Education and Outreach Coordinator

Job Posting Title:

Education and Outreach Coordinator

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Hiring Department:

Department of Integrative Biology

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Exempt

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Earliest Start Date:

Jun 15, 2024

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue Until Jun 14, 2025

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Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

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Job Details:

General Notes

The initial assignment is for one year from initial hire date, renewable for additional one-year periods. This position will include a full-time benefits package.

Security sensitive; criminal background check conducted on selected candidate. Hiring decision is contingent upon applicant clearing background check requirement.

In addition to a CV/resume and contact information for two references, the applicant should submit a 1-2 page cover letter that describes their experiences in project management/coordination, paleontology research, STEM education, and education/outreach.

This position requires travel both internationally and domestically. Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required, especially during fieldwork and outreach events.

Purpose

The Kemp Lab (www.kemplab.com) seeks an Education and Outreach Coordinator to contribute to vertebrate paleontology research and educational outreach in both Texas and Jamaica as part of a 5-year NSF CAREER Grant. This interdisciplinary project will use novel paleontological excavations in Jamaica to characterize the roles of climate and anthropogenic impacts in biodiversity change, with an emphasis on terrestrial vertebrates.

Furthermore, the educational component of this project seeks to build STEM research capacity and literacy by providing project participants with authentic, place-based, and community-engaged research experiences. Specifically, we will train an international team of undergraduate students in paleontology research methods and work with local partners in Jamaica to develop curriculum in the biological and geological sciences for primary and secondary school audiences. These materials will be distributed to teachers and students through STEM summer camps and workshops held with project partners in Negril, Jamaica and at the University of the West Indies-Mona.
 

The successful applicant will perform advanced program administration and coordination to achieve the research and educational outreach objectives of the project. They will work closely with the PI to recruit and train undergraduates research assistants from the University of Texas at Austin and two universities in Jamaica (the University of the West Indies-Mona and the University of Technology, Jamaica). They will help co-organize outreach events, including workshops and STEM summer camps, with stakeholders in Jamaica. They will also participate in paleontological excavations, visits to museum collections, and curriculum development.
 

Responsibilities

• Perform logistical preparations for field seasons and outreach programming in Jamaica.

• Participate in education and outreach programming in Jamaica and Texas

• Participate in vertebrate paleontology fieldwork and museum collections visit to assist project personnel in data collection

• Assist with curriculum development and project website maintenance

• Assist with recruitment and training of project personnel, including supervising students

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Geology, or Science Education.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

• At least 1 year of experience in vertebrate paleontology research.

• At least 1 year of experience in teaching and science communication, including but not limited to the development of educational material for K-12 audiences.

• A valid driver’s license and an ability to engage in moderately strenuous all-weather outdoor activity.

• Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or an equivalent (i.e. 2 or more years of experience in paleontology research).

• Experience working in cave environments.

• Experience working in museum collections, particularly photographing and 3D scanning natural history specimens.

Driving Required

This job requires a class "C" operator's driver's license. The applicant selected must provide a current three year driving record from the current state of residence. If not currently a Texas resident, a Texas driver's license must be obtained within 30 days of becoming a Texas resident. Employees who are required to have a CDL are subject to drug and alcohol testing (pre-employment, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, random, return-to-duty, and follow-up drug and alcohol testing).

Salary Range

$38,000 - $46,500

Working Conditions

• Uniforms and/or personal protection equipment (furnished)

• May work in all weather conditions

• May work in extreme temperatures

• May work around chemical fumes

• May work around standard office conditions

• May work around biohazards

• May work around chemicals

• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation

• Use of manual dexterity

• Climbing of stairs

• Climbing of ladders

• Lifting and moving

Work Shift

• This position requires travel both internationally and domestically.

• Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required, especially during fieldwork and outreach event

Required Materials

• Resume/CV

• At least two (2) work references with their contact information (including email); at least one reference should be from a supervisor

• Letter of interest

• A 1 – 2 page cover letter that describes their experiences in project management/coordination, paleontology research, STEM education, and education/outreach

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer , complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form.  You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States.  Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment.  Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English) [PDF]
• E-Verify Poster (Spanish) [PDF]
• Right To Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right To Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031 .

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.