Job Description

Job Description Summary:

UCAR is excited to announce the opening for the role of Legislative Specialist. This position sits within the organization's Office of Government Relations, which serves as UCAR’s and NSF NCAR’s primary Washington, D.C. presence and voice to Congress and Federal and state policymakers. This includes representing UCAR’s broad community of university-based Earth system scientists with Federal and state policymakers.

The Legislative Specialist assists the Director of Government Relations in implementing UCAR’s Government Relations Strategy and the UCAR Advocacy Plan. This involves promoting Earth system science to legislative, Federal agency, and other policy audiences, showcasing UCAR’s and NSF NCAR’s scientific capabilities and achievements to policymakers, advancing UCAR’s institutional and community priorities, strengthening and protecting UCAR and NSF NCAR’s standing in Washington, and enabling Earth system scientists to effectively engage in and inform the policymaking process.

The Legislative Specialist will also work closely with other team members in the Office of Government Relations and in the UCAR President’s Office based in Boulder, Colorado. The Legislative Specialist may also mentor graduate student public policy fellows in the Government Relations office. Occasional travel to Boulder and elsewhere will be necessary (not more than 10% of work time).

Position Details:

Visa Sponsored Job:

No

Relocation Assistance Eligible:

No

Job Location:

Washington, District of Columbia

Position Type & Term:

Full time, Term - 6 months or more (Fixed Term)

Compensation Range:

Hiring Range: $85,000 - 100,000

*Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.*

Application Notes
NOTES

This is a hybrid role, with three weekly in-office days in Washington, D.C.

This is a full-time, three-year term position.

Required Application Materials:

Resume

Cover Letter - Within your cover letter, we kindly ask that you address the below:

Your experience in managing the implementation of advocacy or outreach campaigns on Capitol Hill.

Your experience in working with political parties and successfully building bipartisan support for policies or priorities.

Any experience you may have in working with scientists or other subject matter experts to translate complex scientific or technical topics to a legislative audience.

Background Checks: Conducted for candidates selected for hire. Learn more.
Work Location: Regardless of flexible work arrangements, UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.

HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT AT UCAR

Here is a brief outline of what one would expect to be responsible for in this role.

Promote UCAR & NSF, NCAR, and the university-based Earth system science community to legislative and other policy audiences:

Build and maintain connections and relationships with Congressional offices, including personal and committee offices, and with other Federal and state policymakers.

Cultivate awareness about UCAR & NSF NCAR research, education, and support programs in Congress and with other Federal and state decision-makers.

Plan, develop, and implement advocacy and outreach campaigns and/or briefings to inform Members of Congress and their staff about UCAR & NSF NCAR research and education expertise and capabilities.

Arrange and facilitate interactions between UCAR/NSF NCAR leaders and Members of Congress and their staff.

Promote UCAR’s interests and priorities and those of the broader university-based Earth system science community in legislation, Congressional oversight, and in other Federal and state policymaking.

Facilitate the use of UCAR & NSF NCAR science to inform and improve Congressional, Federal, state, and other policymaking.

Support UCAR’s community of Earth system scientists who engage in policy and advocacy:

Monitor, track, and enable opportunities for UCAR & NSF NCAR scientists and other Earth system scientists to engage with policymakers or serve in Federal advisory or policy roles (e.g., Federal advisory committees, policy fellowships, and National Academies panels).

Conduct legislative communications training and provide policy engagement guidance to UCAR & NSF NCAR scientists and university-based Earth system scientists.

Monitor and report on legislative, budget, and other policy proposals and trends of relevance to UCAR & NSF NCAR scientists and university-based Earth system scientists.

Develop, edit, and publish UCAR community advocacy updates for the UCAR website, social media, and/or direct email newsletters.

Participate in meetings of the UCAR Community Advocacy Advisory Board (UCAAB) and support committee functions as needed.

Support the UCAR Next Generation Policy Fellowship program, potentially including through mentorship and regular contact with fellows. 

Represent UCAR in the community of D.C.-based science policy and association professionals 

Cultivate awareness and support for UCAR & NSF NCAR’s research and education/support programs among scientific societies, associations, and the scientific community, and thought leaders.

Represent UCAR & NSF NCAR in D.C.-based science coalitions, such as the Coalition for National Science Funding,  Friends of NOAA, USGS Coalition, Heliophysics Coalition, and Climate Science Working Group.

Coordinate UCAR/NCAR participation in Congressional visits days sponsored by scientific societies and coalitions.

WHO WE’D LOVE TO JOIN OUR TEAM

Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:

Education & Experience

Required

Bachelor's Degree.

2-5 years of experience working in a Congressional office or in a government relations role where working with Congressional offices was a primary function.

Desired, Not Required

Master’s degree, Science policy experience, and Atmospheric and/or ocean sciences background.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Ability to build and maintain highly sensitive and high-value political relationships on behalf of UCAR.

Ability to absorb and integrate a large amount of sensitive policy and political information, including news and intelligence, from multiple sources with competing and politicized interests and agendas.

Must have an understanding, developed through experience, of federal legislative and budget processes and be able to apply that understanding to complex policy strategy and advocacy.

Must be able to accurately and inform the Director of Government Relations, as well as others in the organization and broader community, on policy issues critical to UCAR & NSF NCAR’s objectives.

Ability to analyze state and federal legislation and budgets and to summarize and convey information/understanding to scientists as well as to a lay audience. 

Experience and skill in translating scientific concepts and ideas to a Congressional audience.

Enthusiasm for engaging with Congressional staff, as well as scientific associations, and other policy professionals.

Strong ability to communicate priorities, via written products and in-person, to a wide variety of stakeholders, both internal and external, clearly and effectively.

Ability to work effectively with a diverse staff to accomplish goals.

Benefits Overview 

UCAR affirms its commitment to employees through competitive benefits. In addition to medical, dental, vision, retirement, and life insurance,  UCAR offers a variety of programs focused on work-life balance and professional, and personal development. These include:

Tuition Assistance, time off allowance to attend classes, and other professional development opportunities

UCAR contributes 10% of your eligible pay into your retirement account; 100% fully vested on day one

Starting minimum accrual of 20 days of personal time off each year (prorated for less than full-time positions)

10 paid holidays

10 days of sick leave each year

12 weeks of paid parental leave

Short-term medical leave paid at 100% of your regular salary

EcoPass for local Colorado residents to use the Denver and Boulder-area transit system at no cost