Summary:

This position is responsible for ensuring the successful development and implementation of evaluation projects that enhance our understanding of our audience experiences and fosters innovation and informed decision-making across departments. It will lead and/or participate in evaluation studies and reporting, provide operational support to improve the quality of projects, and ensure lessons from evaluations are applied to the continuous improvement of programs and strategy.

Education/Training Requirements:

This position is planned as an entry-level position. The successful candidate will have completed a Master's Degree in Public Policy, Social Science, Environmental Education, Museum Studies, Collective Impact, or related social science fields, or may have completed either training or an internship in a museum or nature learning setting after completing an undergraduate degree in one of those fields.  Matriculated students in the fields mentioned above and currently completing their final assignments prior to completion of their master’s degree will be considered for this opportunity. Those with training in other fields who have taken workshops at the Visitor Studies Association or the American Evaluation Association will also be considered for this position.

Primary Responsibilities:

Impact measurement

1. Leads development, implementation, and reporting of evaluation obligations to multiple grant-funded programs.
2. Supports formulation of program objectives and priorities with a focus on observable metrics for assessment; collaborates with the Director of Mission Impact on the scope and methodologies to be used in evaluation; provides advice on evaluation methods and techniques to other members of the ASLC team; works with colleagues on the development of evaluation instruments, data collection and collaborative interpretation of results; and drafts written reports and presentations related to the evaluation process and findings.
3. Designs, pilot-tests, and revises evaluation instruments and methods. Collects, analyzes, and disseminates evaluation findings through reports, presentations, and participation in professional networks.
4. Remains current with trends, theories, and effective practices of evaluation and visitor research through literature, professional development, and collaboration with other professionals.
5. Participates in proposal writing and coordination for grants and other external funds.
6. Supports an impact assessment dashboard for ASLC to easily and meaningfully track outcomes that advance the mission.

Coordination

7. Provides leadership in designing and implementing evaluation studies to assess the impact and effectiveness of ASLC’s programs and strategies through ongoing collaboration across departments and with external partners.
8. Works with the Science/Education, Communications, and Exhibitions teams on opportunities for program improvement by working closely with staff to design and develop data collection and program evaluation tools; manages and upgrades current databases in use and conducts routine monitoring and analysis of program process and outcome data.
9. Coordinates, plans, develops, conducts, monitors, and analyzes new program plans or exhibitions, including conducting literature reviews and background research and market research.
10. Collaborates with the Director of Mission Impact on priority setting for work of the program area.
11. Supervises data collectors, including performance assessment, spot-checking of compliance with protocols, adherence to the plans as approved by the IRB, and performs validity tests on the data.
12. Coordinates IRB processes within ASLC and oversees record keeping and compliance reports.

Strategic

13. Supports the Center’s strategic and operational goals through fostering evaluative thinking and the use of logic models, theory of change, and other planning tools; collaborates with the Director of Mission Impact on the development and implementation of tools for assessing organizational impact.
14. Coordinates any external evaluation consultant contracts for grant-funded programs and ensures deliverables meet the Center’s standards and expectations.
15. Supports the work of the Science/Education program area to promote an institutional culture of adaptive learning and continual improvement at ASLC.
16. Supports relationships with other organizations or academic departments conducting collaborative research studies and enhance ASLC’s capacity to advance knowledge in the field of zoos and aquariums.

Miscellaneous

17. Fosters good relations with visitors, volunteers, community leaders, contractors, and fellow staff members by promoting positive attitudes, good will, cooperation, and providing high standards of service.
18. Complies with all Alaska SeaLife Center policies, procedures, and programs.
19. Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum/Required Qualifications

• Internship or other volunteer experience doing work of a similar nature.
• Familiarity with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods analysis procedures.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office software and able to learn and use institutional software systems.
• Familiarity with R for quantitative data analysis.
• Complies with all federal, state, and local laws.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with principles of data equity and equitable evaluation.
• Second language in addition to English are an asset.
• Prior experience collaborating or working in Alaska Native organizations may be an asset for the successful candidate.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. 

The person in this position will operate a computer and other office equipment, laptop computers or smart phones for data collection, copy machine, and computer printer. Communicate with staff and collaborators, remain stationary for longer periods of time, and move equipment including audio/visual equipment weighing up to 20 pounds.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  Open until filled; apply by Jan 3, 2024 for full consideration.

START DATE:  ASAP                            

PAY RATE: $51,480 - $56,160

Full-Time Position with Benefits

Please upload your resume, cover letter and letter of reference when you apply.

Must be able to pass background check.

Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums