STEM Informal Education Group Supervisor [JPL – HQ, Pasadena, CA]

Description

Do you excel in an environment that values exploration and discovery? We have a universe of opportunities waiting for you!

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is NASA’s lead center for robotic exploration of the solar system. Our core competency is the end-to-end implementation of unprecedented robotic space missions to study Earth, the Solar System, and the Universe.

JPL, located in Pasadena, California, has a casual, campus-like environment situated on 177 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers a work environment unlike any other: we inspire passion, foster innovation, build collaboration, and reward excellence.

We are proud to be part of NASA and Caltech, as we explore the universe and make history through new discoveries.

We aim to do things never done before and to go places few can go. We dare mighty things…do you?

Requirements

JPL’s Education Office leads formal and informal education programs and activities in Pre-K to12, college/university education and informal education. It serves as JPL’s single-point-of-contact to the NASA HQ Office of Education.

Using JPL and NASA’s unique content in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) the JPL Education Office inspires, informs and educates students and educators by providing opportunities for student research, career preparation, educator professional development, enhanced curriculum support materials, informal education, and online access for all.

This position will lead JPL’s STEM Informal Education group within the Education Office, and manages and implements task management processes related to national networks of STEM informal educators and a national competitive program for museums, planetariums, and youth-serving organizations.

As a leader and an integral member of the Education Office team, the STEM Informal Education Group Supervisor will:

• Manage STEM Informal Education Group professionals with knowledge and expertise in STEM informal education practices locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.
• Co-manage a national competitive program for museums, science centers, planetariums, and youth-serving organizations. This team supports development of the solicitation, communicates with prospective proposers, manages the external review process, documents the process and decisions, manages programmatic evaluation, data collection, and reporting activities; provides technical assistance to NASA awardees; and builds community of awardees.
• Manage international network of educators and other professionals at museums, science centers, planetariums, youth-serving organizations, camps, libraries, and higher education, to help build their institutional capacity to present NASA-related STEM content and resources.
• Maintain and develop relationships with informal education organizations such as museums, youth-serving organizations, and other informal education efforts.
• Manage annual career development activity (workshop) in concurrent engineering for post-doctoral and graduate science or engineering students.
• Develop guidelines for working with informal education community, students, faculty, researchers, mentors, and schools/informal education institutions.
• Mentor and coach team members; provide leadership, oversight, and monitoring to team’s products and services; monitor and provide assessment of deliverables; resolve technical and resource issues.
• Inform, consult, and advise management on complex and significant issues.
• Collaborate with, assist, and advise others within the Office of Communications and Education, and within JPL at large.
• Interface with NASA HQ regularly, and represent JPL on assigned tasks, on working and advisory groups, and on other occasions and situations as needed; interface and interact with other NASA centers regularly.
• Interface and represent JPL with external organizations; develop and maintain participation with industry partners; serve as an essential team member/leader on important and relevant projects, activities and functions outside JPL.
• Develop and maintain budgets to meet programmatic goals.
• This position will require occasional travel (approximately 1-5% of the time).

This position typically requires a Bachelor’s degree in informal science education, science education, public administration, space science, English, or related discipline with a minimum of 9 years of related work experience, a Master’s degree with a minimum of 7 years of related work experience, or a PhD or EdD with 5 years of related experience.

Other requirements include:

• Two years of lead experience.
• Demonstrated skills and experience in managing competitive grant programs. (moved up from further down the list since it’s 80% of the job)
• Direct recent end-to-end experience in grant processes including developing solicitations and managing proposal reviews.
• Experience working with federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and/or informal education organizations such as museums, science centers, planetariums.
• Proven strong analytical skills to evaluate educational data for strategic planning and continuous process improvement.
• Strong research and organizational skills with attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work well with other team members.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work on major assignments and projects without appreciable direction, typically exercising considerable latitude in determining objectives.
• Must possess excellent computer skills.
• Must have proven ability to work effectively and efficiently under pressure, prioritizing multiple tasks.
• Proven leadership skills and ability to effectively manage a team of 3 direct reports.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Demonstrated skills and experience in informal education and space and earth sciences communications. (moved from Required)
• Professional stature in the field of informal education.
• Considerable knowledge of NASA organization and NASA policies and procedures such as ADA requirements and standards, education product review, communications standards, and NASA grants processes.
• Considerable knowledge of NASA and ITAR policies and procedures, and Laboratory policies and procedures related to procurement contracts and awards.

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