Director or Senior Director, Impact Research and External Relations with PhET Interactive

University of Colorado Boulder; Boulder (CO); A distancia; USD 100.000 - 135.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Relocation assistance

Full benefits

Descripción de la vacante

PhET Interactive Simulations at the University of Colorado Boulder seeks a Director or Senior Director of Impact Research and External Relations to strengthen funder relationships and evidence of impact. The role will guide proposals, case for support, and sustainability strategies while collaborating with executives, researchers, and designers.

We offer full-time or 75% appointment with prorated salary and full benefits.

Formación

• Experience building relationships with foundations, corporate funders, or other external partners.
• Experience using research, data, or evaluation to understand impact or inform strategy.

Responsabilidades

• Lead development of funding and research opportunities for PhET in partnership with leadership.
• Build PhET’s evidence base on reach, use, and impact using usage data, surveys, interviews, and stories from classrooms.
• Lead research on funding landscape for education, STEM, and educational technology; synthesize findings to guide strategy.
• Grow and diversify funding by building relationships with foundations, companies, and other partners.
• Shape external positioning and case for support drawing on research and global reach.

Conocimientos

Relationship building

Grant development

Strategic thinking

Writing and storytelling

Data analysis

Educación

Bachelor’s degree

Descripción del empleo

Job Summary

PhET Interactive Simulations at the University of Colorado Boulderseeks a Director or Senior Director of Impact Research and ExternalRelations. This new position joins PhET’s leadership team to buildlasting relationships with funders and to strengthen the evidenceand story behind PhET’s impact. Working with the PhET team andcollaborators, the successful candidate will gather and synthesizeevidence of how PhET is used and the difference it makes foreducators and learners, research the funding landscape foreducation and STEM, and learn what motivates people andorganizations to support PhET. They will use those findings toshape new project directions, proposals, PhET’s case for support,and impact communications, expanding PhET’s research, impact, andsustainability. This work will also add to the research base on,and serve as a case study of, sustainability models for openeducational resources.

PhET is a global, research-based program that has created more than170 free, interactive simulations for science and math learning,reaching about 50 million users each year in more than 130languages. PhET brings a strong research record, a global educatorand professional development community, and partnerships with morethan 70 education technology organizations. It raises about $4million each year for its team and operations from grants,philanthropy, licensing, and services. The successful candidatewill lead the next phase of PhET’s research and funding strategy,strengthening PhET’s evidence of impact, expanding its researchportfolio and funder relationships, diversifying its funding, andidentifying the strategies that will sustain PhET’s free resourcesfor educators and students.

You will work closely with PhET’s Executive Director, Dr. KathyPerkins, and Senior Director of Global Initiatives, Dr. RebeccaVieyra, who currently lead PhET’s major proposals, and with PhET’seducation researchers and designers. Together, you will build onmore than 20 years of peer-reviewed research on learning withinteractive simulations.

The position is level-flexible. Candidates will be considered atthe Director or Senior Director level depending onexperience.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with allapplicable federal, state, and local laws governingnondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating aworkplace where all individuals are treated with respect anddignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds toapply, including protected veterans and individuals withdisabilities.

Who We Are

Founded in 2002 by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman, the PhET InteractiveSimulations project at the University of Colorado Boulder is aworld leader in the design and use of interactive math and sciencesimulations for advancing STEM education. The PhET team isdedicated to high-quality STEM education for all students,disseminating PhET simulations as open (free) educational resourcesglobally and pioneering approaches for making interactive contentaccessible to all learners. Today, PhET simulations are used morethan 250 million times per year globally and are available in morethan 130 languages.

The PhET team is a passionate, creative, and productive group,including STEM education, simulation, and inclusive design experts,education researchers, software engineers, quality assurance specialist, business strategy and operations specialists, andmore. 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 diversepartners at CU Boulder and around the world. PhET’s work hasreceived numerous international awards, including the 2019 OpenEducation Global Award, the 2018 American Physical SocietyExcellence in Physics Education Award, and a 2017 WISE Award.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Lead the development of new funding and research opportunitiesfor PhET, shaping project directions in partnership with PhETleadership.
• Build PhET’s evidence base on its reach, use, and impact,working with the PhET team and research collaborators to draw onand analyze usage data, surveys, interviews, and stories fromclassrooms around the world.
• Lead research on the funding landscape for education, STEM, andeducational technology, including funder priorities, giving trends,and what motivates funders and supporters to invest in PhET, andsynthesize findings to guide PhET’s funding strategy.
• Lead PhET’s efforts to grow and diversify its funding bybuilding relationships with existing and prospective foundations,companies, and other partners aligned with PhET’s mission andimpact.
• Shape PhET’s external positioning and case for support, drawingon its research, global reach, and educational impact, and createand test new approaches that raise PhET’s profile and open doors tonew funding and research opportunities.
• Develop and lead concept notes and grant proposals, partneringwith the Executive Director, the Senior Director of GlobalInitiatives, and PhET’s researchers and designers on majorproposals.
• Report on grant outcomes and project impact, documentingprogress and results for funders.
• Research the funding strategies of peer open education andmission-driven organizations, synthesize lessons for PhET, anddocument PhET’s own approach as a case study to inform itslong-term strategy.
• Share findings through impact reports, white papers, conferencepresentations, and publications developed with PhET leadership andresearch collaborators.
• This position reports to Dr. Kathy Perkins, Executive Directorof PhET Interactive Simulations, and supervises a new ImpactResearch and External Relations Specialist position being hiredconcurrently.

