Science Educator
http://www.neoninc.org/jobs/scienceeducator2013 has application link
Overview
The National Ecological Observatory Network
(NEON) is a $430 million dollar observatory
project dedicated to understanding how changes in
climate, land use and invasive species impact
ecology. For the next three decades NEON will
collect a comprehensive range of ecological data
on a continental scale across 20 eco-climatic
domains representing US ecosystems. NEON will use
cutting edge technology including an airborne
observation platform that will capture images of
regional landscapes and vegetation; mobile,
re-locatable, and fixed data collection sites
with automated ground sensors to monitor soil and
atmosphere; and trained field crews who will
observe and sample populations of diverse
organisms and collect soil and water data. A
leading edge cyber-infrastructure will calibrate,
store and publish this information. The
Observatory will grow to 300+ personnel and will
be the first of its kind designed to detect and
enable forecasting of ecological change at continental scales.
Summary:
The Science Educator (SE) is responsible for
developing educational materials (web and print)
for use in informal education settings to support
implementation of Project BudBurst (PBB), a
national plant phenology and climate change
program. This Boulder, CO based position will
work in conjunction with staff from the National
Geographic Societys (NGS) FieldScope effort.
Working with educators, scientists, and web
technologists, the SE will contribute expertise
in the development and dissemination of online
educational resources related to plant phenology,
climate change, and visualization/analysis of geospatial data.
Term:
This is a one year .75 FTE (30 hours per week) position with benefits.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Participate in strategic planning activities for
PBB and FieldScope educational activities (5%)
Develop online educational modules in support of
PBB and FieldScope that are targeted for informal
education that include science content,
appropriate instructional approaches, learning
outcomes, implementation strategies, and
evaluation and assessment practices (60%)
Assist in the development and delivery of online
professional development tutorials for informal educators (20%)
Assist NEON EDU staff in identifying approaches
to engage underrepresented audiences in PBB and
FieldScope online activities (10%)
Represent PBB FieldScope activities at
conferences, meetings and other appropriate
events to network, share resources, and establish/maintain partnerships (5%)
Required Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills:
B.S. and/or M.S. in science education,
geography, ecology, botany, or related field
3 5 years experience with development of
environmental science based educational resources
3 5 years experience in citizen science,
community science, or public engagement projects
2+ years experience developing content,
structure, and/or tools for science and/or educationally based web sites
Proven organizational and time-management skills
Ability to balance self-directed work while
being an effective member of an interdisciplinary team
Ability to communicate effectively while working in a team environment
Strong problem solving and analytical skills and ability to be detail oriented
Expertise in Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Demonstrated ability to write and edit
scientific information for a general audience
Understanding of instructional approaches for
informal and formal education audiences
Preferred Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills:
Knowledge of best practices in online citizen
science programs including relevant technology
for data analysis and visualization
Basic familiarity in using Dreamweaver,
InDesign, Photoshop and/or other graphics software
Ability to use current generation social
networking tools (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr,
etc.) to engage potential participants in desired activities
Understanding of map creation and geospatial data processing.
Knowledge of presenting educational materials
within an online content management system (CMS)
Familiarity in multi-media presentation of
scientific concepts (e.g. using Adobe Captivate to present information)
NEON Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Women, Minorities, Veterans and Disabled Persons are encouraged to apply.
