diff --git a/graph/mutators/user.js b/graph/mutators/user.js
index 3a08535d2..a7a20b4ec 100644
--- a/graph/mutators/user.js
+++ b/graph/mutators/user.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ const {
   SET_USER_USERNAME_STATUS,
   SET_USER_BAN_STATUS,
   SET_USER_SUSPENSION_STATUS,
+  UPDATE_USER_ROLES,
 } = require('../../perms/constants');
 
 const setUserUsernameStatus = async (ctx, id, status) => {
@@ -47,16 +48,26 @@ const setUsername = async (ctx, id, username) => {
   return UsersService.setUsername(id, username, ctx.user.id);
 };
 
+const addRole = (ctx, id, role) => {
+  return UsersService.addRoleToUser(id, role);
+};
+
+const removeRole = (ctx, id, role) => {
+  return UsersService.removeRoleFromUser(id, role);
+};
+
 module.exports = (ctx) => {
   let mutators = {
     User: {
-      ignoreUser: () => Promise.reject(errors.ErrNotAuthorized),
+      addRole: () => Promise.reject(errors.ErrNotAuthorized),
       changeUsername: () => Promise.reject(errors.ErrNotAuthorized),
-      setUsername: () => Promise.reject(errors.ErrNotAuthorized),
-      stopIgnoringUser: () => Promise.reject(errors.ErrNotAuthorized),
-      setUserUsernameStatus: () => Promise.reject(errors.ErrNotAuthorized),
+      ignoreUser: () => Promise.reject(errors.ErrNotAuthorized),
+      removeRole: () => Promise.reject(errors.ErrNotAuthorized),
       setUserBanStatus: () => Promise.reject(errors.ErrNotAuthorized),
       setUserSuspensionStatus: () => Promise.reject(errors.ErrNotAuthorized),
+      setUserUsernameStatus: () => Promise.reject(errors.ErrNotAuthorized),
+      setUsername: () => Promise.reject(errors.ErrNotAuthorized),
+      stopIgnoringUser: () => Promise.reject(errors.ErrNotAuthorized),
     }
   };
 
@@ -64,6 +75,11 @@ module.exports = (ctx) => {
     mutators.User.ignoreUser = (action) => ignoreUser(ctx, action);
     mutators.User.stopIgnoringUser = (action) => stopIgnoringUser(ctx, action);
 
+    if (ctx.user.can(UPDATE_USER_ROLES)) {
+      mutators.User.addRole = (id, role) => addRole(ctx, id, role);
+      mutators.User.removeRole = (id, role) => removeRole(ctx, id, role);
+    }
+
     if (ctx.user.can(CHANGE_USERNAME)) {
       mutators.User.changeUsername = (id, username) => changeUsername(ctx, id, username);
     }
diff --git a/graph/resolvers/root_mutation.js b/graph/resolvers/root_mutation.js
index 2b2592dc4..f13739dec 100644
--- a/graph/resolvers/root_mutation.js
+++ b/graph/resolvers/root_mutation.js
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ const RootMutation = {
   updateAssetStatus: async (_, {id, input: status}, {mutators: {Asset}}) => {
     await Asset.updateStatus(id, status);
   },
+  addUserRole: async (_, {id, role}, {mutators: {User}}) => {
+    await User.addRole(id, role);
+  },
+  removeUserRole: async (_, {id, role}, {mutators: {User}}) => {
+    await User.removeRole(id, role);
+  },
   setCommentStatus: async (_, {id, status}, {mutators: {Comment}, pubsub}) => {
     const comment = await Comment.setStatus({id, status});
     if (status === 'ACCEPTED') {
diff --git a/graph/typeDefs.graphql b/graph/typeDefs.graphql
index d2d2943ce..8d9224768 100644
--- a/graph/typeDefs.graphql
+++ b/graph/typeDefs.graphql
@@ -1377,6 +1377,12 @@ type SetUsernameResponse implements Response {
   errors: [UserError!]
 }
 
+type ModifyUserRoleResponse implements Response {
+
+  # An array of errors relating to the mutation that occurred.
+  errors: [UserError!]
+}
+
 # All mutations for the application are defined on this object.
 type RootMutation {
 
@@ -1438,6 +1444,12 @@ type RootMutation {
   # Removes a tag.
   removeTag(tag: ModifyTagInput!): ModifyTagResponse
 
+  # Adds a role to a user.
+  addUserRole(id: ID!, role: USER_ROLES!): ModifyUserRoleResponse
+
+  # Removes a role from a user.
+  removeUserRole(id: ID!, role: USER_ROLES!): ModifyUserRoleResponse
+
   # Updates settings on a given asset.
   # Mutation is restricted.
   updateAssetSettings(id: ID!, input: AssetSettingsInput!): UpdateAssetSettingsResponse
diff --git a/perms/constants/mutation.js b/perms/constants/mutation.js
index 72ec0458c..06e5b6f0f 100644
--- a/perms/constants/mutation.js
+++ b/perms/constants/mutation.js
@@ -17,5 +17,5 @@ module.exports = {
   REVOKE_TOKEN: 'REVOKE_TOKEN',
   UPDATE_ASSET_SETTINGS: 'UPDATE_ASSET_SETTINGS',
   UPDATE_ASSET_STATUS: 'UPDATE_ASSET_STATUS',
-  UPDATE_SETTINGS: 'UPDATE_SETTINGS'
+  UPDATE_SETTINGS: 'UPDATE_SETTINGS',
 };
diff --git a/routes/api/users/index.js b/routes/api/users/index.js
index 24f5b65e0..7dbd95a71 100644
--- a/routes/api/users/index.js
+++ b/routes/api/users/index.js
@@ -55,6 +55,15 @@ router.post('/:user_id/role', authorization.needed('ADMIN', 'MODERATOR'), async
   }
 });
 
+router.delete('/:user_id/role', authorization.needed('ADMIN', 'MODERATOR'), async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    await UsersService.removeRoleFromUser(req.params.user_id, req.body.role);
+    res.status(204).end();
+  } catch (e) {
+    next(e);
+  }
+});
+
 // create a local user.
 router.post('/', async (req, res, next) => {
   const {email, password, username} = req.body;