Program Director - EPI Center

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) seeks a dynamic, growth-oriented science policy leader to take the Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues (EPI Center) into its next phase.  

The EPI Center bolsters public decisions about the most important issues of our day by facilitating scientific evidence’s inclusion in a complex process through high-touch, high-context dialogue and resources. 

The EPI Center advances evidence-informed decision making by:

• Bringing policy-relevant, unbiased, non-partisan scientific evidence to public decisionmakers at all levels of government;
• Facilitating multi-sector and multi-stakeholder engagements (virtual and in-person) to build trusted relationships between scientists and policymakers to deliver clear, actionable, and timely information to the people who need it most.

The Center's collaborative engagement model leverages partnerships with nationally recognized civic intermediaries—including the National Governors Association, the National League of Cities, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the Council of State Governments—to reach state and local decision-makers across the political spectrum. To date, EPI Center projects have reached over 10,000 decision-makers, including officials in every state, U.S. territory, and Washington, DC, enabling policymakers to more easily access, understand and incorporate scientific expertise into their decision-making. 

Help us ignite the next era of science. 

As the Center enters the next phase of its growth, the Director of the EPI Center has ultimate responsibility for setting the Center’s long-term strategy and overseeing its day-to-day operations, leading a high-performing team of professionals and an ever-growing network of collaborators. This position reports to the AAAS Chief Program Officer, and the EPI Center is situated in the programmatic arm of AAAS. The Director will drive the Center’s fundraising in close collaboration with the AAAS Advancement team and build support for the EPI Center with a wide range of public stakeholders. The Director oversees the Center’s budgetary and financial management; represents AAAS broadly; and continually identifies topics for which scientific evidence and connection to scientists is relevant to policymakers. Responsibilities include:

• →Serves as an energetic team leader, determining overall priorities, continually refining the EPI Center value proposition in a complex and rapidly changing policy ecosystem.
• →Serves as the primary champion and external face for the program, to include building partnerships with civic intermediary organizations, relevant policymakers and their professional staff, scientists and scientific organizations, and existing and prospective funders.
• →Leads fundraising strategy and activities in close consultation with and with support from the AAAS Office of Advancement, including identifying and engaging prospective funders, soliciting funding (including grant and contract writing), and managing funder relationships.

• →Takes primary program-level responsibility for budget, grants, and personnel management.  Serves as top manager of all Center employees, overseeing program-level personnel considerations and decisions including hiring, training, promotions, assessments, and short- and long-term adjustments to duties as needed to ensure programmatic success and continuity of operations. Determine resource allocation within the Center and monitor budgets on an ongoing basis to ensure timely compliance with funders’ reporting requirements and AAAS policy and procedures. 

• →Takes overarching responsibility for the content, accuracy, and tone of all public-facing communications. Oversee publication and release of reports, fact sheets, and other written or video deliverables directed toward decision makers and influencers in formats useful to them and responsive to their needs.  
• →Collaborate and coordinate across AAAS programs to build multi-audience and multi-stakeholder engagement approaches that optimize effective use of resources and advance the use of science in public decision-making. 

• →Additional duties as assigned. 

• ​​Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field (preferred: advanced degree in science, public policy, or communications-related discipline).   

• ​10+ years of experience in progressively responsible positions in program development and management of science and policy programs in academia, government, or business. Ideally, at least 5 years of demonstrated success in overseeing a complex, demanding, and mission-oriented enterprise.

• ​Demonstrated success in non-profit fundraising, including conceptualizing and writing grant proposals and managing grant activities and budgets. Demonstrated success in scaling non-profit initiatives a plus. 

• ​Excellent written and verbal communications skills. Experience with issues-based campaigns a plus. 

• ​Strong track record with project management to include experience with project launches, development, promotion, implementation, communication, dissemination; personnel management, including, ideally, leading a partially remote team; budget development and financial oversight, and collaborator engagement. 

• ​Significant experience in representation on scientific and public policy issues, such as congressional testimony, speeches, media appearances, and writing for publication. 

• ​Strong understanding of elected decision-makers and their professional staff as an audience, including an understanding of the policymaking landscape at state/local and/or federal levels. 

• ​Demonstrated success in building and maintaining multi-stakeholder networks and partnerships; ability to act as a liaison with scientific, engineering, civil society, private- and public-sector partners; and ability to make presentations to such groups. ​ 

Submit a resume and cover letter outlining qualifications and interest in the position by October 8, 2026.  Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. A Recruiter will contact you with next steps if you are selected for an interview. 

AAAS is aware of fraudulent messages from individuals and entities falsely claiming to represent our organization. Please note that all official recruitment communications will come from an @aaas.org email address, and all open positions are posted on our Careers page (aaas.org/careers). AAAS will never ask applicants to provide payment, financial information including credit card numbers, or Social Security numbers during the hiring process via an email. If you receive an email claiming to be from AAAS that looks suspicious, do not click on any links or open any attachments. Instead, please contact us at jobs@aaas.org before responding or sharing any personal information. 

The anticipated initial rate of compensation for this position is $185,000 – $215,000 per year. AAAS currently provides the following benefits for this position: paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, paid holidays, health insurance, flexible spending account, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, retirement benefits, short- and long-term disability, each subject to the terms of the applicable program. Additional benefits may apply. 

Any actual offer of employment, reflecting the total compensation package and benefits, will be made in the sole discretion of AAAS and will be based on a variety of factors, including years of experience, depth of experience, and other relevant factors. AAAS reserves the right to amend or modify its employment benefits and compensation structure at any time. 

AAAS is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected category. AAAS uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. No visa sponsorship is available for this position 

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