Director or Senior Director, Impact Research and External Relations with PhET Interactive

Job Summary

PhET Interactive Simulations at the University of Colorado Boulder
seeks a Director or Senior Director of Impact Research and External
Relations. This new position joins PhET’s leadership team to build
lasting relationships with funders and to strengthen the evidence
and story behind PhET’s impact. Working with the PhET team and
collaborators, the successful candidate will gather and synthesize
evidence of how PhET is used and the difference it makes for
educators and learners, research the funding landscape for
education and STEM, and learn what motivates people and
organizations to support PhET. They will use those findings to
shape new project directions, proposals, PhET’s case for support,
and impact communications, expanding PhET’s research, impact, and
sustainability. This work will also add to the research base on,
and serve as a case study of, sustainability models for open
educational resources.

PhET is a global, research-based program that has created more than
170 free, interactive simulations for science and math learning,
reaching about 50 million users each year in more than 130
languages. PhET brings a strong research record, a global educator
and professional development community, and partnerships with more
than 70 education technology organizations. It raises about $4
million each year for its team and operations from grants,
philanthropy, licensing, and services. The successful candidate
will lead the next phase of PhET’s research and funding strategy,
strengthening PhET’s evidence of impact, expanding its research
portfolio and funder relationships, diversifying its funding, and
identifying the strategies that will sustain PhET’s free resources
for educators and students.

You will work closely with PhET’s Executive Director, Dr. Kathy
Perkins, and Senior Director of Global Initiatives, Dr. Rebecca
Vieyra, who currently lead PhET’s major proposals, and with PhET’s
education researchers and designers. Together, you will build on
more than 20 years of peer-reviewed research on learning with
interactive simulations.

The position is level-flexible. Candidates will be considered at
the Director or Senior Director level depending on
experience.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all
applicable federal, state, and local laws governing
nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a
workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and
dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to
apply, including protected veterans and individuals with
disabilities.

Who We Are

Founded in 2002 by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman, the PhET Interactive
Simulations project at the University of Colorado Boulder is a
world leader in the design and use of interactive math and science
simulations for advancing STEM education. The PhET team is
dedicated to high-quality STEM education for all students,
disseminating PhET simulations as open (free) educational resources
globally and pioneering approaches for making interactive content
accessible to all learners. Today, PhET simulations are used more
than 250 million times per year globally and are available in more
than 130 languages.

The PhET team is a passionate, creative, and productive group,
including STEM education, simulation, and inclusive design experts,
education researchers, software engineers, quality assurance
specialists, business strategy and operations specialists, and
more. Our project is a blend of an academic research project, an
outreach project, and an innovative education technology company,
housed within the Department of Physics and working with diverse
partners at CU Boulder and around the world. PhET’s work has
received numerous international awards, including the 2019 Open
Education Global Award, the 2018 American Physical Society
Excellence in Physics Education Award, and a 2017 WISE Award.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Lead the development of new funding and research opportunities

for PhET, shaping project directions in partnership with PhET
leadership.

• Build PhET’s evidence base on its reach, use, and impact,

working with the PhET team and research collaborators to draw on
and analyze usage data, surveys, interviews, and stories from
classrooms around the world.

• Lead research on the funding landscape for education, STEM, and

educational technology, including funder priorities, giving trends,
and what motivates funders and supporters to invest in PhET, and
synthesize findings to guide PhET’s funding strategy.

• Lead PhET’s efforts to grow and diversify its funding by

building relationships with existing and prospective foundations,
companies, and other partners aligned with PhET’s mission and
impact.

• Shape PhET’s external positioning and case for support, drawing

on its research, global reach, and educational impact, and create
and test new approaches that raise PhET’s profile and open doors to
new funding and research opportunities.

• Develop and lead concept notes and grant proposals, partnering

with the Executive Director, the Senior Director of Global
Initiatives, and PhET’s researchers and designers on major
proposals.

• Report on grant outcomes and project impact, documenting

progress and results for funders.

• Research the funding strategies of peer open education and

mission-driven organizations, synthesize lessons for PhET, and
document PhET’s own approach as a case study to inform its
long-term strategy.

• Share findings through impact reports, white papers, conference

presentations, and publications developed with PhET leadership and
research collaborators.

