EPD Jobs Board – Technical Operations Officer

SGAC is seeking a committed volunteer to serve as the Jobs Board Technical Operations Officer (TOO) for the Education & Professional Development (EPD) Platform. This role is essential for maintaining the platform’s technical integrity, security, and effectiveness, ensuring it reliably serves our global community of young space enthusiasts. In this role, the selected candidate will oversee the platform’s operations, enhance its functionality, and ensure it meets its users’ evolving needs. This position is ideal for someone with a strong background in platform management who is passionate about supporting the next generation of space industry professionals.

As one of SGAC’s five fundamental pillars, the EPD Platform has several subteams, each overseen by two team leaders coordinating with the EPD Coordinators. Therefore, the selected candidate will work with and report to the EPD Jobs Board Team Leaders.

About SGAC’s Education & Professional Development (EPD) Platform:

The EPD Platform is the central coordination arm that organizes, provides, and supports education and professional development activities across SGAC. It aims to serve as a gateway for those interested in starting a career in the space industry, providing various opportunities to gain technical knowledge, receive mentorship, and gain hands-on experience on technical projects. With an unwavering commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, it is an open platform available to the global SGAC Community, providing a wide range of resources and opportunities designed to meet the needs of individuals at different stages of their careers and across all of our regions.

Goals & Objectives

• Collaborate with the other SGAC Pillars and industry partners to offer high-quality education, S.T.E.A.M. outreach, and professional development opportunities.
• Build awareness of educational and professional development activities within and outside of SGAC and improve accessibility to space education.
• Support efforts to translate projects (e.g., hackathons, papers) and launch new EPD initiatives.

Responsibilities

This role is essential to successfully launching and sustaining the SGAC Jobs Board. It involves collaborating with the SGAC Web & Data Team to manage the platform’s development and maintenance and ensure it remains accessible and functional for SGAC members. The selected candidate will have the unique opportunity to play a vital role in all platform development phases.

In summary, the duties that come along with this position include but are not limited to:

• Platform Development and Maintenance
  1. Support the development, deployment, and ongoing maintenance of the Jobs Board’s technical infrastructure, deciding on the appropriate tools (e.g., WordPress ) and development stages.
  2. Regularly update the platform to incorporate new features and improvements, ensuring it meets the current and future needs of SGAC members.
• Operational Management
  1. Monitor the platform to ensure it operates smoothly with high uptime, implementing robust security measures to protect user data and prevent unauthorized access.
  2. Manage all platform functionality aspects, ensuring a seamless and efficient user experience.
• Collaboration and Coordination
  1. Work closely with the Jobs Board Team Leaders and the other EPD Teams to align the platform’s development with the overall strategic goals of SGAC’s EPD efforts.
  2. Act as the technical liaison between the Jobs Board and other SGAC teams to facilitate cross-collaboration, integration, and functional coherence.
• Technical Troubleshooting
  1. Address and resolve any technical issues, ensuring minimal disruption to platform services.
     Conduct regular tests and updates to improve system reliability and performance.

Estimated time commitment: On average, 4 Hours per week.

The position will have a probationary period of 3 months.

Necessary Qualifications

To be considered for this position, applicants shall possess the following qualifications:

• Be a registered SGAC member (Individuals can register for free on the SGAC Website)
• Be a citizen of a United Nations Member State
• Be between 18 and 35 years old during the appointment
• Serious interest in space-related activities, education, and professional development.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, quick-turnaround international environment and meet deadlines without compromising the quality of work.
• Experience in website development and management, such as WordPress or similar platforms.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently on complex technical issues.
• Professional Fluency (Speaking, Reading, and Writing) in English
• Professional Fluency (Speaking, Reading, and Writing) in other languages is a plus.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively in a virtual team.
• Strong attention to detail
• Cross-cultural and communication awareness

Benefits

This role offers the opportunity to help shape the Education and Professional Development Pillar of SGAC, enhancing our capacity to deliver high-quality, globally inclusive educational programs that empower our members and expand their professional horizons.

• Join a great team of fast-moving, impact-focused young experts across all disciplines of the international space community.
• Build technical skills and soft skills in a multicultural and professional environment.
• Work with the next generation of international space sector leaders in the world’s largest youth space network.
• Access relevant space policy materials, documents, magazines, etc.
• Potentially be nominated for SGAC leadership awards.
• Be invited to attend the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space meetings and other conferences as part of the official SGAC delegation.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please complete our Vacancy Application Form by June 30th, 2024, with the following documents as attachments:

• A Letter of Intent (maximum 1 page)
• Your CV (maximum 2 pages)
• List of three past experiences and how they have prepared you for this role (maximum 1 page)

Only complete applications will be considered.

Application Timeline

Depending on the quality and number of applications received, the selection committee may choose to hold interviews within the month after the deadline. Regardless, all applicants shall receive an update on their application at least a month after the deadline.