Project Specialist - Administrative

The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is located in the heart of downtown L.A. and is the largest private employer in the City of Los Angeles. As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the “Trojan Family,” which is comprised of the faculty, staff, and students that make the university a great place to work.  

As a community of Dornsife College “we are committed to the creation, preservation, and communication of fundamental knowledge in all its forms…as well as a lifelong passion for learning and a commitment to the betterment of society.”  The academic mission of Dornsife College can only be realized to its fullest potential when we build and protect a representative, equitable, inclusive culture of scholarship for students, faculty, and staff.  This is not done through initiatives but by embedding these values into the everyday interactions, relationships, policies, and practices of the College.  What is required is a seamless integration of the tenets of equity and inclusivity into every facet of academic life.  If we want our scholars, staff, and students to be able to give their very best, we must create an academic environment that portends success.  

Success is possible when every member of the Dornsife community owns their role as a steward of the culture in which we learn, research, and work; when we believe that it is because of who we are that we are able to do what we do: achieve excellence, together. 

Achieving a robust and inclusive academic culture requires more than just the completion of a task, but includes that person’s capacity to contribute positively to the relationships and culture of their office or department.  Therefore, any applicant seeking to advance the mission of Dornsife College should also be assessed on their capacities beyond the technical elements of their work, and demonstrate an understanding of their impact on others, and to articulate how they contribute positively to those around them.

The USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is seeking a Project Specialist - Administrative in the Statewide California Earthquake Center (SCEC).The largest and oldest of the USC schools, USC Dornsife functions as the academic core of the university, offering courses and advancing knowledge across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.

SCEC, headquartered at USC, is a collaborative research center with a mission to develop a diverse geoscience workforce through career development, elevated scholarship, and enhanced leadership engagement. Are you passionate about STEM education and eager to make a meaningful impact? Join SCEC where you'll be part of a dynamic team dedicated to providing transformative research experiences, fostering community building, and nurturing mentorship to shape the future of earthquake science education.

SCEC's Education Program has provided internships to more than 600 students from diverse academic backgrounds nationwide, enabling them to train with Center researchers and become part of a vast network of experts and facilities across SCEC's 90+ institutions. We are seeking candidates with a genuine passion for education, strong attention to detail, excellent communication and collaborative abilities, and proficient analytical skills to join our team. The successful candidate will manage various aspects of our Education Programs, including overseeing intern professional development, coordinating enrichment events, and managing logistics for meetings and presentations. Additionally, the candidate will play a support role in coordinating career advancement programs, such as activities at the SCEC Annual Meeting. Their program management and administrative responsibilities will include designing and implementing evaluation assessment instruments, collecting and analyzing data, and providing staff support at SCEC functions. Candidates should demonstrate a commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion across all facets of their work.

Key Responsibilities:

Education Programs

• Design and distribute recruitment materials including posters, flyers, website content, emails, and social media posts.
• Provide supervision and guidance as interns create posters, abstracts, presentations, and papers.
• Foster and expand networks to facilitate recruitment and career advancement of education program participants.
• Provide support for professional skills training and curriculum development associated with internship programs.
• Collaborate on and facilitate professional development activities for informal educators, including workshops, webinars, and field trips.
• Incorporate diversity and inclusion practices in the development of educational materials and interactions with program participants.
• Serve as a representative for SCEC education programs at various events.
• Support research initiatives aimed at informing the development and enhancement of SCEC's education strategies.

Career Advancement

• Assist in organizing and facilitating career advancement activities at the SCEC Annual Meeting, such as career pathway workshops, career discussion panels, and other support activities aimed at early career professionals.
• Contribute to the development and management of the SCEC Career Speaker series, with a particular emphasis on advancing early career scientists. This involves aiding in speaker recruitment and ensuring the series aligns with the career advancement goals of SCEC

Management

• Organize and arrange enrichment events including field trips, travel to research institutions, and presentations.
• Support longitudinal tracking efforts to monitor the participation, progress and outcomes of programs.
• Collaborate with the SCEC team to implement existing program tracking and evaluation instruments, and contribute to the development of new ones. Assist in data collection, analysis, evaluation, and reporting processes.
• Manage and maintain mailing lists for both education and career development initiatives, involving the compilation, organization, and regular updating of contact information for program participants.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Provide staff support during SCEC functions, including technical meetings, press conferences, and planning sessions.
• Manage logistics for meetings and presentations, including calendaring, advertising, venue and Zoom arrangements, and managing policy-compliant expenses via University financial systems.
• Engage in ongoing professional development and technical training to remain informed about emerging science and education findings.
• Be available to work recruitment events in the evenings and on weekends and occasional overnight travel (maybe 1-2 times per year).
  

Preferred Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree (relevant fields might include education, earth sciences or STEM field, communications, evaluation, management, etc.) An Associate’s degree with significant relevant work experience may be considered.
• Experience working in a university or education setting is preferred. Additionally, familiarity with educational principles, program development, stakeholder engagement, data analysis, and assessment/evaluation is highly valued.
• Passion for advancing STEM education and broadening participation in STEM research.   
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and adapt to changing circumstances.
• Strong organizational, communication, and data analysis skills.
• Strong technical proficiency with standard office software (Office365, Google Suite, Zoom); some proficiency with databases (Filemaker/Qualtrics), design and web tools (Adobe Creative Suite) as well as willingness to learn and improve proficiency and keep up-to-date on best practices.
  

Salary range: The hourly rate range for this position is $29.44 - $35.00. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Required Documents and Additional Information:

• Resume and cover letter required (may be uploaded as one file). Please do not submit your application without these documents.
• Job openings are posted for a minimum of (5) five business days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended, so please apply on the same business day if interested.
• USC has excellent benefits, including health benefits for staff and their family with access to the renowned university medical network; eligibility for retirement plans with employer contributions after six months of employment; tuition benefits for staff and their family; free Professional Development classes; central Los Angeles location with easy access to commuter trains, buses and free tram pick up services; discounts to sporting and other campus events.

The University of Southern California is an Equal Opportunity Employer that Values Diversity.

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree Addtional Education Requirements Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education Minimum Experience: 2 years Minimum Skills: Directly related project or administrative experience. Preferred Education: Master's degree Preferred Experience: 3 years