Program Manager, Scientist Training Initatives | RockEDU Science Outreach

The Rockefeller University; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

The Rockefeller University’s RockEDU Science Outreach seeks a Program Manager, Scientist Training Initiatives to design, coordinate, and improve programs that prepare scientists to be thoughtful educators and mentors.

Reporting to the Executive Director, you will lead day-to-day execution of scientist training and mentorship initiatives, collaborating with colleagues to create aligned, high-quality learning experiences for students and educators across campus.

Qualifications

• PhD in molecular biology, life sciences or closely related field.
• At least two years of sustained involvement in science outreach or related programming.
• Experience coordinating or managing a program, project or initiative.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication.
• Willingness to learn Airtable and related platforms.
• Ability to work primarily on-site with occasional evenings and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day management of RockEDU Fellows and related programs.
• Coordinate the Scientist Educator Collaborative to deepen engagement.
• Design and refine workshops and professional development experiences.
• Coordinate mentorship initiatives with Rockefeller and Tri-Institutional scientists.
• Partner with staff to align scientist preparation with program goals.
• Build and maintain workflows, materials, and Airtable systems.
• Collect feedback, perform evaluations, and report on program impact.
• Share effective training approaches via RockEDU Online and internal channels.
• Contribute to cross-team RockEDU events and teach or mentor community members.

Skills

Program management

Stakeholder coordination

Written & verbal communication

On-site work availability

Learning new platforms (Airtable)

Education

PhD in molecular biology / life sciences

Tools

Airtable

Job description

Organization Overview

RockEDU Science Outreach leads The Rockefeller University’s science engagement and research education efforts. We partner with scientists, students, educators, and engagement professionals to create programs and resources that sustain meaningful engagement with science. Jumpstart, the Summer Science Research Program (SSRP), the course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE), and the UpSkill Workshop Series provide high school and undergraduate students with authentic research experiences, scientific skills training, and professional development. Through internal initiatives, including RockEDU Fellows and RockEDU BIOME, we equip scientists with the skills, resources, and support to become more effective educators and mentors within RockEDU programs and across campus.

Overview

The Program Manager, Scientist Training Initiatives advances RockEDU’s mission by designing, coordinating, and continuously improving programs that prepare scientists to be thoughtful, inclusive educators and mentors. Reporting to the Executive Director, this role leads the day-to-day execution of scientist training and mentorship initiatives and works closely with colleagues responsible for student-facing programs to create aligned, high-quality learning experiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day management of RockEDU Fellows, including program planning, participant recruitment and onboarding, communications, scheduling, resource development, and implementation.
• Lead the Scientist Educator Collaborative, a focused initiative within the RockEDU Fellows program, to deepen teacher engagement and facilitate professional exchange between educators and Fellows.
• Design, facilitate, and refine practical workshops, tools, and professional development experiences that strengthen scientists’ skills in inclusive teaching, mentorship, leadership, curriculum development, and science engagement.
• Coordinate mentorship initiatives involving Rockefeller and Tri-Institutional scientists—including Upskill Instructors, CURE Instructors, SSRP Support Scientists, research mentors, and other program partners—and provide participants with clear expectations, training, resources, and ongoing support.
• Partner with staff leading Jumpstart, SSRP, Upskill, CURE, and other student-facing programs to align scientist preparation with program goals; support the scientific design of projects and curricula; and help create coherent experiences for both scientists and students.
• Build and maintain the operational infrastructure needed to deliver and scale scientist training initiatives, including workflows, program materials, shared resources, documentation, and Airtable systems.
• Collect and analyze participant feedback and program data; develop assessments, evaluations, and annual reports; and use findings to strengthen program quality, access, and impact.
• Document and share effective training approaches through RockEDU Online, internal resources, presentations, and formal or informal publications so that useful practices can reach broader communities.
• Contribute to cross-team RockEDU programs and special events—including lab tours, Talking Science, Science Saturday, workshops, and lectures—and teach or mentor community members as needed.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• PhD in molecular biology, the life sciences, or a closely related field, with a strong understanding of academic research culture and the biomedical research environment.
• At least two years of sustained involvement in science outreach, education, mentorship, or related programming outside the candidate’s primary research responsibilities; relevant volunteer experience may count toward this requirement.
• Experience coordinating or managing a program, project, event series, or initiative, including volunteer-led work.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills, including the ability to track details, coordinate multiple stakeholders, manage competing priorities, and advance several projects simultaneously.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills and the ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively.
• Willingness to learn and use program-management and data-tracking platforms such as Airtable.
• Ability to work primarily on-site, with occasional evening and rare weekend availability.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience designing curricula, training materials, educational resources, or mentorship tools.
• Experience developing and facilitating workshops or professional-development programs for scientists, educators, or mentors.
• Experience training graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, or other members of the scientific community.
• Experience supporting high school or undergraduate research education programs.
• Experience using Airtable or similar project-management, database, or participant-tracking platforms.
• Familiarity with inclusive, learner-centered, or justice-centered approaches to science education and mentorship.
• Experience collecting participant feedback, evaluating programs, or using data to improve educational initiatives.
• Postdoctoral experience is a plus.

The Rockefeller University is an equal opportunity employer – veterans/individuals with disabilities. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to characteristics protected by applicable local, state or federal law, including but not limited to disability and protected veteran status.

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on various factors, including but not limited to organizational budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The hiring range provided represents The Rockefeller University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Compensation Range: Min

USD $90,000.00/Yr.

Compensation Range: Max

USD $105,000.00/Yr.