Program Officer - Hands-on-Science

Program Officer, Hands-on Science 

Exempt Full Time, San Francisco, CA 

The Foundation seeks a Program Officer who will serve as a leader in expanding its programs and grant portfolios in hands-on science, focused on supporting scientists at all levels who are exploring and asking important questions about our world. 

The Program Officer would conduct research and design programs in potential new, currently underfunded areas with dedicated people advancing hands-on research, such as 1) field-based geosciences, and 2) science communications (potentially including data visualization, illustration and photography). They would also help advise and oversee the existing work in Field Biology. This individual will interface with leaders and organizations in our grant portfolio and fellow funders; and lead communications efforts to promote the work of scientists and organizations that support them. This creative and motivated individual will join our small and dedicated team in a start-up environment in running programs and grants that support remarkable people and important places. 

The Program Officer will report to the Executive Director. 

About the Foundation 

Delle Maxwell and Pat Hanrahan started the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation in 2018 to support individual scientists, teachers, conservationists and creators whose diverse perspectives enable us to discover new things about ourselves and our world.

The Foundation supports people who:

• Explore and ask, through fieldwork in natural sciences
• Create and captivate, as they promote mastery in art and craft
• Teach and try, as they support students in public education
• Conserve and connect, as they encourage care for the natural world

The Foundation has four broad areas of interest: hands-on science, art and craft, teachers and classrooms and protecting nature. Our current programs include Field Biology; Craft; Diversity and Inclusion in Art, Design and Computing; Public School Teachers; Resilient California and Hawaii Ecosystems; and Food.

The Foundation’s interest in hands-on science is likely to encompass new programs and strategies in future years, and we would like this Program Officer to lead these new explorations. We expect all new programs to find under-the-radar people doing impactful science in areas that are not getting the funding and attention they might deserve. We believe that creative, curious people doing interesting and unique work can be found in unexpected places. Support for these people at critical points in their careers can be of great value. We also believe that specific focus areas in field-based science may be left behind by traditional funding sources. We don’t want to follow trends; we want to support new directions.

We have begun exploring grantmaking opportunities in a Science Communication program, which currently includes one strategy around science illustration internships. We are interested in exploring further strategies in a cohesive program that could support science illustration, data visualization and/or photography.

And, we are interested in exploring opportunities to support Field-Based Geosciences, with an emphasis on supporting areas of science and individuals who are not currently getting the funding and attention they might deserve, and where our funds could give them a boost.  

Our current program in Field Biology is our longest-standing program at the Foundation. The Awards in Field Biology and Field Research Scholarships and Internships are managed by our Program Associate with oversight from the Executive Director. It includes the following strategies: Awards in Field Biology, Field Research Scholarships and Internships, and Small Grants for Field Biologists. The Awards in Field Biology are annual awards that recognize up to five outstanding scientists with unrestricted funding, elevating their diverse perspectives and enabling them to commit time to observation and experimentation. To complement the Awards in Field Biology, the Foundation is supporting undergraduate- and graduate-level scholarships, internships and mentorship programs for fieldwork at an array of U.S.-based research institutions, in order to provide early scientists with meaningful, hands-on experiences that can really make a difference in their careers. And Small Grants provide early-career field biologists with quick turnaround funding to address immediate needs, like scientific equipment, gear or materials. 

The Foundation is poised to grow in future years, and aims to maintain a lean and effective staff. The Foundation is guided by a set of values both internally and in our work supporting others: curiosity and continuous learning; inclusion; innovation and risk-taking; flexibility; collaboration and teamwork; and fun. We have a focus on people, both internally and externally. We want to cultivate an organizational culture that supports people doing good work to make a difference. We want staff at the Foundation to feel remarkable, as well as the grantees. And, we want to support a staff that shares a common mission and who are passionate about their work. 

For more information about the Foundation, visit www.maxwell-hanrahan.org. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

Research and Program Strategy Development 

• Lead program strategy refinement and development for new programs in hands-on science, in collaboration with other staff and leaders in the field. These programs may include: Science Communications (potential), Field-Based Geosciences (potential) and other, yet-to-be defined areas of interest. 
• Gather insights from scientists, individual awardees, partners, scientist support organizations, research contractor(s), external advisors and other independent research to inform program design. Help organize and lead meetings of advisory committees. Use judgment and discretion to recommend grantee organizations and to interact with any potential grantees.
• Conduct selected research projects that support program development (in hands-on science or potentially other interest areas, which may include exploratory grants supporting teachers & classrooms). This work may include research on potential grantees, interviews with stakeholders and landscape analyses of potential funding areas. 