What You Should Know

• We will consider candidates interested in a full-time,40-hour-per-week appointment as well as candidates who prefer a 75%appointment, such as 30 hours per week or a four-day schedule, withsalary prorated and full benefits.
• The anticipated start date is between January and March 2027.We can be flexible for the right candidate; if you need a laterspring or summer start, please note your availability in your coverletter.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
• This position may be based in Boulder or performed remotelywithin the United States.
• The role includes travel to 2 to 4 domestic or internationalconferences per year, as well as up to 4 additional trips to meetwith partners and funders.

What We Can Offer

• The annual salary range for this position is $100,000 to$135,000 for a full-time appointment (40 hours per week), dependingon experience and level (Director or Senior Director). Salary for a75% appointment is prorated.
• Modest relocation assistance is available, if relocating to theBoulder area.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder , we arecommitted to supporting the holistic health and well-being of ouremployees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical,dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuitionassistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulderoffers an inspiring academic community and access to world-classoutdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one of Forbes' America's BestLarge Employers , ranking #4 among large employers in Coloradoand #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks andprograms through the CU Advantage program.

• medical,dental, and retirement plans
• generous paid time off
• tuitionassistance for you and your dependents
• and an ECO Pass for local transit

Be Statements

Be ambitious. Be pioneering. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Experience building relationships with foundations, corporatefunders, or other external partners.
• Experience using research, data, or evaluation to understandimpact or inform strategy, such as impact measurement, programevaluation, supporter or user surveys, or landscape or marketresearch.
• A record of developing successful grant proposals, includinggrants of $100,000 or more from foundations, corporations,government agencies, or multilateral organizations, or comparableexperience reviewing and awarding grants as a program officer orGrantmaker.
• Knowledge of the funding landscape for US or global education,STEM, or educational technology.
• For the Director level : at least 10 years ofprofessional experience in grant development, research, evaluation,grantmaking, or fundraising. For the Senior Director level :at least 15 years of professional experience in these areas,including at least 3 years leading a program, function, orteam.

What You Will Need

• Strategic thinking and the ability to set priorities and planfor the long term while meeting near-term goals.
• The ability to build trusted, long-term relationships withfunders, partners, researchers, and colleagues.
• Excellent writing and storytelling skills, including theability to explain research, impact, and programs clearly andcompellingly to different audiences.
• Strong analytical skills, including working with quantitativeand qualitative data and evidence to draw sound conclusions.
• Strong presentation and interpersonal skills, includingrepresenting PhET with senior leaders at foundations, companies,and global organizations.
• Comfort working independently in a small team, and buildingprocesses where none exist yet.
• Commitment to PhET’s mission of free, research-based scienceand math education for all learners.

What We Would Like You to Have

• Established relationships with foundations, corporate funders,or networks that support US or global education, STEM, openeducational resources, or educational technology.
• Research, grant development, or fundraising experience ineducation, STEM, open educational resources, educationaltechnology, a science center or museum, public media, or auniversity research program.
• Experience writing impact, evaluation, or research reports,especially on education or educational technology.
• Familiarity with research on teaching and learning.
• For the Senior Director level : a record of developingsuccessful proposals for, or awarding, grants or gifts of $500,000or more.
• Experience building or leading a research or external relationsprogram in a small or growing organization.
• Experience growing funding and supporters, and telling anorganization’s story to them.
• Experience with international funders or global educationinitiatives.
• Familiarity with one or more languages other than English.
• A graduate degree in education, a science or mathematics field,the social sciences, evaluation, public policy, or a relatedfield.

Applications received by November 30, 2026, will receive full consideration.

The position will remain posted until filled.