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Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced, strategic leader to drive the community engagement for the Deep Synoptic Array (DSA), a world-leading radio telescope led by Caltech that aims to commence construction in the next year outside of Ely, Nevada. The array will use 1650, 6.15-meter dishes spread across a 10 x 12-mile area to observe at radio wavelengths (0.7 - 2 GHz frequency range) to survey the skies 10x faster than any radio telescope current or planned. The telescope will conduct a broad range of research, including the study of the formation of galaxies, the search for cosmic explosions, and investigations into the nature of gravity. The DSA is part of the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Observatory System with construction funding from Schmidt Sciences.

The applicant would fulfill the role of Community Engagement Manager for the DSA as part of the Project Management team and reports to the Lead Project Manager. This role will drive the development and implementation of a strategic community engagement plan that encapsulates the education, communications, and outreach goals into well-defined programs or projects for the DSA. The Community Engagement Manager may also be responsible for additional fund-raising or development of strategic partnerships (namely within the state of Nevada) to support the implementation of the plan. They will also manage the education and public outreach budget within the DSA project and will be required to develop timelines and budgets and report to the DSA leadership team and DSA funders. A successful Community Engagement Manager will ensure the DSA is viewed positively and has positive impact in the local Ely community, the state of Nevada, and beyond, which will help to ensure the successful construction and transition to operations of the telescope.

Job location: Ely, NV or remote with frequent travel to Ely 

Essential Job Duties

• Lead the development and implementation of a community engagement plan with clear goals, outcomes, and measurable impacts, including strategies that help address the existing diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in the relevant technical and scientific communities related to DSA.
• Develop and strengthen key, strategic community relationships with an emphasis on relationships with educational institutes within Nevada.
• Lead the communications for DSA, identifying needs and creating solutions as needed.
• Full lifecycle management of contractors that support community engagement, including RfPs/RfQs, contracting, oversight/tracking, and closeout.
• Developing and managing the budget for education and public outreach within DSA.
• Developing and tracking a timeline for the community engagement plan.
• Writing monthly and quarterly reports on DSA community engagement.
• Presenting to and meeting with high-level community partners and stakeholders and DSA funders.
• Working with the DSA Leadership Team to advise on community engagement and being able to provide strategic solutions to community-related challenges during construction.
• Assist with Ely-based recruitment for DSA, including the development of local networking and advertising partners and serving on recruitment panels.
• Travel to Ely, Reno, Las Vegas, or other areas of Nevada as needed.
• Travel to Campus or Owens Valley Radio Observatory, as needed, to interact with faculty, engineering staff, and contractors.
• Perform additional duties related to community engagement, communications, and project management as assigned.

Basic Qualifications

• Minimum 4-year degree in education, marketing, communications, STEM-sciences, or related.
• Minimum 5 years astronomy experience, or in a related STEM/Education field.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in community relations/engagement; preferably in astronomy or other scientific field with some staff management and contracting management experience.
• Knowledge of the state of Nevada community.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant field.
• Experience leading the development and implementation of strategic education, public outreach, and/or community engagement plans, preferably in the field of astronomy or closely related.
• Knowledge of modern astronomical research, instruments, and mastery of basic astronomy concepts. 

Required Documents

• Resume