Job Description

The Rita Allen Civic Science Fellow working with the Science Incubator Lab is a full time 18-month fellowship position focusing on evidence-based approaches to communicating about science in polarized political or information environments. We are particularly excited for our Civic Science Fellow to explore ways of depolarizing policy-relevant debates about biomedical science.

Envisioned as a Civic Science Lab, Fellows and partners carry out pioneering work to co-create pilots, partnerships, knowledge, models, and new ways of working that can help seed collaborations between science and society. All Fellows will engage as a cohort in a learning program and community, developed in collaboration with the network and an interdisciplinary committee of advisors ( https://civicsciencefellows.org/).

One Fellow will be embedded in the Science Communication Incubator Lab ( SCI Lab), while the other will be embedded in the Community Engagement group The SCI Lab and Community Engagement teams collaborate to create research-informed science engagement programs that connect the scientific enterprise with the public. The selected individuals must be able to begin employment no later than September 1, 2026.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Conducts literature reviews, prepares reports and materials, (co-)authors publications, and disseminates information to appropriate entities
• Collects and analyzes complex research data according to established policies and procedures
• Coordinates collaborations with external partners and stakeholders and with related projects and collaborators at the University of Wisconsin - Madison
• Works in close collaboration with Morgridge Institute investigators and practitioners to increase community engagement and inform the programs and communications at Morgridge and the University of Wisconsin - Madison more broadly.

Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each primary duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary duties.

Education and Experience:

• A PhD in a social sciences discipline, such as (the science of) science communication, formal or informal science education, psychology, sociology, political science, computational social science, or another position-relevant discipline
• Experience in scholarly or on-the-ground engagement with communities that might see themselves as disconnected from science, based on real or perceived divides across value-based, ideological, or demographic differences
• Experience in research program or project management

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Demonstrated ability to design, conduct, and publish high-quality social scientific research
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly the ability to communicate scientific information effectively with expert and lay audiences
• Interest in connecting science communication research and practice
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment, and develop positive relationships with co-workers
• Familiarity with social media platforms for research and communication

Working Conditions and Physical Effort:

• No or very limited physical effort is required
• No or very limited exposure to physical risk