Social Science Research Council
Scholarly Borderlands Program Officer
Institution Type: | Nonprofit |
Location: | New York, United States |
Position: | Administrator, Research Professional |
Description
The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) is an independent, international, nonprofit organization devoted to the advancement of interdisciplinary research in the social sciences through a wide variety of workshops and conferences, fellowships and grants, summer training institutes, scholarly exchanges, research, and publications. For more information, please visit our website: www.ssrc.org.
The SSRC invites applications for the position of Program Officer for the new Scholarly Borderlands initiative. Scholarly Borderlands (SB) is devoted to nurturing and improving the craft of social science by building connections across fields and disciplines. Through establishing projects and working groups on a variety of emergent issues, the Council encourages dialogue, collaboration, and innovation that crosses analytical, methodological, and epistemological boundaries. The goal is to shape the craft of social science by asking new questions and developing new frameworks and tools for addressing them. The initiative has selected an initial group of project areas, some already underway, one in formation (on the place of deep contextual knowledge in the conduct and analysis of field experiments), and others to be identified.
The Program Officer will play a central role in the process by mobilizing new SB projects while supporting existing activities, working with a small advisory group and the SSRC’s President and Executive Program Director. The key goals of the various SB activities are to create new scholarly networks and collaborations and to support a range of new projects and publications – including edited volumes, special issues of journals and contributions to the SSRC digital forum Items. The Program Officer will work especially closely with the leaders of SB groups, drawn from social science and other departments at universities around the world.
The Program Officer will report to the Executive Program Director, and will be supported by program staff of the SB initiative and Religion program.
Qualifications
Qualified candidates will have a PhD in a social science field. Strong candidates will also have demonstrated achievements as researchers, as well as interest and experience in working across disciplines and fields. Competitive candidates should also demonstrate experience in collaborative work, the organization of events, and program administration. The ability to communicate effectively is crucial, and familiarity with budgeting is desirable. Candidates must demonstrate their ability to manage multiple priorities and projects effectively.
Responsibilities
- Manage the continued development and implementation of the Scholarly Borderlands initiative in collaboration with the advisory group and in consultation with the SSRC’s President and Executive Program Director. This area of responsibility includes reporting to funders and potential new fundraising.
- Provide substantive input and organizational support for SB groups, projects, and activities, working closely with project leaders.
- Oversee planning for upcoming events, including conferences, workshops, and other meetings, and manage budgets.
- Provide editorial and other support, when needed, for SB products, and especially for content emerging from SB activities to be published in Items.
- Oversee the process and quality and impact of work emerging from the initiative as well as its online presence.
- In collaboration with the Religion and Public Sphere program’s advisory committee, organize a series of program planning meetings (culminating in a final conference) to develop potential new areas for SSRC work on religion. Liaise with the Managing Editor of The Immanent Frame, the program’s digital forum, to support a steady flow of quality content.
- Liaise and coordinate with other SSRC programs and with partner organizations.
- Handle additional responsibilities and projects as directed, depending on interest and capacity.
Terms, Salary and Benefits
Annual salary will be commensurate with experience. Comprehensive benefits include health, dental, vision, disability, life, and gym reimbursement; outstanding pension plan and tax savings programs; generous vacation and sick leave; and more. Provisions are made for professional staff to continue their development as social scientists while at the Council.
Contact: |
Application Information For further information or to apply, please send a cover letter that includes your thoughts on how you might shape and manage the Scholarly Borderlands initiative, curriculum vitae, one writing sample, and the names of at least three professional colleagues who can serve as references to applications@ssrc.org. Please put “Scholarly Borderlands PO Search” in the subject line. Applications will be accepted until the position has been filled but should be received by May 31, 2016 for priority consideration. The Social Science Research Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer. |
Website: | http://www.ssrc.org |
Primary Category: | Social Sciences |
Secondary Categories: | None |
Posting Date: | 04/28/2016 |
Closing Date | 07/26/2016 |