Community Engagement Manager

The Organization

As an independent research organization, the Morgridge Institute for Research explores uncharted scientific territory to discover tomorrow’s cures. In affiliation with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we support researchers who take a fearless approach to advancing human health in emerging fields such as virology, advanced multi-scale fluorescence and electron microscopy, metabolism and regenerative biology. Through public programming, we work to inspire scientific curiosity in everyday life.

The Opportunity:

The Morgridge Institute for Research seeks a Community Engagement Manager to take a lead role in planning of our Summer Science Camps and helping to create content for our engagement programs. The camps are a core component of our community engagement mission, and this position plays an important role in the success of the Community Engagement Team.

The Community Engagement Manager works in partnership with the Engagement, Education, and Equity Director to support the community-facing mission of the Morgridge Institute. This position creates, implements, coordinates, and leads community engagement programming and is essential in creating and sustaining collaborative relationships with UW–Madison.

In addition to the programmatic responsibilities, the Community Engagement Manager provides oversight and compliance management of Morgridge’s community engagement spaces, materials, and training. This includes implementation of safety and youth protection policies in our programs, under the direction of the Engagement, Education, and Equity Director.

Primary Responsibilities

• Manage key elements of community engagement programming, especially the Summer Science Camps and STEM Camp. This may also include coordination of Science Expedition programs, elements of the Wisconsin Science Festival, or other programs.
• Lead community engagement programming. This may include leading field trips, Science Expeditions sessions, summer camp sessions, exploration stations, one-on-one sessions, or other informal science engagements.
• Collaborate on development of departmental goals and execution of strategy.
• Cultivate and maintain campus and community partnerships that could support our community engagement mission.
• Assist with planning and preparation of community engagement events.
• Lead and collaborate with team members and other partners to develop new programs and educational materials to support existing programs.
• Support and train scientists on preferred practices in community engagement.
• Develop and/or maintain systems for keeping the teaching labs and other programming venues in operational status.
• Assist with implementation of safety, youth protection, and use policies for Morgridge facilities and programs.
• Assist with grant writing as needed.
• Other miscellaneous duties as required

Requirements

Data shows that members of historically excluded communities frequently do not apply for positions if individuals feel that they are missing some of the specific qualifications. The criteria listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required, though equivalent experiences will be considered. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary functions.

Education and Experience

• Significant experience – at least 5 years of science education, K-12 education, and/or outreach experience required
• Bachelor’s or master’s in biomedical engineering, biochemistry, microbiology, or related field is strongly preferred
• Experience in working with community-based organizations is preferred
• Laboratory experience is a plus
• Fluency in Spanish is a plus

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Demonstrated track record of activities underscoring the importance of education, teaching, and training
• Previous experience championing equitable access to educational opportunities
• Confidence in public speaking, including classroom settings
• Ability to establish and foster relationships among professional networks and communities of practice
• Strong project management skills
• Ability to lead and mentor others
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work independently and balance multiple priorities, especially during periods of busier programming commitments
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality and demonstrate a high degree of accuracy, reliability, and responsibility
• Demonstrated use of respect and dignity in decisions, communications, and actions
• Capable of working flexible working hours, including occasional weekends and evenings, during periods with extensive engagement program offerings (e.g., summer camps and the Wisconsin Science Festival)
• Reliable transportation and willingness to work occasional weekends and evenings are also required

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

• Work is normally performed in typical laboratory, office, and off-site programming environments
• No or very limited exposure to physical risk
• Ability to lift 20 lbs and to set up and breakdown events required

In order to insure the safety of our workplace, proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required unless an exemption is granted for medical, disability or religious reasons.