Two Education and Outreach Officer positions at QEERI (Qatar)

Two Education and Outreach Officer positions at QEERI (Qatar)

For a new public engagement programme "Fascination Astronomy" in Qatar, we are looking for a team of two education and outreach officers to be based in Qatar’s capital Doha. 

Our programme will target 5 core groups: (1) “junior” school classes (10-year olds), (2) “senior” school classes (14-year olds), (3) selected students from age 14 until school-leaving age, (4) teachers, and (5) the wider public. The Doha-based team will be responsible for the implementation of the programme, including all the relevant logistics, while working closely with an international team, whose members will lead the development of the various activities. Specific tasks include the delivery of student workshops and teacher training, the management of the training programme of the Qatar Astronomy Olympiad team, and the organisation and management of the Qatar Astronomy Festival. The successful candidates will need to build and foster connections locally, including with teachers, schools, and amateur astronomers (but also suppliers of materials, hotels, local organisations and businesses, etc.), while working with researchers around the globe, including those located in the Middle East. The successful candidates will be part of the emerging astronomy group at the Qatar Environment & Energy Research Institute (QEERI), member of Qatar Foundation.

Excellent organisation, management, and communication skills (in direct and remote interaction) are essential, as well as an understanding of local customs and culture. Moreover, fluency in both English and Arabic is required.

It is desirable for candidates to have a solid background in science (preferably astronomy), a respective university degree, and a track record on the delivery of similar activities.

The successful candidates will work as a team, sharing the responsibility for delivering the programme and with neither officer more senior than the other.

The State of Qatar has adopted its “National Vision 2030”, unveiling a strategy for transiting from a hydrocarbon-based economy to a knowledge-based economy. A key driver for this process is Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development, as part of which we are now taking forward the excitement about science towards building capacity for further development.

We are looking for candidates to be in post around 1 April 2014. The appointment will be initially funded for three years.

If you consider yourself a strong candidate for making the “Fascination Astronomy” programme a success, we are looking forward to receiving an expression of interest with the following documents:

• a cover letter, elaborating on the relevance of your skills and your motivation for applying,
• a curriculum vitae,
• full contact details (including e-mail) of three referees.

Please ensure that these reach Mrs. Huda Al-Zayed (halzayed@qf.org.qa) by 20 December 2013….