Fellowship: S’Cool LAB Manager

Company Description

At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, physicists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the universe. Using the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments, they study the basic constituents of matter - fundamental particles that are made to collide together at close to the speed of light. The process gives physicists clues about how particles interact, and provides insights into the fundamental laws of nature. Find out more on http://home.cern.

Education has been an integral part of CERN's mission since its foundation and is an established goal of the Organization.

Job Description

S’Cool LAB is a Physics Education Research facility at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva, Switzerland. S’Cool LAB offers high school students and their teachers from around the world the chance to take part in hands-on & minds-on particle physics experiment sessions on-site at CERN. In addition, S’Cool LAB drives the development of low-cost hands-on learning activities to support teachers in their challenging endeavour of introducing particle physics into their classrooms.

As S’Cool LAB manager, you will manage all existing programmes and activities with approx. 8000 participants per year and you will have the opportunity to develop future activities and shape future programmes together with a team of Doctoral students, administrative and technical support. You will be part of the Teacher & Student Programmes Section at CERN starting on 1 July 2020 and collaborate closely with other teams within the Education, Communication, and Outreach group.

In particular, you will have several organisational and Physics Education Content & Research tasks while also contributing to other activities within the Education, Communication, and Outreach group at CERN:

The organisational tasks:

• Manage the S'Cool LAB team and more than 50 volunteers;
• Coordinate and handle booking requests in liaison with CERN’s visits service;
• Organise and facilitate volunteer trainings and volunteer events and support new volunteers with performance feedback;
• Coordinate equipment maintenance, orders, and repairs;
• Assess and manage hazards and risks associated with experimental equipment;
• Liaise with other hands-on particle physics learning communities;
• Prepare and present annual reports about S’Cool LAB activities, participants, and volunteers;
• Represent S'Cool LAB at internal & external meetings and conferences as well as CERN protocol visits.

The Physics Education Content Development & Research tasks:

• Facilitate hands-on particle physics workshops for high-school students and their teachers from around the world;
• Maintain S’Cool LAB’s education content such as worksheets and DIY manuals;
• Develop and evaluate new inquiry-based particle physics learning activities; including as part of the team developing education programmes for Science Gateway 
• Contribute to the weekly Physics Education Research seminar at CERN;
• Maintain and extend CERN’s Didactics Library;
• Act as Tutor for Physics Education Research PhD students and Physics Education Master students;
• Write and contribute to publications about S’Cool LAB, its research and educational activities.

Qualifications

For this position within the Fellowship Programme, you will need to meet the following requirements:

• You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State;
• Have a PhD or at least four years’ experience after your Master degree, and a maximum of 10 years’ experience;
• Experience in modern physics education and inquiry-based learning;
• Experience in project/operations management;
• Have demonstrated interest in Physics Education Research, out-of-school learning labs and DIY physics education projects;
• Be able to work autonomously and to undertake multiple tasks simultaneously while managing a diverse team;
• Have very good communication skills and be able to adjust to different audiences;
• Have a high proficiency in oral and written in English.

The following skills are not required, but would be advantageous:

• Oral and/or written proficiency in French;
• Risk assessment related to radioactive sources, cryogenics, lasers, and high voltages;
• Basic skills in web content management tools;
• Basic skills in 3D design and 3D printing.

Please note that CERN Staff members are not eligible to apply for a Fellowship.

Additional Information

CERN would very much like to benefit from your expertise, commitment and passion.  In return, CERN will provide you with:

• An employment contract for between six months (minimum) up to a maximum of 36 months.
• A stipend ranging from 7,170 to 7,891 Swiss Francs per month (net of tax).
• Coverage by CERN’s comprehensive health scheme (for yourself, your spouse and children), and membership of the CERN Pension Fund.
• Depending on your individual circumstances: an installation grant, family, child and infant allowances as well as travel expenses to and from Geneva.