Science Education (SciEd) Director

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research; United States; On-site; USD 170,000 - 213,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Parental leave

Job summary

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research invites applications for the SciEd Director role to lead the Science Education program across all audiences, developing strategic vision and managing operations, budget, and culture. The Director drives engagement with sponsors, government agencies, and partners to advance education and outreach.

The role requires a Masters, 10+ years in STEM education leadership, 3+ years of supervision, and PhD preferred; travel to national/international partners

Qualifications

• REQUIRED: Masters degree in a UCAR-relevant science or education field.
• Ten or more years of leadership experience in STEM education (or equivalent science training and management).
• Three years of supervisory experience.
• PREFERRED: Five years of experience in both people and programme management in STEM education.
• Ph.D. in STEM education, or geoscience preferred and may substitute for experience.

Responsibilities

• Leads SciEd program priorities and strategies in consultation with community, sponsors, and leaders.
• Oversees equity in appointments, promotions, and salary determinations for staff.
• Promotes external engagement, partnerships, and fundraising with federal agencies and foundations.
• Represents UCP/UCAR in meetings, develops strategic initiatives, and ensures program success.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Fundraising

Proposal writing

Communication

Budgeting

Travel

Education

Masters degree

Ten or more years leadership experience

Three years supervisory experience

Ph.D. in STEM education or geoscience preferred

Five years in management in STEM education programs (preferred)

Job description

Position Type: Regular Visa Sponsored Job: No Relocation Assistance Eligible: No Hiring Range: 170,479.00 USD - 213,096.00 USD *Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.

Application Closes at 12:00am MST on: 2026-10-05

About the Role

The SciEd Director serves as a recognised expert in STEM education spanning audiences throughout the lifespan, from early learners to adult audiences, and fosters interaction and collaboration between UCP, NCAR, and UCAR Operations. The Director is responsible for program advocacy in various forums including with sponsors, government agencies, and community members. Large areas of work in SciEd include Teaching and Learning (teacher professional development, educational resource development, NCAR Mesa Lab exhibits, and School and Public Programs), and Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS). The Director is responsible for developing and managing the strategic vision, mission, operations, organisational structure, financial health and programme culture. The Director provides leadership and management of the implementation of long- and short-term planning that supports the Science Education [SciEd] Program, UCAR Community Programs (UCP) and UCAR missions. The role is responsible for the effective management and administration of the Program within UCP. The Director is a champion for creating an ethical, welcoming and supportive organisational culture. The Director participates in UCP management meetings and committees; assumes leadership in UCP-wide management functions as needed; and takes responsibilities that are flowed down from the Board of Trustees to the UCAR President and the UCP Director.

Job Description

Application Deadline: This position will be posted until 12 am MDT (at the beginning of) Monday, October 5, 2026.

Required application materials: (preferably uploaded as a pdf)

• Resume
• Cover Letter - Please address how your skills and experience meet the needs of this position (for more information, please refer to the Key Responsibilities and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities sections of this job posting) Please address the following 3 topics in your cover letter with specific/relevant examples that show your skill/knowledge/experience with these critical skills. Your answers will be read and weighed equally to your Resume/CV and should provide specific, detailed, and informative responses based on your direct and previous work experiences. Please keep responses to 1-3 paragraphs per topic.
• Leadership & Management Experience (Projects & Programs) Proposals & New Partnerships Collaboration w/ other organisational partners/stakeholders Questionnaire (embedded in application)
• Background Checks: Conducted for candidates selected for hire. Learn more.

Work Location: Regardless of flexible work arrangements, UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.

What You Will Do

Program Development & Strategic Leadership

Leads the SciEd program, including setting priorities and strategies in consultation with the community, sponsors, and UCAR/UCP leaders. With input from UCP/UCAR senior leadership, provides leadership and vision in programme development, identification of programme needs, long-range and short-term strategic goals, as well as proposal and budget development. Responsible for fiscal oversight and proper financial management of the programme. Ensures the programme is responsive to needs and requests of sponsors. Responsible for ensuring the scientific veracity of products and services as well as the overall success of the programme.

Team Management

Oversees and ensures the equity of the appointments, promotions, performance evaluations, and salary determination of programme staff. Ensures the recruitment, support, and retention of an engaged and talented workforce. Provides leadership of mentoring and performance management plans for staff; leadership development, staff recognition, and succession planning. Manages staff conflict resolution to foster an environment of teamwork and excellence. Champions an ethical, welcoming, and supportive organisational culture.

Community & External Engagement

Promotes, leads, and fully engages in the Programme, UCP, and UCAR vision and direction to strategic partners. Identifies and establishes new programmematic opportunities, consistent with the mission and purpose, that help identify new partnerships and increase strategic impact. Increases visibility and public awareness of the mission to advance research and education efforts; coordinates, as needed, with the UCAR Offices of Government Relations and External Engagement.

UCP & UCAR Leadership

Serves as an active participant on the UCP Executive Committee, offering advice on matters such as UCP goals, initiatives, budgets, priorities, and policies. Promotes efficient and effective business operations for UCP through partnership with the UCP Director of Business Operations, Business Shared Services (BSS) staff, and UCAR Operations. Partners with UCP Director and Director of Business Operations to lead or contribute to the development and implementation of UCP-wide initiatives. Interacts with and collaborates with UCP Directors, NCAR, and UCAR Leaders to ensure the continued success of the organisation as a whole and specifically related to education and training activities and leadership. In coordination with the UCP Director, represents UCP programmes to external agencies, the university community, and the national and international community. Identifies and establishes new business development opportunities, consistent with both the programme, UCP and UCAR missions, that help diversify the organisation’s revenues and increase its impact. Represents UCP Director in UCAR meetings. May serve as Acting UCP Director when the Director is absent.

Who We’d Love to Join Our Team

Education and Experience

• REQUIRED: Masters degree in a UCAR-relevant science or education field.
• Ten or more years of leadership experience in STEM education (or equivalent science training and management experience).
• Three years of supervisory experience.
• PREFFERED: Five years of experience in both people and programme management specifically involving the development of STEM education and engagement programmes and partners at the national level.
• Ph.D. in STEM education, or in a geoscience is preferred and may substitute for equivalent years of experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to strategically develop, fund, and implement high-quality STEM education and engagement programmes, particularly in Earth system science (ESS).
• Comprehensive knowledge of science education, development of learning resources for the general public, early childhood, K-12 students and teachers, and K-12 curriculum development (print and web), national educational standards, and pedagogy.
• Demonstrated ability to secure direct funding from NSF, NASA, NOAA, and/or other federal agencies, foundations, or private sector/non governmental organisations.
• Demonstrated experience in the effective management and leadership of diverse scientific and technical programmes.
• Skill in strategic planning and implementation, budget development and deployment, and human resource planning to achieve broad goals and objectives.
• Skill in financial planning and managing complex budgets with both direct and indirect funding sources.
• Ability to provide leadership in directing, developing, and evaluating a staff of widely varying backgrounds and experience.
• Track record of championing ethical, welcoming, and supportive workplace environments.
• Ability to effectively interact with and establish positive working relationships with education and scientific collaborators within and outside UCAR and NCAR.
• Advanced skills in written and oral communication, with the ability to excel in interpersonal communication.
• Advanced skills in business development, writing successful proposals, and fundraising, including the ability to articulate and gain internal and external support for organisational goals.
• Ability to travel as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

Hiring Salary Range: $173,890 - $217,360 *Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role.

Application Requirements

• Cover Letter, Questionnaire, Resume/CV

For full consideration, all application materials must be submitted by 12am (MST) at the start of the application deadline. These should highlight how your skills and experiences align with the responsibilities of this position. We recognize that no candidate will meet 100% of the listed qualifications. If you believe your background has prepared you for success in this role, we encourage you to apply. Supplemental questionnaires are often requested in lieu of a cover letter, where you address critical skills needed for the position. Your answers will be read and weighed equally to your resume and should provide specific, detailed, and informative responses based on your direct and previous work experiences. Background checks and/or federal screenings are conducted for candidates selected for hire.

Benefits Overview

• Health insurance, dental, retirement plan, leave plans, tuition assistance, and employee assistance programmes:
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Short & Long Term Disability Insurance
• Generous retirement plan - UCAR contributes of 10% of base salary
• Time Off Plans
• Minimum 20 days of annual PTO
• 10 paid holidays
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• FAMLI Leave
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible employer

UCAR is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes applications from all individuals. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants are not required to provide age-related information (like date of birth or graduation dates) in initial submissions.

For sponsored positions: UCAR can sponsor individuals for H-1B status only if they are already in the U.S. in H-1B status or another visa status that allows them to change to H-1B status within the U.S. UCAR is unable to sponsor new H-1B visas for individuals who are outside the U.S. and need to obtain H-1B status through Consular Processing. While UCAR does not prohibit the use of AI tools in job applications, we strongly recommend that applicants submit primarily original work. All roles require compliance with U.S. export control regulations and work location requirements. All hybrid staff are expected to work on-site approximately 3 days per week.

At NCAR - the National Center for Atmospheric Research - we study weather, water, climate, air quality, and space weather to help protect lives and livelihoods, grow the economy, and enhance our nation’s security and well-being. We collaborate with research partners to advance the science that makes predictions better and with end users to develop applications for forecasters, farmers, resource managers, retailers, the military, and many other stakeholders. UCAR - the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research - manages NCAR on behalf of the National Science Foundation. We are a nonprofit consortium of more than 115 colleges and universities with research and training programmes in Earth system science. We bring together the academic community and provide the operational management that are both essential to NCAR’s success. UCAR’s community programmes, from educational resources to data delivery and other services, extend the reach and impact of NCAR’s world‑class research to the community and society. We seek talented people with diverse backgrounds, training, and skills to join us in our mission of science in service to society.

Want to learn more? Visit ucar.edu.