Reports To
Vice President, Communications
Job Level
Coordinator
Department
Communications
FLSA Status
Exempt
Location
Arlington/Hybrid
Position Type
Full-Time
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Position Summary:
Inspire the next generation of aerospace and STEM leaders!
As the Coordinator, American Rocketry Challenge & Program Outreach, you’ll play a pivotal role in the American Rocketry Challenge—the world’s largest student rocket contest and the aerospace and defense industry’s signature STEM program. Your work will empower over 5,000 middle and high school students to design, build, and launch model rockets, fostering hands-on experience in solving engineering problems. Additionally, you’ll contribute to our Aerospace STEM Club initiative, engaging historically excluded backgrounds through clubs and summer camps.
Reporting to the Vice President, Communications, you will facilitate team registration and engagement, deliver year-round programmatic content, and execute event planning for our National Finals event. You will conduct internal and external communications and coordinate with program partners, exhibitors, and vendors.
You will also assist with AIA’s Aerospace STEM Club initiative. Developed from a Space Act Agreement with NASA in 2023, the Aerospace STEM Clubs aim to engage second through sixth grade students from historically excluded backgrounds in STEM to the field of aerospace through a pilot program developed for clubs and summer camps.
The ideal person for this position is an exceptionally well organized, proactive, collegial, customer service-oriented problem solving professional with excellent communication skills and attention to detail. The position requires a strong history of reliability, excellent operations skills, and outstanding oral and written communication ability. The incumbent must be able to quickly switch between near- and long-term tasks, and balance that against supporting strategic planning and execution demands for each division. Managing relationships, complex schedules, streamlining day-to-day operations, maintaining excellent records, and meeting constantly changing deadlines and requirements is essential to the position.
Key Responsibilities:
This position does not require experience with rocketry, aerospace, or engineering.
- American Rocketry Challenge (80%)
- Collaborate with AIA staff in the administration of all program management related to the American Rocketry Challenge
- Deliver top notch customer service as the first point of contact for students and teams in addressing and solving program-related questions and issues
- Review and manage team registrations, grants, and flight data, including data entry and review through our online application portal
- Coordinate event planning for the National Finals and International Rocketry Challenge including vendor, exhibitor, and volunteer outreach
- Assist in the development and execution of outreach initiatives, including internal and external communications strategies (e.g. team communications, recruitment, webinars, social media, newsletters, partner engagement)
- Maintain content and team resources on the program website and assist in the production of the annual Year in Review
- Conduct analytics and surveys on program impact including demographic data
- Help onboard, train, and oversee interns
- Administrative support to include scheduling, meeting logistics, expense reports, and travel arrangements
- Ensure timely and accurate receipt, processing, and verification of program invoices utilizing organizational financial systems
- STEM Programs and Outreach (15%)
- Promote and foster the development of the Aerospace STEM Clubs
- Liaise with AIA staff and external vendors to produce in-person programs and activities
- Conduct research and analysis on current and prospective projects and strategic initiatives
- Collaborate internally with AIA’s Workforce and Communications efforts to increase awareness about the industry’s workforce efforts, as well as encourage students to pursue aerospace careers
- Enterprise-wide Collaboration (5%)
- Provide support to AIA-wide flagship events, including bi-yearly meetings, quarterly executive meetings, and monthly industry-wide interactions
- Collaborate with other division Coordinators/Senior Coordinators on organization-wide needs on an as needed basis, to include planning/execution of meetings or events led by other parts AIA
- Participate in special projects, focus groups, and other assignments as needed
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications and Experience:
Desired Skills/Experience
- One year work experience in STEM outreach, program/project management, social impact, or operations
- Exceptionally organized, detail-oriented, and proactive.
- Strong interpersonal skills including customer service, relationship and trust building, and communication and listening
- Strong writing and verbal communication skills
- Experience in and passion for STEM education and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs.
- Ability to work under time pressure to meet deadlines and balance near- and long-term tasks. In addition, be flexible where extra hours are needed without always being asked
- Experience with content creation—written and visual. Basic graphic design skills are a plus
- Experience with Click-up or another project management software
- Experience with SurveyMonkey Apply is a significant plus
Education
- An associate or bachelor’s degree in an appropriate field or equivalent work experience
To Apply, please send the following documents to jobs@aia-aerospace.org:
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Equal Opportunity Employer
AIA is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace, committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity/expression or veteran status.