Program Officer / Senior Program Officer – Mathematical Sciences

Job Description Summary:The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine seek a Program Officer or Senior Program Officer to develop and manage programs and projects within the mathematical sciences.
The position is in the National Academies’ Center for Advancing Science and Technology (CAST), which fuels innovation across the physical sciences, engineering, education, and policy to advance the nation’s future prosperity and resilience. Our work prepares and supports the U.S. workforce to strengthen American competitiveness and security.
The position will work in the Physical Sciences, Systems, and Infrastructure (PSSI) program area, which sets research priorities, highlights critical future directions, and develops policy innovations across the mathematical and physical sciences, energy systems, engineering and manufacturing, infrastructure and facilities, and defense and intelligence.
PSSI brings together leading experts from academia, government, and industry to provide independent and forward-looking advice on complex scientific, technical, and policy issues. Its work includes consensus studies, workshops, roundtables, and other activities designed to identify critical research directions, inform policy and decision making, and advance understanding of emerging scientific and technological issues.
The position may be filled at either the Program Officer (PO) or Senior Program Officer (SPO) level. Candidates will be considered for the level for which their qualifications and demonstrated experience are most consistent. The two levels share a common body of work but differ in the complexity and scope of assignments, degree of independence, leadership responsibilities, and accountability for program and project development.
Job Description:
What You’ll Do
Program and Project Management
Develop and manage programs, workshops, meetings, studies, and related activities within the mathematical sciences portfolio. Establish project objectives, work plans, schedules, budgets, and deliverables; coordinate project activities; identify and address issues that may affect successful execution; and ensure assigned work meets its objectives.
Expert and Stakeholder Engagement
Work with leading experts and sponsors from academia, government, industry, foundations, and other organizations. Where applicable, support the formation and work of committees and other expert groups, including identifying potential participants, developing agendas and background materials, facilitating information flow, and supporting productive discussion and decision making.
Research, Analysis, and Writing
Conduct and synthesize research on scientific, technical, and policy issues. Prepare and edit background papers, technical summaries, reports, workshop proceedings, white papers, proposals, and other written products for technical and general audiences. Support or manage applicable review and publication processes.
Convenings and Facilitation
Plan and execute workshops, meetings, roundtables, and other convening activities. Develop agendas, engage presenters and participants, facilitate discussions, oversee meeting execution, and translate technical and strategic dialogue into useful project outputs.
Communication and Dissemination
Develop and implement communication and dissemination activities appropriate to assigned programs and projects. Prepare substantive materials for external audiences, engage relevant organizations and stakeholders, and support the dissemination of reports and other products.
Staff and Team Leadership
Provide direction and guidance to project staff. Depending on the level and assignment, responsibilities may include day-to-day work direction, mentoring and staff development, formal supervision, performance management, and ensuring consistent application of organizational policies.
Program Development and Sponsor Engagement
Contribute to the development of new and continuing work by researching emerging topics, developing concepts and proposals, identifying potential sponsors, and supporting relationships with existing and prospective funders.
How the Levels Differ
Program Officer
The Program Officer manages assigned programs and projects in consultation with senior staff and is expected to independently manage the day-to-day execution of assigned work.
At the PO level, the position typically:
Manages workshops, meetings, studies, and related projects of established scope and complexity.
Coordinates project strategy, schedules, budgets, stakeholder engagement, and deliverables with guidance from a supervisor.
Conducts and synthesizes research and develops substantive written products.
Works directly with experts, sponsors, and other external stakeholders.
Exercises independent judgment within established project strategy and institutional guidance.
May supervise or provide day-to-day direction to project/program staff.
Contributes to proposals, prospectuses, sponsor engagement, and development of new work under senior staff guidance.
Senior Program Officer
The Senior Program Officer performs the same core work with substantially greater independence, complexity, and organizational accountability.
At the SPO level, the position typically:
Independently designs and manages multiple and/or highly complex programs or projects.
Establishes program or project strategy, budgets, staffing requirements, and approaches to achieving objectives.
Serves as a senior resource in resolving complex scientific, technical, programmatic, or stakeholder issues.
Independently manages relationships with committees, experts, sponsors, and other key stakeholders.
Supervises and develops program/project staff and holds formal performance-management responsibilities.
Has greater responsibility for financial management, including oversight of budgets, schedules, and expenditures.
Maintains ongoing relationships with major sponsors and takes a lead role in developing new program areas and funding opportunities.
Develops prospectuses and proposals, identifies funding opportunities, and has substantive responsibility for securing current or future work.
Represents the program and the National Academies with significant independence with external stakeholders.
What You’ll Need
Program Officer
Education:
Master’s degree in mathematics, statistics, engineering, or a field related to the mathematical sciences, or equivalent knowledge..
Experience: 3 years of related experience
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Strong knowledge of scientific, technical, or policy issues relevant to the mathematical sciences.
Strong program and project management skills.
Ability to analyze and synthesize complex scientific, technical, and policy information.
Ability to communicate technical information clearly to diverse audiences.
Strong facilitation and stakeholder-engagement skills.
Sound judgment and ability to resolve complex project issues.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and work with appropriate independence.
Ability to build effective relationships with colleagues, experts, sponsors, and other stakeholders.
Senior Program Officer
Education:
Master’s degree in a related field, or equivalent knowledge.
Experience:
Six years of related professional experience, including two years in a supervisory capacity. Demonstrated impact on the advancement of science or policy through successful completion of National Academies activities or equivalent work outside the National Academies. Demonstrated high-level proficiency in communicating scientific, technical, and/or policy information verbally and in writing.
Preferred Education:
Ph.D. in mathematics, statistics, engineering, or a field related to the mathematical sciences.
In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications above, candidates considered at the Senior Program Officer level should demonstrate experience performing work consistent with the greater scope, independence, complexity, staff leadership, sponsor responsibility, and program-development expectations described in the How the Levels Differ section.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
In addition to the capabilities expected at the Program Officer level, the Senior Program Officer demonstrates:
Ability to independently develop and manage multiple and/or highly complex programs or projects.
Ability to exercise substantial latitude for independent judgment and action.
Ability to serve as a resource to others in resolving complex scientific, technical, programmatic, or stakeholder issues.
Ability to develop project or program strategy, budgets, staffing approaches, and implementation plans with limited oversight.
Ability to form, lead, and maintain effective teams.
Ability to supervise, mentor, train, and develop staff.
Ability to manage complex relationships with sponsors, experts, committees, and other external constituents.
Ability to contribute substantively to program development, including development of new areas of work, proposals, sponsor relati