• This position reports to Dr. Kathy Perkins, Executive Director

of PhET Interactive Simulations, and supervises a new Impact
Research and External Relations Specialist position being hired
concurrently.

What You Should Know

• We will consider candidates interested in a full-time,

40-hour-per-week appointment as well as candidates who prefer a 75%
appointment, such as 30 hours per week or a four-day schedule, with
salary prorated and full benefits.

• The anticipated start date is between January and March 2027.

We can be flexible for the right candidate; if you need a later
spring or summer start, please note your availability in your cover
letter.

• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

• This position may be based in Boulder or performed remotely

within the United States.

• The role includes travel to 2 to 4 domestic or international

conferences per year, as well as up to 4 additional trips to meet
with partners and funders.

What We Can Offer

• The annual salary range for this position is $100,000 to

$135,000 for a full-time appointment (40 hours per week), depending
on experience and level (Director or Senior Director). Salary for a
75% appointment is prorated.

• Modest relocation assistance is available, if relocating to the

Boulder area.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder , we are
committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our
employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical,
dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition
assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local
transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder
offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class
outdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one of
Forbes' America's Best
Large Employers , ranking #4 among large employers in Colorado
and #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks and
programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be ambitious. Be pioneering. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Experience building relationships with foundations, corporate

funders, or other external partners.

• Experience using research, data, or evaluation to understand

impact or inform strategy, such as impact measurement, program
evaluation, supporter or user surveys, or landscape or market
research.

• A record of developing successful grant proposals, including

grants of $100,000 or more from foundations, corporations,
government agencies, or multilateral organizations, or comparable
experience reviewing and awarding grants as a program officer or
Grantmaker.

• Knowledge of the funding landscape for US or global education,

STEM, or educational technology.

• For the Director level : at least 10 years of

professional experience in grant development, research, evaluation,
grantmaking, or fundraising. For the Senior Director level :
at least 15 years of professional experience in these areas,
including at least 3 years leading a program, function, or
team.

What You Will Need

• Strategic thinking and the ability to set priorities and plan

for the long term while meeting near-term goals.

• The ability to build trusted, long-term relationships with

funders, partners, researchers, and colleagues.

• Excellent writing and storytelling skills, including the

ability to explain research, impact, and programs clearly and
compellingly to different audiences.

• Strong analytical skills, including working with quantitative

and qualitative data and evidence to draw sound conclusions.

• Strong presentation and interpersonal skills, including

representing PhET with senior leaders at foundations, companies,
and global organizations.

• Comfort working independently in a small team, and building

processes where none exist yet.

• Commitment to PhET’s mission of free, research-based science

and math education for all learners.

What We Would Like You to Have

• Established relationships with foundations, corporate funders,

or networks that support US or global education, STEM, open
educational resources, or educational technology.

• Research, grant development, or fundraising experience in

education, STEM, open educational resources, educational
technology, a science center or museum, public media, or a
university research program.

• Experience writing impact, evaluation, or research reports,

especially on education or educational technology.

• Familiarity with research on teaching and learning.
• For the Senior Director level : a record of developing

successful proposals for, or awarding, grants or gifts of $500,000
or more.

• Experience building or leading a research or external relations

program in a small or growing organization.

• Experience growing funding and supporters, and telling an

organization’s story to them.

• Experience with international funders or global education

initiatives.

• Familiarity with one or more languages other than English.
• A graduate degree in education, a science or mathematics field,

the social sciences, evaluation, public policy, or a related
field.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

• A resume or CV.
• A cover letter describing your experience in grant development,

research, grantmaking, or fundraising, including how you have used
research, data, or evaluation in your work; your knowledge of and
relationships within the education and STEM funding community; and
your interest in PhET.

• A writing sample: a grant proposal, impact or evaluation

report, white paper, or case for support you wrote, or a comparable
document such as a grant recommendation or program strategy
(redacted as needed).

• Optional: Transcripts

During the application process, you will need to enter contact
information for three professional references. We will contact
these references, if needed, as the search progresses.

Early applications are encouraged. Applications received by
November 30, 2026, will receive full consideration . The
position will remain posted until filled.

Application materials will not be accepted by email; applications
must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in
any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying
information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school
attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting
or removing this information.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources

Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu