The New York Hall of Science is seeking applicants for a two-year Postdoctoral Fellowship in informal STEM learning funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) (grant no. 2329473). The ideal candidate is a researcher with prior experience in learning sciences, family learning, and/or informal STEM education who is interested in developing skills in collaborative and applied research contexts.

This position is an opportunity for new and recent PhD or EdD recipients to learn about museum practice, gain experience cultivating research partnerships with educators, designers, youth, and community members, and broaden their understanding of how high-quality informal STEM learning experiences can be designed, developed and implemented to serve diverse audiences. NYSCI created this postdoctoral fellowship program to work toward the vision described by Dr. Alonda Nelson, the Deputy Director for Science and Society at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, who asserted that researchers “often want to use their skills to serve their communities, to serve as bridges between experts and community members in collaborative research, using everything they know about both science and their own communities to learn and discover together” (OSTP, 2022). This fellowship will support postdoctoral researchers in building, sustaining, and learning from productive, mutually beneficial partnerships with practitioners in informal STEM learning environments and the intersectionally diverse publics they serve. Postdoctoral Fellows will work with individuals with a wide range of perspectives and areas of expertise to conceptualize, define, and pursue research agendas focused on equitable approaches to informal STEM learning. The position requires curiosity, an interest in applied and collaborative research methods, and strong organizational, listening and writing skills.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will be a member of NYSCI's Research and Development team, within the Research, Exhibits and Programs division (REP). The R&D team investigates how children, youth, and adults use STEM as a tool to understand the world and create change in their communities, and we seek to identify the qualities of learning experiences that are effective, equitable, and inclusive. Our goal is to develop evidence-based strategies that help all learners explore complex STEM ideas, build confidence with tools and materials, and see STEM as an integral part of everyday life.

REP also includes three other departments: Education Services, Exhibits, and the Alan J. Friedman Center for the Development of Young Scientists. Researchers collaborate with these teams in a variety of collaborative structures to study, create and implement high-quality, inclusive and innovative informal STEM learning experiences for NYSCI’s audiences. We encourage applicants to review examples of previous collaborative projects conducted by the REP division to learn more about our work.

Postdoctoral fellows will join the Research and Development team as full-time staff for a term of two years, beginning in Summer 2024. Exact start dates will be negotiated with individual candidates.

Fellows will participate in both training and research experiences, receive mentoring from a variety of colleagues, and have opportunities to share their work with colleagues both within NYSCI and at other educational and cultural institutions that collaborate with NYSCI.

Postdoctoral fellows will have opportunities to learn about multiple facets of the museum’s work, including exhibit development, activity and program development, community engagement, and youth development, before selecting topic areas and collaborators for independent projects. Fellows will also have access to a network of informal STEM researchers in the NYC area and across the country who they can engage with to learn about a range of career options within and outside of academia, to present their work, and to connect with peers at similar stages in their careers.

Postdoctoral fellows will plan, develop, and execute independent research projects in collaboration with the research & development team and a mentor in at least one other department across NYSCI (Education Services, Exhibits, and the Alan J. Friedman Center for the Development of Young Scientists). With support from mentors and colleagues, fellows will collaborate with practitioners and community members to identify shared questions and needs, gather data in complex real-world settings, and synthesize knowledge from both research and practice. Research projects should address some dimension of diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM education, and engage with questions relevant to informal educational practice. Projects may focus on questions related to material, social, interpersonal, and/or intrapersonal dimensions of learning, based on researchers’ individual interests and areas of expertise. Potential areas for research projects include (but are not limited to): early childhood STEM learning, multigenerational learning experiences, exhibit design and/or facilitation for diverse audiences, affective and motivational elements of STEM learning (such as self-efficacy, belongingness, learning from failure, etc), co-design processes with community members, humanistic approaches to STEM disciplines (such as engineering and AI), and other similar topics.

Postdoctoral fellows will also contribute to institution-wide efforts to develop equitable practices for supporting STEM learning. NYSCI is fundamentally an institution that supports continual improvement and learning, and all of our work is a sustained investigation of how best to support our highly diverse audiences as they explore science and engineering concepts and practices. Observing, talking with, and learning from visitors and community members across a wide range of ages and identities is a core professional practice for this position.

Training and knowledge-building:

• Meet with and shadow NYSCI staff across teams to learn about ongoing work at the museum

• Participate in informal STEM learning programs, events, etc… [revisit proposal for examples of learning experiences]

• Discuss informal STEM research and practice with teams at NYSCI and with other researchers in the field

• Observe or assist in the planning and/or implementation of museum activities

Developing and implementing research plans, with support from mentors

• Soliciting input from colleagues and community stakeholders to guide project activities

• Building and maintaining relationships with internal and external collaborators

• Conducting and/or overseeing data collection for studies involving children, caregivers, educators, and other community stakeholders

• Conducting and/or overseeing data analysis, with an emphasis on qualitative and case study analyses

• Establishing and maintaining systems for project management, including maintaining project timelines and deadlines, systems for documentation, management of IRB approvals and ethical conduct of research, etc.

• Leading interpretation and write-up of research findings

Dissemination and communication

• Sharing research goals, methods, and findings with other teams at NYSCI

• Identifying publication opportunities

• Contributing to write up and publication process for articles for both research and practitioner audiences

• Planning for and delivering conference presentations

Grant-writing and development of lines of research

• Contributing to theoretical frameworks, literature reviews, and research plans for grant proposals

• Identifying promising directions for future research projects, with support from supervisors

May supervise 1-2 research assistants in order to conduct independent research projects.

This position requires disciplinary and methodological expertise; experience conducting research with educators, youth, and/or families; genuine interest in issues of the design and/or implementation of informal STEM education practice; and a commitment to collaborative, creative approaches to designing and implementing research.

Eligibility:

• Open to scholars who have earned their PhD or EdD and are no more than two years from the completion of their degree, and PhD or EdD candidates with ABD status. ABD candidates should anticipate receiving their degrees by Summer 2024.

• Open to scholars in any discipline with interest and some experience in informal learning, learning sciences, education, psychology, child development, or another field relevant to the study of STEM learning in informal settings.

• In accordance with NSF guidelines, Fellows must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents, and must not hold tenure-track positions.

Work location:

• This will be a hybrid position, with a flexible in-person schedule. Applicants should be prepared to relocate to the NYC area and be able to commute to the museum two to three days per week as needed for training, research and project activities. This is consistent with expectations of full-time staff currently conducting research at NYSCI.

• Commitment to broadening participation in STEM learning for children, youth, community members, and/or families;

• Experience collaborating with diverse teams of researchers, practitioners, community members and advocates;

• Ability to accomplish complex, multistage tasks with support from supervisors;

• Ability to integrate issues of equity and inclusion into research activities;

• Strong communications skills with the ability to express ideas clearly to non-expert audiences;

• Experience contributing to proposals to public or private funders to support research initiatives;

• Evenings/Weekends: Ability and willingness to participate in occasional events outside the workday schedule, including evenings and weekends, based on project needs.

The following qualifications are preferred but not required:

• Proficiency in a language other than English, especially Spanish or Mandarin

• Experience working in informal STEM education settings such as museums, cultural institutions, or after-school/summer programs

Postdoctoral fellows will be paid $70,000 per year for 24 months, in accordance with NSF guidelines.

June-August 2024

Review of applications will begin on January 15, 2024. Information for applicants is saved here, along with examples of current and prior research conducted by the REP team at NYSCI.

Candidates should submit the following materials to postdoc@nysci.org:

- Letter of interest (2 pages max): Please describe your current research interests, the opportunities you see to extend your research at NYSCI, and how the museum might benefit from your perspective or experience.

- Curriculum Vitae

- Writing sample: This can include an academic article, conference paper, white paper, thesis or dissertation section/chapter, or writings for public or practitioner audiences (e.g., blog posts, newsletters).

We anticipate contacting candidates for a first round of interviews by February 15, 2024, and making a final selection by March 31, 2024.

NYSCI strives to be an inclusive and equitable place to work. We work to foster diverse voices and perspectives, empower staff as problem solvers, and support professional growth for all.

The New York Hall of Science also offers generous benefits and perks for all regular full-time employees, including this position. These currently include:

• Health, dental and vision insurance options

• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare, dependent care and commuter benefits

• Pension plan and 401k plan

• Free life insurance coverage

• Paid vacation and sick leave

• 13 paid holidays off

• Flexible work schedules

• Employee Assistance Program

• Free onsite parking

NYSCI is New York City's science center, a place where everyone is invited to explore how science and engineering shape our world, and how we can use scientific tools and ideas to answer questions and solve problems. Visitors pose questions, design solutions, explore phenomena, and work together to make amazing things happen.

Our exhibitions, programs, and products are informed by strategies of engagement called Design, Make, Play. The defining characteristics of Design, Make, Play — open-ended exploration, imaginative learning, personal relevance, deep engagement and delight — are the ingredients that inspire passionate STEM learners.

If there are preparations we can make to help ensure you have a comfortable and positive interview experience, please let us know.