Grantmaking and Program Implementation 

• Advise and help oversee the existing Field Biology program and awards, managed by the Program Associate.  
• Build partnerships, trust and supportive relationships with current and potential scientists and organizations funded by the Foundation to help them achieve individual mastery and reach their goals. 
• Develop and manage new grants/awards including: gaining staff and Board input; identifying potential grantees and projects; communicating with potential and current grantees to better understand needs and opportunities; structuring awards for desired impact in a grantmaking process that centers trust in awardees/grantees and reduces their administrative burden; conducting due diligence; and monitoring progress in a collaborative and supportive manner. Develop a grantmaking pipeline to meet annual budgets for giving. 
• Help promote and network the winners of the Awards in Field Biology and future individual awards programs in science. 
• Work with internal and external partners to expand the reach of our science programs, which may include requests for proposals and other participatory grantmaking strategies. 
• Help evaluate program implementation approaches to learn and adapt over time. Contribute to the development of a simple approach to programmatic monitoring and evaluation. 
• Review grantee reports and prepare summaries to present to management and to inform future grantmaking. 

External Relations and Communications 

• Cultivate an inclusive network of partners, allies and learning opportunities to inform the Foundation’s growth. Maintain currency and fluency in key issues in field-based sciences and science communications. 
• Develop programmatic communication and networking strategies, which may include media or in-person convenings and events. 
• Assist with researching, selecting, and preparing written information needed for Foundation communications, including press releases, social media and website. 
• Assist management with follow-up on requests for information and resources.
• Comfortably represent the Foundation to external audiences: other Foundations, non-profits, awardees and community leaders. 

Desired Competencies and Qualifications 

Please view this list as guidance. If you do not meet all of the items on this list, and have skills and experiences that would be an asset to the role, please apply. 

• Skills and networks in science, including support for individual scientists, academic and educational programs, hands-on research experience, and/or the intersection of science and technology or other fields 
• Commitment to the Foundation’s mission to support innovative people working in field-based science, art and craft, teaching and protection of the natural world–and demonstrated broad interests across these interest areas 
• Nonprofit experience, with foundation experience preferred 
• Creative and insightful strategy design, with a track record of collaborative program development 
• Experience with creative and trust-based program and grants management through a variety of approaches, light-touch monitoring and evaluation, and strategic communications 
• Experience in reviewing scientific nominations/applications with criteria such as originality and quality/impact, with both an open mindset for new and exciting directions and the ability to contextualize in a field of work 
• Willingness to support and promote an inclusive culture at the Foundation 
• Demonstrated humility and trust of peers in the field, and a service orientation 
• Education and/or professional experience in a related field in science, program or human-centered design or nonprofit management 
• A team-oriented person with great interpersonal skills. 
• Thrives on variety and wearing multiple hats, and is comfortable in a start-up environment 
• Willingness to listen and ask questions, and comfort giving and receiving advice
• Collaborative and transparent, and able to inspire confidence and trust among multiple stakeholders, including staff, Board and other organizations 
• Holds unquestionable integrity and commitment to personal and professional excellence
• Displays excellent oral and written communication 
• Takes initiative to get things done, while exercising strong judgment on when to elevate an issue 
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills; highly organized with an attention to detail, timeliness and a commitment to rigor 

The Foundation is an equal employment opportunity employer. We have a commitment to diversity and encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply.

Compensation and Location 

Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation offers an excellent benefits package and a competitive salary that is commensurate with experience. The expected salary range for this position is $135,000-$200,000, depending on skills and experience.

The position will be located in San Francisco, CA, with an option for telecommuting.

To Apply 

The attributes listed above represent our current thinking for this position. If you do not meet all of the items on this list, and have skills, qualifications and experiences that would be an asset to the role, we encourage you to apply and tell us about yourself. Please send a resume and cover letter in one PDF to [email protected]. In the letter, please describe your interest in the mission of the organization and how your skills and qualifications relate to this job. You can be a great candidate even if you don’t fit everything we have described. You may have important skills that we haven’t thought of and we encourage you to use the letter to share more about yourself.

We anticipate the interview process will include a series of interviews, up to: one 30-minute phone call, a 75-minute video interview, an in-person interview day (with 2-3 sessions). Throughout the process, we will make sure there is sufficient time for you to ask us questions. Interviews can be scheduled outside of normal business hours, if needed. With your permission, we ask final candidates to provide references and we complete a background check. We are committed to keeping you informed of your status throughout the process.