Science Learning & Engagement Director, Dynamic Earth

Dynamic Earth has attracted over five million visitors since opening its doors and engage with circa 250,000 people a year, including many families, school groups, and business professionals.

They exist to provide compelling science engagement — they translate big scientific stuff into experiences that anyone can get their heads around and feel excited about. And as well as the visitor attraction side of what they do, they have up to 400 conferences and events hosted at the centre too, including major businesses and government events.

We are looking for a Science Learning & Engagement Director, this is a key leadership role and will lead strategy and delivery for science engagement across public, schools, community and outreach programmes. Increasingly you will focus on engagement specific to climate crisis and sustainability themes.

Key responsibilities of the role:

• Strategic leadership – You will form a key part of the senior leadership team, working closely with the Board on strategy and delivery for all charity matters.
• People management – You will model effective leadership across the charity as well as directly managing the Learning & Engagement Directorate.
• Lead on scientific policy – You will ensure there is a robust approach to scientific accuracy in all of the Charity’s messaging and engagement activities.
• Manage strategy and delivery for learning, outreach and community – You will ensure we maximise the quality and range of earth science engagement they deliver.
• Provide science guidance to the Science Centre & Planetarium teams to ensure all galleries, exhibitions and activities are accurate as well as compelling. This will include leading on the science storytelling for future gallery redevelopments.
• Stakeholder representation – You will ensure they have strong connections with relevant government agencies and science experts in academia and industry Science Learning & Engagement Director
• Other Responsibilities — You will provide effective leadership for new opportunities and issues, including helping to strategically reimage the Edinburgh science centre.

Key skills and experience required:

• STEM engagement experience – We are looking for a leader with demonstrable STEM experience. You will know how to deliver science specific engagement.
• Science degree – You will have a formal science education background, preferably specific to earth science and related fields.
• Leadership experience – You will know how to form part of a shared leadership team, as well as provide effective functional leadership to a directorate team.
• Strategy and policy – You will have extensive experience at developing strategies and building a library of supporting policies to shape delivery.
• Formal learning environment – You will understand the structure of formal learning across Scotland and know how to ensure an organisation can align with the existing educational framework •
• Excellent communication skills – You will be very experienced at handling speeches, podcasts, media opportunities to further an organisation’s reputation and aims.

Desirable skills:

• A professional or personal interest in earth science and environmental issues
• An empathy for what Dynamic Earth exists to deliver
• Experience in working for an organization that runs one or more visitor attractions as part of its overall proposition

Details on how to apply for the role can be found here.