Application timeline
Position Summary
The Division of Human Resource Development (HRD) announces a nationwide search for rotator Program Directors across several of its programs at the National Science Foundation.
These programs include the ADVANCE: Organizational Change for Gender Equity in STEM Academic Professions (ADVANCE), Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP), the Centers for Research in Science and Technology (CREST) Program, the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Program, and the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program.
Formal consideration of applications will begin on February 17, 2022 and will continue until selections are made.
Position Description
NSF Program Directors bear the primary responsibility for carrying out the Agency’s overall mission – to support innovative and merit-reviewed projects in basic research and education that contribute to the nation’s technical strength, security and welfare. To discharge this responsibility requires not only knowledge in the appropriate STEM and education fields, but also a commitment to high standards, a considerable breadth of interest in and receptivity to new ideas, a strong sense of fairness, good judgment, and a high degree of personal integrity.
HRD is interested in an individual who has the working knowledge and experience working with a diverse group of individuals, has expertise in one of the STEM disciplines or in STEM education, and in promoting diversity in STEM with emphasis on broadening participation of groups underrepresented in STEM, and institutional capacity building. The successful candidates will have the ability to provide leadership across NSF and in the external scientific community and will work with a combination of programs that may include at least two of these programs: ADVANCE, AGEP, CREST, HBCU-UP, HSI, LSAMP or other HRD programs.
HRD serves as a focal point for NSF's agency-wide commitment to enhancing the quality and excellence of STEM education and research through broadening participation of groups historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)- minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. Priority is placed on investments that promise innovation and transformative strategies and that focus on creating and testing models that ensure the full participation of and provide opportunities for the educators, researchers, and institutions dedicated to serving these populations. Programs within HRD have a strong focus on partnerships and collaborations to maximize the preparation of a well-trained scientific and instructional workforce for the new millennium.
The NSF ADVANCE program goal is to broaden the implementation of evidence-based systemic change strategies that promote equity for STEM faculty in academic workplaces and the academic profession (https://beta.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/advance-organizational-change-gender-equity-stem-academic-professions-advance ). The NSF ADVANCE program provides grants to enhance the systemic factors that support equity and inclusion and to mitigate the systemic factors that create inequities in the academic profession and workplaces.
The Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) program has focused for many years on increasing the number of graduate students historically underrepresented in STEM in completing graduate degrees and entering the academe (https://beta.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/alliances-graduate-education…). AGEP integrates education, STEM graduate education model building, and research. Research studies are part of every AGEP alliance project and practices that are moving the needle, informed by the evidence and data from the alliance’s research project.
The Centers of Research in Science and Technology (CREST) program has provided support for the development of research capacity at minority serving institutions with more than 50% minority enrollment (https://beta.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/centers-research-excellence-…). CREST support to these institutions has resulted in enhanced research productivity of faculty and participation of undergraduate and graduate students historically underrepresented in STEM. CREST institutions have also leveraged their funding to expand their projects including international activities, thereby providing opportunities for research collaborations across the globe.
The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) is committed to enhancing the quality of undergraduate STEM education and research at HBCUs to broaden participation in the nation's STEM workforce by providing awards to develop, implement, and study evidence-based innovative models and approaches for improving the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may pursue STEM graduate programs and/or careers (https://beta.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/historically-black-colleges-…).
The Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Program aims to enhance the quality of undergraduate STEM education and to increase the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of students pursuing associate's or baccalaureate degrees in STEM at HSIs. This program seeks to build capacity in undergraduate STEM education at HSIs that typically do not receive high levels of NSF grant funding. Intended outcomes of the HSI Program include broadening participation of students that are historically underrepresented in STEM and expanding students’ pathways to continued STEM education and integration into the STEM workforce (https://nsf.gov/ehr/HSIProgramPlan.jsp).
The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program assists universities and colleges in their efforts to significantly increase the numbers of students matriculating into and successfully completing high quality degree programs in STEM disciplines to diversify the STEM workforce (https://beta.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/louis-stokes-alliances-minor…). Emphasis is placed on transforming undergraduate STEM education through innovative, evidence-based recruitment and retention strategies, and relevant educational experiences in support of racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders.
The position recruited under this announcement will be filled under the following appointment option(s):
Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Assignment: Individuals eligible for an IPA assignment with a Federal agency include employees of State and local government agencies or institutions of higher education, Indian tribal governments, and other eligible organizations in instances where such assignments would be of mutual benefit to the organizations involved. Initial assignments under IPA provisions may be made for a period up to two years, with a possible extension for up to an additional two-year period. The individual remains an employee of the home institution and NSF provides the negotiated funding toward the assignee's salary and benefits. Initial IPA assignments are made for a one-year period and may be extended by mutual agreement.
Candidates must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in STEM or STEM education, plus after award of the degree, six years of successful research, research administration, and/or managerial experience pertinent to the position.
Ideal candidates must have significant experience in teaching and research at the undergraduate or graduate level, or in a community college environment, as well as demonstrated administrative experience in higher education. The individual selected must be able to interact on a peer basis with senior scientific and managerial personnel throughout NSF, other Federal agencies, academia, and the private sector.
Desirable characteristics include knowledge of the general scientific community and minority serving institutions, excellent interpersonal skills, and strong skills in written and oral communication skills. All appointees are expected to function effectively both within specific programs and as part of a team, contributing to and coordinating with offices throughout the Foundation and with other Federal and state government agencies and private sector organizations.
We strongly encourage you to specifically address the Quality Ranking Factors below. This will ensure that you receive full consideration in the evaluation process.
Quality Ranking Factors:
- Knowledge of designing, managing, and reporting of STEM, STEM education and STEM education research projects.
- Ability to communicate orally and in writing with key constituencies: fellow NSF program officers, NSF administrative staff, senior NSF staff, and members of the various professional communities served by NSF.
- Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative techniques for analyzing and measuring the effectiveness of research projects in terms of evaluation (formative, summative, monitoring); and dissemination (publication, Web-based) strategies.
- Ability to work with a variety of audiences, stakeholders, communities such as mentors, teachers, faculty, administrators, state representatives, and other organizational representatives.
- Knowledge in or application of broadening participation practices, experience in working with diverse groups.
Applicants should indicate which programs they are applying to within the cover letter and subject line of the email. Please submit a current CV and statement of interest to hrdrecruit@nsf.gov or contact Shelitia Holland at sholland@nsf.gov.