Program Associate

Program Associate
Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion, American Association for the Advancement of Science

Who We Are

“The advancement of science should be the chief concern of a nation that would conserve and increase the welfare of its people.”

-James McKeen Cattell, former AAAS President and Editor of Science

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to advancing science for the benefit of all people. For over a century, AAAS has been a force for science, from helping to establish science as a credible field in the 19th century to using satellite imaging technology to document human rights abuses in 2007. We are recognized as the world’s largest general scientific society and the proud publisher of the Science family of journals. Past presidents have included astronomer Edward Charles Pickering, anthropologist Margaret Mead, and biologist Stephen Jay Gould. Our mission is centered on the belief that STEM research and education can help solve many of the challenges the world faces today.

AAAS is a culture steeped in history, but adaptive to change and new ideas. We recognize the hard work of our employees and encourage the development of our staff. Our colleagues represent an array of expertise from scholarly publishing to digital marketing, educational research to government relations, all with a shared focus on mission. At AAAS, you are part of a talented team, dedicated to advancing science and serving society.

Work With Us

We are seeking a full-time Program Associate to work within the AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) Program. The core responsibility of this role will be to support the ‘Engaging Scientists’ project through the planning and implementation of workshops and other program events, online promotion of DoSER activities, and building social networks among scientists interested in the science and religion dialogue. The position requires some travel and is anticipated to begin this summer. This is a grant funded position with an initial one year term, with the potential for renewal contingent on performance and funding.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in the sciences and experience with science communication and public engagement. Strong communication abilities, an interest in the dialogue between science and religion, and a high level of organization are essential to success in this role. Interested candidates must submit an application by March 16, 2017.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Facilitation of engagement workshops and events at academic conferences and universities
Aid in the research, writing and editing of project-related materials, in coordination with project advisory committees, the program team and media contractors
Develop and manage database of DoSER contacts (primarily educators, scientists and other scholars)
Represents the project and program online, through social media and in public events
Other duties as needed to support the program

Key Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in biological or physical sciences; a Master’s degree and/or experience in communication preferred
Sincere interest in public engagement and in constructive dialogue between scientific and religious communities
Communication and/or public engagement experience is essential, with strong written and oral communication skills
Experience with organizing and promoting educational and/or academic events and workshops
Ability to travel at least five times annually
Familiarity with contemporary software packages, particularly Microsoft Office
Experience with online content management systems and languages (e.g., Drupal, WordPress, HTML)

Preferred skills:

Experience in SQL, and/or in building and maintaining relational databases
Fluency in social media (blogging, Twitter, Facebook, etc.)

Application Process:

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references that can speak to your suitability for the position by March 16, 2017. Up to three writing or other work samples may also be included as separate documents with your application. If we think you might be a good fit for the role, we will contact you with next steps.

Learn More:

Visit https://www.aaas.org/ to learn more about what we do

Meet current staff and learn about our office culture on The Muse:

https://www.themuse.com/companies/americanassociationfortheadvancementofscience

Find our latest job opportunities at: https://www.aaas.org/page/employment-aaas

AAAS is an EO employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected category. AAAS uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.