Director of Citizen Science, Adler Planetarium, Chicago IL

The Citizen Science Department at the Adler Planetarium seeks to engage everyone with real science, whether online or in person. The department at the Adler Planetarium is home to the Zooniverse, including a development team who design and build novel citizen science projects and, with colleagues, the infrastructure that supports them. They have played a leading role in making Zooniverse the world’s largest and most successful collection of citizen science projects. The Adler Planetarium is seeking an individual to lead our innovative Citizen Science initiatives. As a member of the Adler’s Executive team, the Director of Citizen Science will work alongside established and new partners to create and sustain a platform which supports a diverse suite of citizen science projects and to increase the profile of the museum in the arena of engaging the public in doing science. Along with the Technical and Education Leads, the director will manage the web development and education efforts in Citizen Science, which includes development of Zooniverse projects in collaboration with the University of Oxford. He/she will help establish the planetarium as a world-leading center for the inclusion of volunteers in scientific research, and will seek out funding opportunities and prepare proposal applications for grants that can support the Adler’s citizen science work. Responsibilities: Strategic planning and grant writing in collaboration with the Technical and Education Leads, including seeking our new opportunities and building relationships locally, nationally, and internationally. Manage and work with team leads to oversee staff and day-to-day department activities, and grant and project budgets. Ensuring staff have resources and support to meet project goals. Regular communication with external Zooniverse collaborators and partners, in particular with the University of Oxford web development team. As a member of the Executive Team participate in strategic discussion of institutional initiatives and interact with Adler Trustees and donors.

Education and Experience Advanced degree in science, computer science or other highly technical field is required. PhD in Astrophysics or related research experience is preferred. Experience in grant writing and project management for a wide range of projects. Experienced in working with or developing programs for the public. Strong communication and interpersonal skills. Significant experience with programming and/or development, either via technical experience of modern computer languages, frameworks and databases (e.g. Rails, Python, Javascript, MySQL) or via a strong track record of working with technical and development staff. An understanding of the modern web, and its potential for research, outreach and education. Significant experience of working online is preferable. To apply visit our website job openings: http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/jobs All applications should include the following:              Resume Cover Letter/Letter of Intent Vision Statement about your philosophy for the future of Zooniverse and Citizen Science