Director of the Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium
Variable effort, .25-.5FTE
The Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium (WSGC) currently seeks a faculty member to serve as director and principal investigator for the statewide higher education program based at the University of Washington. Nominations or applications should be sent by April 6 to the Chair of the search committee, Professor Craig Hogan (hogan@u.washington.edu). Applications should include a letter expressing interest in the position and a current curriculum vita.
Job Description
The director provides leadership to the statewide program and serves as principal investigator on NASA and related grants that fund consortium activities. WSGC activities are relevant to the current priorities of the UW, which include encouraging students toward careers in high demand science and technology fields, undergraduate research and the development of partnerships with industry, K-12 and other organizations.
The director has primary responsibility for
- developing program strategy and policy
- creating new program initiatives
- overseeing budgets (currently $1.4M annually)
- carrying out development efforts to raise program matching funds
- developing and maintaining relationships with NASA, other consortia, and WSGC member institutions
- directing UW Space Grant activities, including undergraduate scholarship and research programs currently serving more than 200 students annually
- supervising program office staff
- developing and implementing evaluation plans for consortium activities
- reporting to NASA and partner organizations.
Requirements
- Earned PhD in science, mathematics, engineering, or education
- Two years of teaching in higher education
- Three years of project management
- Knowledge of and experience with NASA programs and priorities
- Demonstrated experience in obtaining grant funding
- Enthusiasm for space-related research and education
The ideal candidate will have a tenured faculty appointment in a field related to space science or engineering, extensive experience in program administration, and experience working with NASA or another government agency on grant-funded programs.
Background Information
Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium (WSGC) is a statewide organization established and supported by NASA with additional funds provided by state and private sources. The consortium currently includes 14 institutional members and several industrial affiliates. WSGC's mission is to assure a productive future in aerospace science and technology through activities designed to improve and enrich basic science and aerospace-related education and research opportunities for residents of Washington. WSGC priorities reflect those of NASA and state partners, thus leveraging funding and pooling resources to meet common goals.
These statewide goals are
- to attract and retain high-achieving students to space-related degree programs and career tracks supporting NASA's missions on Earth and in space.
- to increase the number of underrepresented and underserved students in undergraduate majors and careers in science and technology, and to support those students to succeed.
- to support the integration of research and education through interdisciplinary courses and projects, and opportunities for undergraduates to work with faculty and industry-based scientists and engineers.
- to enhance the teaching of science, mathematics, technology and related subjects in K-12 schools through professional development for teachers.
- to build collaborations among education, industry and governmental organizations to support NASA and consortium activities.
- to share the excitement and knowledge gained from NASA's missions with the public.
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