Position Summary:
The Science Outreach Educator will assist the Faculty’s Science Outreach unit in promoting and enhancing the visibility of outreach. They will provide training opportunities to McGill students and staff using evidence-based best practices as well as assist with the communications and evaluation components of the Outreach program.
Primary Responsibilities:
Responsible for providing workshops to develop McGill student and staff skills in communicating science through outreach:
Guide the outreach groups in developing age-appropriate, effective and engaging lesson plans, guided tours and workshops for virtual and in-person programming.
Develop and deliver training workshops, including best practices in teaching science, working with K-11 students, online best practices, etc.
Coach outreach students and staff in inquiry-guided questioning and techniques.
Responsible for the updating and maintenance of content on the science outreach pages on the Faculty of Science website. Monitor web analytics and make recommendations.
Responsible for preparing outreach-related content for the Faculty of Science social media platforms (e.g., Twitter, Facebook), in consultation with the Faculty Communications team and others.
Conduct and synthesize literature searches on outreach: e.g., studies on online outreach to incorporate best practices. Write summary documents and communicate results.
Assist with communications: promote training opportunities to McGill students; promote outreach opportunities to schoolboards, libraries and the general public; update the annual outreach program reports and outreach story map.
Assist with the evaluation and assessment of the Outreach program: help develop and administer tools to evaluate the McGill student experience; make links with undergraduate student groups; help to oversee teams of coordinators/volunteers participating in the CaPS Experiential Learning Program; compile and synthesize evaluation data and prepare reports to inform future planning and training, etc.
Assist with organizing Outreach events: determine and book appropriate logistical arrangements; manage participant registration and post-event feedback surveys; liaise with service providers; attend events as needed; conduct post-event evaluations to inform future planning, etc.
Occasional weekend and evening work as required.
Other duties as needed.
Other Qualifying Skills and/or Abilities
Minimum 3 years’ experience developing and delivering science outreach activities in informal settings (e.g., museums, science centers, etc.) and in formal settings (e.g., schools) for elementary and secondary students. Excellent written and oral communications skills in both English and French, including experience writing for social media and websites. Excellent understanding of and experience using inquiry-based science teaching methods for students in informal settings and in elementary and secondary schools. Experience coaching others on how to incorporate inquiry-based teaching methods into their teaching and/or outreach delivery. Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and to collaborate on projects as both team leader and team member. Proven ability to prioritize, multitask and meet deadlines. Demonstrated high attention to detail and ability to work on a wide variety of projects. Demonstrated ability to work in a PC environment, with a strong knowledge of PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Outlook, etc. Demonstrated ability to work in an online environment, with a strong knowledge of Teams, Zoom, etc.: from both a host and participant perspective. Strong sense of professionalism and diplomacy, ability to build constructive and effective relationships with different stakeholders in an academic setting. Background in Science and K-11 Education would be an asset.
Additional Information:
1-year contract
Hours per Week: 25 (Part time)
If you are interested in this employment opportunity, please visit our career site to apply: Science Outreach Educator (JR0000031283)
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McGill University hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We welcome applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated groups to self-identify. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, accessibilityrequest.hr@mcgill.ca .