wisc.edu Accommodation Statement: If you need to request an accommodation because of a disability, you can find information about how to make a request at the following website: https://employeedisabilities.wisc.edu/disability-accommodation-information-for-applicants/