Director or Senior Director, Impact Research and External Relations with PhET Interactive Simulations

Job Summary

PhET Interactive Simulations at the University of Colorado Boulder seeks a Director or Senior Director of Impact Research and External Relations. This new position joins PhET’s leadership team to build lasting relationships with funders and to strengthen the evidence and story behind PhET’s impact. Working with the PhET team and collaborators, the successful candidate will gather and synthesize evidence of how PhET is used and the difference it makes for educators and learners, research the funding landscape for education and STEM, and learn what motivates people and organizations to support PhET. They will use those findings to shape new project directions, proposals, PhET’s case for support, and impact communications, expanding PhET’s research, impact, and sustainability. This work will also add to the research base on, and serve as a case study of, sustainability models for open educational resources.

PhET is a global, research-based program that has created more than 170 free, interactive simulations for science and math learning, reaching about 50 million users each year in more than 130 languages. PhET brings a strong research record, a global educator and professional development community, and partnerships with more than 70 education technology organizations. It raises about $4 million each year for its team and operations from grants, philanthropy, licensing, and services. The successful candidate will lead the next phase of PhET’s research and funding strategy, strengthening PhET’s evidence of impact, expanding its research portfolio and funder relationships, diversifying its funding, and identifying the strategies that will sustain PhET’s free resources for educators and students.

You will work closely with PhET’s Executive Director, Dr. Kathy Perkins, and Senior Director of Global Initiatives, Dr. Rebecca Vieyra, who currently lead PhET’s major proposals, and with PhET’s education researchers and designers. Together, you will build on more than 20 years of peer-reviewed research on learning with interactive simulations.

The position is level-flexible. Candidates will be considered at the Director or Senior Director level depending on experience.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

Founded in 2002 by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman, the PhET Interactive Simulations project at the University of Colorado Boulder is a world leader in the design and use of interactive math and science simulations for advancing STEM education. The PhET team is dedicated to high-quality STEM education for all students, disseminating PhET simulations as open (free) educational resources globally and pioneering approaches for making interactive content accessible to all learners. Today, PhET simulations are used more than 250 million times per year globally and are available in more than 130 languages.

The PhET team is a passionate, creative, and productive group, including STEM education, simulation, and inclusive design experts, education researchers, software engineers, quality assurance specialists, business strategy and operations specialists, and more. Our project is a blend of an academic research project, an outreach project, and an innovative education technology company, housed within the Department of Physics and working with diverse partners at CU Boulder and around the world. PhET’s work has received numerous international awards, including the 2019 Open Education Global Award, the 2018 American Physical Society Excellence in Physics Education Award, and a 2017 WISE Award.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Lead the development of new funding and research opportunities for PhET, shaping project directions in partnership with PhET leadership.

Build PhET’s evidence base on its reach, use, and impact, working with the PhET team and research collaborators to draw on and analyze usage data, surveys, interviews, and stories from classrooms around the world.

Lead research on the funding landscape for education, STEM, and educational technology, including funder priorities, giving trends, and what motivates funders and supporters to invest in PhET, and synthesize findings to guide PhET’s funding strategy.

Lead PhET’s efforts to grow and diversify its funding by building relationships with existing and prospective foundations, companies, and other partners aligned with PhET’s mission and impact.

Shape PhET’s external positioning and case for support, drawing on its research, global reach, and educational impact, and create and test new approaches that raise PhET’s profile and open doors to new funding and research opportunities.

Develop and lead concept notes and grant proposals, partnering with the Executive Director, the Senior Director of Global Initiatives, and PhET’s researchers and designers on major proposals.

Report on grant outcomes and project impact, documenting progress and results for funders.

Research the funding strategies of peer open education and mission-driven organizations, synthesize lessons for PhET, and document PhET’s own approach as a case study to inform its long-term strategy.

Share findings through impact reports, white papers, conference presentations, and publications developed with PhET leadership and research collaborators.

This position reports to Dr. Kathy Perkins, Executive Director of PhET Interactive Simulations, and supervises a new Impact Research and External Relations Specialist position being hired concurrently.

What You Should Know

We will consider candidates interested in a full-time, 40-hour-per-week appointment as well as candidates who prefer a 75% appointment, such as 30 hours per week or a four-day schedule, with salary prorated and full benefits.

The anticipated start date is between January and March 2027. We can be flexible for the right candidate; if you need a later spring or summer start, please note your availability in your cover letter.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

This position may be based in Boulder or performed remotely within the United States.

The role includes travel to 2 to 4 domestic or international conferences per year, as well as up to 4 additional trips to meet with partners and funders.

What We Can Offer

The annual salary range for this position is $100,000 to $135,000 for a full-time appointment (40 hours per week), depending on experience and level (Director or Senior Director). Salary for a 75% appointment