Job Opportunities
The Federation of American Scientists is an equal opportunity employer continually seeking to diversify its staff and offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a rewarding work environment. With less than 30 full-time staff, the FAS offices are casual and collegial. Learn how you can become part of our team.
Current Job Postings
Position Description: PRESIDENT/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FAS is currently seeking an individual to serve as its President who is a recognized authority in the area of national security, possesses a working familiarity in FAS’ other programs, has a proven track record in building an organization and has experience in or an aptitude for raising funds.
MISSION AND HISTORY: The Federation of American Scientists’ (FAS) mission is to make the world a better and safer place by influencing public policy with credible scientific and technical analyses. FAS was founded in 1945 by scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project to develop the first atomic bombs. The founders believed that scientists had a unique responsibility to both warn the public and policy leaders of potential dangers from scientific and technical advances and to show how good policy could assure the benefits of new scientific knowledge.
FAS today focuses on the intersection of science and policy. Working with multi-disciplinary teams from academia, industry, and the public sector, FAS uses scientific analyses to develop and implement practical options for action and then communicates these clearly to the public, press, and policy-makers. FAS currently has programs in Strategic Security, Learning Technology, and Energy and Environment.
SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF THE POSITION:
- The President should have a reputation for excellence that is recognized nationally and as a result, brings credibility and stature to the organization.
- The President must possess excellent communication skills to serve as the public face of the organization.
- The President must possess demonstrated leadership skills and management abilities.
- The President must possess a solid knowledge and understanding of fiscal issues and budgetary matters surrounding a multi million dollar organization.
- The President should have an advanced degree, preferably in the sciences.
SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION:
- The President is responsible for developing the vision and strategy for the organization to ensure its continued relevancy and worth. Working with the senior members of the staff, as well as with the Board of Directors, the President is responsible for developing the long-range strategies, goals, plans and policies for the organization to achieve the desired outcomes. Once the Board of Directors has approved the strategies and goals, the President is then responsible for their implementation and their overall success. The President shall report to the Board, which retains the right to review, confirm, or reject the implementation of policy.
- The President is responsible for developing and implementing all fund raising activities to ensure an adequate revenue stream to meet the organization’s needs.
- The President is responsible for being the public face of the organization at press conferences, official functions, speeches, congressional testimony and at face-to-face meetings with policy-makers.
- The President is authorized to interpret FAS policy, to determine FAS policy positions, and to represent them to the public, in consultation with and within general guidelines established by the FAS Chair, Directors, and other FAS members as may be appropriate.
- The President is responsible for the development, implementation and compliance with policies and directives, to include but not limited to, policies regarding governance, risk management, financial reporting, as well as compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
- The President is responsible for the daily execution of the business to include, but not limited to, overseeing the daily work of the staff and the project directors.
- The President is responsible for developing the organization’s annual budget and presenting and defending that budget to the organization’s Board of Directors.
- The President is responsible for developing an investment strategy for the organization in order to ensure adequate assets are available to meet the organization’s needs and goals, and then presenting that strategy to the Audit and Finance Committee for review.
-The President, working with the Director of Operations, is responsible for establishing and maintaining FAS’s disclosure controls and procedures to include, but not limited to, internal controls over financial reporting, and processes for public disclosure documents.
REQUIREMENTS:
To apply for the position, please send an e-mail to sstewart@fas.org with “FAS President” as the subject along with (1) a resume and (2) one- or two- paragraphs about your interest in the position.
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Biosecurity Project
Job Title: Project Manager for Biosecurity
Location: Washington, D.C.
Salary: Commensurate with experience, generous benefits
Education: Ph.D. in Biology, Heath Science, or related field; Masters degree considered. Experience working with biosecurity, chemical weapons, and health policy issues is desired.
Description: FAS is looking for a smart, energetic individual to help manage the Biosecurity Program and further develop existing research programs on biological and chemical weapons. Job duties include spearheading development of high-quality educational material on dual-use awareness, expanding upon previous collaborations with Law Enforcement agencies to better understand their interactions with scientists, and helping to design a major web-based project using innovative video, multimedia, and social networking tools to revolutionize the way biosecurity information and policies are communicated. This project is part of an ambitious FAS program to use web 2.0 principles and new technologies to provide comprehensive information on biological and chemical weapons.
Candidates should have taken graduate-level courses in biology or chemistry and have knowledge of html, web design, and image/video editing. Familiarity with Flash, MySQL database management, and Wordpress blog software is highly desirable but not essential. Strong writing skills are necessary and the candidate should have previous scientific publications.
