Job Description

The Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) is launching a new initiative dedicated to advancing a more responsive, accessible, and engaged science and technology enterprise that delivers greater benefits to all people and sustains the public’s enduring trust. ASTC is uniquely positioned to help lead a culture shift in which the excellence of scientific institutions is defined by deeper relationships with society and a stronger commitment to public impact. This initiative will emphasize empowering science centers and museums to serve as trusted civic spaces and advancing policies that increase meaningful public participation in science and technology decision-making.

To help realize this vision and support the initiative’s institutional capacity-building efforts, ASTC is seeking a Fellow for Public Engagement in Science Policy, a full-time 24-month position. The Fellow will play a pivotal role in building capacity for publicly engaged science policy at a time when the links between government support of science and the public benefits of science have weakened, threatening the foundation of modern research and development. Working closely with ASTC’s Senior Director for Future of Science Strategies, the Fellow will design, test, and document a new model for science policy development—one that is rooted in responsiveness to public priorities and values and that advances more trusted, impactful, and accountable outcomes for science and technology. 

Primary Responsibilities

Advance Public Engagement in Science Policy (70%)

In collaboration with the Future of Science team, design, plan, and execute a 24-month project to build capacity for publicly engaged science policy development at the state and/or federal level.

Conduct landscape research to identify existing models, methods, and opportunities for integrating public engagement into science policy processes.

Develop and test an adaptable Publicly Engaged Policy Playbook grounded in ASTC’s Community Science toolkits and other evidence-based engagement frameworks.

Coordinate with external partners—including science centers, policy organizations, and community-based institutions—to pilot engaged policy sprints and refine methods in real-world contexts.

Facilitate and document pilot engagements, capturing lessons learned and best practices for effective, scalable implementation.

Analyze outcomes and synthesize findings to build an evidence base demonstrating the benefits and impact of engaged policy development approaches.

Contribute to the creation of case studies, reports, and other materials that communicate outcomes and promote adoption of the model among policymakers, science institutions, and funders.

Support the dissemination of tools, insights, and recommendations through presentations, workshops, and participation in professional networks and convenings. 

Contributing to Broader Future of Science Efforts (15%)

Support initiative efforts to expand access to spaces for science-informed, open discourse on issues at the intersection of science and technology.

Inform efforts to understand public perceptions and values as it relates to science and technology issues.

Connect the Future of Science activities to other ASTC efforts to ensure that resources and insights are shared across programs, as appropriate.

Develop broad awareness of the importance of public engagement in building trustworthy institutions of science.

Support broader stakeholder engagement and coalition building efforts, including participating in meetings with partner organizations and networks. 

Responsibilities Shared by All ASTC Staff Members (15%)

Attend, provide staff support for, and contribute to the success of ASTC’s Annual Conference

Attend professional meetings and conferences as assigned to promote ASTC collaborations, programs, and activities

Other duties as assigned 

Required Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated success in advancing effective public engagement, stakeholder collaboration, and policy development efforts—preferably in contexts related to science and technology—and will be inspired by ASTC’s mission to strengthen public engagement with science. The Fellow should bring both strategic insight and practical experience in designing participatory processes that connect community priorities with policy development.

Core Skills

Facilitation and Process Design – Skilled in designing, organizing, and facilitating inclusive dialogues, deliberations, and co-creation processes that engage diverse stakeholders and perspectives.

Policy Synthesis and Distillation – Adept at translating complex policy issues into accessible materials for public deliberation and synthesizing insights from engagement activities into actionable recommendations.

Stakeholder Engagement – Experienced in building trust, maintaining relationships, and fostering productive collaboration across government, civil society, academia, and community organizations.

Participatory Methods – Knowledgeable in participatory democracy tools and techniques (e.g., citizens’ assemblies, participatory budgeting, deliberative polling, community forums, consensus-building) and able to adapt them to science policy contexts.

Inclusive Processes – Committed to ensuring that underrepresented voices are included, valued, and supported throughout the policy design and engagement process.

Attributes that will set you up to succeed in the role:

Strategic Thinker – Able to connect participatory approaches to institutional and policy goals, translating engagement into meaningful influence and impact.

Adaptive and Curious – Comfortable experimenting with new methods, learning from feedback, and tailoring approaches to different cultural, political, or organizational contexts.

Clear and Compelling Communicator – Skilled at conveying complex ideas in accessible language and fostering mutual understanding among participants and partners.

Collaborative Bridge Builder – Adept at navigating competing interests, managing conflict constructively, and finding common ground that advances shared outcomes.

Evaluation and Learning Orientation – Experienced in assessing the quality and impact of participatory processes and incorporating lessons learned into continuous improvement.