Public Engagement Officer

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Job description

Employer: The Royal Astronomical Society

Location: Burlington House, Piccadilly, London

Salary: c. £40k per annum

Closing date: 25 November 2024

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) is seeking a full-time Public Engagement Officer, based at our offices in Burlington House, London, to help deliver our new strategy.

The RAS is the leading UK membership organisation dedicated to astronomy, space science and geophysics. A learned society founded more than 200 years ago, we have more than 4,000 members (Fellows) in a total of 70 countries. We recently secured a 999-year lease on our premises in Burlington House, London, an agreement with Government that stipulates an enhanced offer for wider society, based on maximising the use of our historic building and its unique place in science.

Our sciences cover the planet we live on and the universe around us, and encompass age old questions that interest people of all backgrounds. As our Public Engagement Officer you will be passionate about our work, and harness that inspiration to teach and facilitate a world-class programme. This will encompass a wide range of audiences from schoolchildren to adults from underserved groups, and could include being a spokesperson for broadcast, print and online media.

You will work with our Deputy Executive Director, and education and events colleagues, to deliver this ambition nationally, but with a focus on our building and our locality, collaborating with and building relationships with external partners, and drawing on and supporting the work of our Fellowship. You will be a collaborative self-starter, someone with ideas, able to work autonomously, but who harnesses the enthusiasm of others to make things happen.

For the right person this is a rare opportunity to join a talented team who are lucky enough to work in and engage the wider public in one of the most exciting areas of science.

Key responsibilities:

• Working with colleagues to develop a public engagement programme for the RAS in astronomy, space science and geophysics, in line with the goals set out in our new five year strategy
• Organising components of this programme, for example bringing in external speakers, running workshops for families, teaching school students, and delivering CPD for teachers
• Developing this programme with external partners including other learned societies, research councils, the UK Space Agency, and community organisations representing under-served groups
• Liaising with the Fellowship of the RAS to broaden our public engagement reach across the UK and further afield
• Ensuring that all our events are assessed through a suitable evaluation process and reporting on this to colleagues and to our education and outreach committee
• Acting as the secretariat for Society committees and working groups as required, ensuring that relevant papers are provided in a timely manner

Essential attributes

• Educated to graduate level in a physics, astronomy, or Earth sciences related discipline
• Significant experience of teaching science below degree level
• Experience of public engagement in a science setting, for example a university department, observatory, museum or science centre
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
• A self-starter happy to work autonomously and in ad hoc collaborations as required
• Experience of committee work, including preparing papers and agendas for meetings taking minutes and writing formal reports
• Experience or knowledge of formal evaluation of activities and longer programmes
• Comfortable with engaging different audiences, and possessing a good understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion
• Happy to work with colleagues and collaborators at different levels of seniority, from students to senior academics and managers in industry
• A good understanding of safeguarding policy, particularly covering children and young people and vulnerable adults
• The right to live and work in the UK

Desirable attributes:

• A teaching qualification such as a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, or equivalent experience in the state education sector
• An understanding of education and public engagement policy, including curriculum change
• Experience of securing external grant funding for public engagement
• An understanding of learned societies or similar membership bodies

To apply for this role please send an up to date curriculum vitae and covering letter to Dr Robert Massey, Deputy Executive Director, Royal Astronomical Society via

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