Position Summary
The Associate Director of Education is a non-tenure-track Public Service Faculty position responsible for strategic leadership and operational oversight of the Marine Education Center and Aquarium. The role oversees daily operations, including supervision of faculty and staff, facilities, vessels, and vehicles, while ensuring compliance with institutional policies and effective budget administration.
This position serves on the Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant leadership team and leads the design, delivery, and evaluation of marine education and outreach programs aligned with unit priorities and National Sea Grant initiatives. The position fosters collaboration across university units, government agencies, and external stakeholders, and represents the organization at professional and public forums.
Additional responsibilities include guiding strategic planning, supporting development initiatives, securing external funding, and integrating education initiatives across multiple locations. The position requires demonstrated expertise in informal education leadership, program development, and team management, along with strong communication skills and a deep understanding of coastal and marine issues, particularly those relevant to Georgia’s coast.
This is an administrative, non-tenured public service faculty appointment in the public service faculty career ladder at the University of Georgia. The successful candidate will be appointed at the rank of Public Service Assistant Associate, or Senior Public Service Associate. For information about the requirements for each rank, please see Guidelines for Appointments and Promotion (http://outreach.uga.edu/policies/appointment-and-promotion-guidelines/).
Special Instructions to Applicants
All applications received by September 1, 2026 are assured full consideration.
Duties/Responsibilities
Administration and Leadership – 50%
- Oversee daily operations at the Marine Education Center and Aquarium including supervision and responsibility for the faculty and staff, facilities, vessels and vehicles; serve as an emergency point of contact for the campus
- Serve on the leadership team for Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, facilitating communication and integration of personnel and education efforts between the aquarium, the Shellfish Research Lab, the Brunswick office, and the headquarters office in Athens
- Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing, multi-tiered education team
- Establish clear goals, performance metrics, and accountability structures across the department
- Oversee education related expenditures and budgets and insure that all UGA policies are implemented at the Marine Education Center and Aquarium
- Secure extramural funding through grants and/or contracts to support marine education and outreach programming or facility upgrades
- Represent Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant and UGA at public and professional events
Marine Education Program Development – 25%
- Develop field, laboratory, discussion and outreach programs in marine science and coastal ecology for diverse audiences
- Instruct and evaluate marine education programs that include field and lab studies as well as discussion and distance learning experiences for a wide range of audiences to include Pre-K-12 students, educators, college students and adults
- Coordinate education activities with Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s research and extension programs and with National Sea Grant Program initiatives
- Evaluate effectiveness of educational programming
- Coordinate development of engaging, accessible visitor experiences within the aquarium
Strategic Planning and Development – 20%
- Lead strategic planning and program development for the unit’s education program
- Partner with the Development team to support funding opportunities and cultivate donors for education initiatives
- Work in partnership with communications and education staff to drive visitor growth, promote programs, and enhance public visibility of the aquarium and education initiatives
- Cultivate partnerships with university units, government agencies, and external partners
Other Duties – 5%
- Serve on university and unit committees
- Perform other duties as assigned
This is a Preview Listing…
You must sign in to see the full job description, and to apply.
Manage / Upgrade this job to a Full Job Listing.
Find Your Best Opportunity
Tell them AcademicJobs.com sent you!
