International STEM Education Specialist with the PhET Interactive Simulations Project

Company: University of Colorado Boulder
Location: Boulder
Posted on: June 12, 2021

Job Description:

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Job Summary

The PhET Interactive Simulations project (http://phet.colorado.edu) at CU Boulder has an opening for a full-time International STEM Education Specialist to manage, implement, and advance PhET's work with the global STEM education community! This position will work to craft and implement multiple approaches for supporting communities around the world to increase access to PhET simulations, build localized high-quality sim-based instructional resources, and provide effective teacher professional development opportunities, contextualized to the local community. To realize these goals, the candidate will work with PhET's sim pedagogy and accessibility specialists, website and simulation developers, and various international and local education organizations around the world, with an initial focus on Latin America and Africa. The candidate will work at multiple levels of this global initiative, from strategic-planning to partnership formation to co-design and implementation of dissemination and teacher professional development programs.

The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

Founded in 2002 by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman, the PhET Interactive Simulations project at CU Boulder is a world leader in the design and use of interactive math and science simulations for advancing STEM education. The PhET team is dedicated to high-quality STEM education for all students, disseminating PhET simulations as open (free) education resources globally and groundbreaking approaches for making interactive content accessible to all learners. Today, PhET simulations are used more than 225 million times per year globally and translated into more than 90 languages.

The PhET team is a hardworking, creative, and productive group, including STEM education, simulation, and inclusive design specialists, education researchers, software engineers, quality assurance specialists, and more. Our project is a blend of an academic research project, an outreach project, and an innovative education technology company, housed within the Department of Physics and working with diverse partners at CU Boulder and around the world. PhET's work has received numerous international awards, including being named a 2017 WISE Awards Winner, a 2011 Tech Award Laureate, and a winner of the 2014 Reimagine Education Award.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

The successful applicant will join the vibrant and productive PhET team, working closely with the PhET Director, PhET's sim design and pedagogy specialists, and our international partners. The responsibilities will include:

Strategy and Planning: Working with the PhET Director,

• Establish effective organizational strategies and processes for developing and supporting new international partnerships, grounded in best-practices for STEM education and community engagement.
• Identify and implement process improvement strategies for detailing and tracking existing partnerships.
• Develop methodologies to track and evaluate international program impacts through web analytics and other impact measures.

International Partner Development, Training, and Support: In collaboration with PhET's sim design and pedagogy specialists, and with an initial focus on Latin America and Africa,

• Develop new tools, resources, and approaches to effectively support existing and new international partnerships.
• Develop and deliver professional development experiences for teachers and teacher-trainers on best-practices for sim-based instruction at K-12 and university levels.
• Plan and coordinate a monthly webinar series for the African continent where African education researchers using PhET sims translate their research findings for use by African educators.
• Design and conduct partner interviews in target countries to better understand country-specific experiences and needs, and to inform PhET priorities for supporting various international partners.
• Work with the PhET website team to disseminate teacher, teacher training, and webinar resources online.
• Envision and implement new opportunities to support the international community of PhET users.

International Fundraising and Operations Management

• Co-lead the planning, coordination, operation, and growth of a new PhET Ambassadors program, in which in-region specialists are contracted to support local organizations as they work to disseminate PhET simulations, to train local teachers on sim-based pedagogy, and/or to develop sim-based instructional materials aligned to the local curriculum.
• Work with PhET Director in identifying and encouraging international fundraising opportunities.
• Work with PhET Director in grant proposal writing to international funding organizations.

What You Should Know

• This is a full-time (40 hours/week) position, but we will consider candidates interested in a part-time 80% position (32 hours/week).
• The start date is flexible.
• Opportunity for advancement with growing leadership and responsibility.
• Candidates can work remotely or relocate to Boulder. Modest relocation funds are available for this position following the University of Colorado's relocation processes and procedures.

What We Can Offer

The annual starting salary range for this position is $60,000-$90,000, adjusted accordingly for the cost of living if working remotely. Salary is commensurate with education and experience.

Benefits

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder.

Be Statements

Be Brilliant. Be Inspired. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM subject area or in STEM education.
• Experience in STEM education for a minimum of five years.
• Experience working with and supporting diverse partners.
• Experience in program management for a minimum of three years.

What You Will Need

• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to innovate, develop or adopt best-practices and manage and facilitate the implementation of change.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Strong writing and communication skills, including the ability to effectively utilize different communication methods (e.g., written, verbal, visual).
• Ability to balance multiple tasks, deadlines, and requests while effectively managing resources and utilizing appropriate time-management skills.
• Positive and solutions-focused work attitude.

What We Would Like You To Have

• Experience in STEM teacher professional development and instructional design.
• Experience working with international organizations, especially in Africa and/or Latin America.
• Working familiarity with the learning sciences and STEM education research findings, and researched-based instructional practices.
• Ability to contribute to a diverse and inclusive work environment.
• Knowledge of or experience using PhET simulations in STEM education
• Experience in writing grant proposals or fundraising.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter briefly describing your qualifications, professional goals, and specific interest in this position
• Statement of your Teaching Philosophy
• Application Task 1
• Please spend about 30 minutes exploring the PhET website (https://phet.colorado.edu) to learn more about PhET, and then write a 1-2 page description of your ideas for scaling the effective use of PhET simulations to advance STEM education globally. Please briefly cover 1) the factors you consider important when thinking about scaling to other countries, particularly in Latin America and Africa, 2) strategies you might employ to achieve these goals when interacting at different levels of the educational system from state ministries to companies to local education organizations to individual teachers, and 3) ways PhET simulations are well positioned to achieve these goals and where improvement is needed.
• Portfolio URL/Link (optional)
• Transcripts/Proof of Degree (optional)
• If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be verified by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources department using an approved online vendor. If your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit a translated version (if applicable) as an optional attachment.

Additionally, during the application process, you will need to enter contact information for three references who will be contacted to provide letters of recommendation and additional materials, if needed, as the search progresses.

Application review will begin June 14, 2021, and will continue until the position is filled.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources

Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu

Keywords: University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder , International STEM Education Specialist with the PhET Interactive Simulations Project, Other , Boulder, Colorado