APPLICATION CLOSES ON MARCH 13TH, 2023 AT 12:00PM ET.

Washington D.C. – Full-Time – Remote with occasional travel to Washington, D.C.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The FAS Day One Talent Hub is seeking a fellow for a 1-year term (with potential opportunity to extend) to join the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) team within the U.S. Department of Education (Department). The Fellow will support OESE programs that serve rural and geographically isolated communities and advance the work of the Rural Partners Network (RPN), a whole-of-government initiative to advance equitable rural prosperity by improving community capacity, engagement, and access to resources. In this role the fellow will engage across the Department through the Rural Strategy and Action Team (RSAT). 

Through engagement with teams across the Department, other federal agencies, and external stakeholders the fellow will also identify and recommend opportunities for the Department to better support rural communities. This may include developing tools and resources to assist rural educators and students, highlighting promising practices for the field, determining ways to best understand rural contexts and leverage existing datasets, and developing communication and engagement strategies. In addition, to enhance how the Department addresses the unique needs and considerations of Tribal Nations, the fellow will work with the White House Council on Native American Affairs, and its existing subgroups and structures, including the Department’s Office of Indian Education, to identify and implement policies that strengthen Tribal sovereignty and self-determination.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

The Fellow’s duties and responsibilities in OESE will include but are not limited to the following:

• Distillation and analysis of relevant research, program evaluation, grantee data to identify trends and translate findings into program and policy recommendations related to rural education.
• Coordinating, convening, and supporting an internal ED working group affiliated with RSAT focused on addressing the unique needs and considerations of Tribal Nations in rural communities. 
• Coordinate ED’s implementation of education- related RPN community network projects by assessing available resources, providing technical assistance to community networks, developing new resources for Rural.gov, and supporting related RPN community network activities.  
• Organizing and implementing a quarterly professional learning community for Department of Education staff implementing rural education programs.
• Work with OESE and ED’s Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development (OPEPD), Office of Communication and Outreach (OCO), and other ED office colleagues to support messaging, content development, and other communications in support of rural education.
• Other project management and content-related duties related to implementation of the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP).

YOUR BACKGROUND AND ABILITIES

The ideal candidate for this role is: 

1. An excellent communicator, collaborative problem solver, field builder/leader, and project manager who is passionate about meeting the needs of rural and geographically isolated learners.

2. Knowledgeable of challenges specific to rural education (e.g., access to advanced coursework and higher education, teacher and staffing shortages, and infrastructure constraints) and the types of initiatives implemented to address the unique needs of rural school districts.   

3. Highly self-motivated, highly organized, and excels at prioritization and implementation of multiple urgent priorities.

4. Capable of analyzing a wide range of data to develop feasible policy and program recommendations that result in improved grantee outcomes. 

5. Someone who can contribute to high-level strategy and policy development, while also developing and executing on the minute details of program development and implementation, event planning, and grant management.

This person will report to the Group Leader of the REAP team and will work closely with the Office of Indian Education and Rural Strategy and Action Team, as well as other colleagues in OESE, OPEPD, and OCO.

Core attributes include:

• Excellent communicator 
• Attention to detail while managing complex projects and timelines
• Customer service and problem-solving collaborative orientation
• Knowledgeable about rural education policy and programs
• Highly organized
• Strategic thinker
• Core commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access

SALARY

This fellowship will provide a salary for the entirety of the fellowship duration at an annual rate of $145,000 per year. The Impact Fellow will receive additional compensation $2,000 per month to account for health and living expenses. Additional information about the Fellowship can be found in our FAQ.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please submit your interest here. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. Early submission will ensure your application receives full consideration.

ABOUT IMPACT FELLOWSHIPS

The FAS Impact Fellowship is a selective fellowship program that supports the development and placement of emerging scientific and technical talent within high-impact roles across the federal government. From education to clean energy, immigration, wildfire resilience, national security, and fair housing, Impact Fellows are serving across a variety of federal agencies in roles that augment existing government teams as they confront some of the greatest scientific and social challenges of our time.