FAS professionals are expected to be highly motivated and able to work independently. They are expected to be able to analyze complex issues and summarize findings; communicate clearly, both orally and in writing; have strong organizational skills; be capable of prioritizing work assignments in a heavy workload environment; and possess superior research and information technology skills.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
- Maintains an active network of research and collaborative partners in the biosecurity community and attends seminars and events to stay current in the research area.
- Administers and maintains existing biosecurity projects, website, and list serve.
- Continues to expand the Dual-use Education materials, works to continue video interviews for our Law Enforcement project, develops portal for biosecurity reporting and advice.
- Manages one or more contracts/grants with responsibility for successful development and delivery of products, reporting, and budget administration and oversight. Identifies funding opportunities and prepares proposal submissions.
- Interacts with the other project managers at FAS, the wider policy community, and the media.
The FAS Biological and Chemical Weapons Control Project defines biosecurity challenges that face the nation, provides sound information and policy guidance, and advocates for overall preparedness for public health emergencies such as pandemics, disasters, and terrorism events. It covers all aspects of chemical and biological weapons and their control, but concentrates on researching and advocating policies that balance science and security without compromising national security or scientific progress. That includes preventing the misuse of their research and promoting public understanding of the real threats from biological and chemical weapons.
To Apply: Please send a cover letter detailing how your background applies to the specific job responsibilities and duties, a résumé and salary history/requirements to sstewart@fas.org with the subject line BIO JOB:
Alternatively, materials may be faxed to (202) 675-1010.
Note: Position available immediately. Applications will be accepted until position is filled. Complete applications will be considered first for interviews.
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Internships
Title: Strategic Security Intern - Iran
Duration: Fall 2009
Deadline: September 11, 2009.
The Strategic Security Program has an ongoing project on Iran’s nuclear program. By doing a technical
assessment of Iran’s uranium enrichment efforts, FAS aims to develop a comprehensive picture of the
country’s nuclear capabilities and potential based on open-source data and ultimately, determine how
these could be used to manufacture a nuclear weapon.
We are looking for an intern with knowledge of Farsi and an interest in international security, nuclear
arms control or nonproliferation issues. The position involves conducting research, collecting data and
performing basic analysis to support the work of FAS staff. This is a part-time volunteer position for the
Fall of 2009.
QUALIFICATIONS:
• High academic achievement with interest in international security, nuclear arms control or
nonproliferation issues
• Knowledge of Farsi
• Excellent research skills, past research experience a plus
• Excellent writing and editing skills
• Detail-oriented with strong time management and organizational skills
• Experience with web-editing with knowledge of basic HTML and web content management
systems a plus.
EDUCATION:
• Undergraduate or graduate student
• Pursuing a degree in political science, public policy, international relations, regional studies,
security studies or linguistics; other fields considered if interests and experience are relevant to
the position.
REQUIREMENTS:
To apply for the position, please send an e-mail to fas@fas.org with “Strategic Security Intern - Iran”
as the subject along with (1) a resume along with 3 references, (2) cover letter with dates of availability
and (3) two-page writing sample.
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Title: Strategic Security Intern - Undergraduate
Duration: Fall 2009
Deadline: September 11, 2009.
The Strategic Security Program is developing a website on nuclear arms control issues. We are looking for an intern with an interest in international security, nuclear arms control and nonproliferation issues to provide research and writing support to FAS staff. The job will involve creating, editing and publishing content to the FAS website. The intern may assist staff with research and writing on additional projects as need be. This is a part-time volunteer position for the Fall of 2009.
QUALIFICATIONS:
• Excellent research skills with past research experience strongly preferred
• Excellent writing and editing skills
• Detail-oriented with strong time management and organizational skills
• High academic achievement with interest in international security, nuclear arms control or nonproliferation issues
• Experience with web-editing with knowledge of basic HTML and web content management systems strongly preferred.
EDUCATION:
• Undergraduate in junior or senior year
• Pursuing a degree in political science, public policy, international relations, security studies or other field if interests and experience are relevant to the position.
REQUIREMENTS:
To apply for the position, please send an e-mail to fas@fas.org with “Strategic Security Intern” as the subject along with (1) a resume along with 3 references, (2) cover letter with dates of availability and (3) two-page writing sample.
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Title: Strategic Security Intern - Graduate
Duration: Fall 2009
Deadline: September 11, 2009.
POSITION DESCRIPTION:
The Strategic Security Program is developing a website on nuclear arms control issues. We are looking for an intern with a background in international security, nuclear arms control or nonproliferation issues to assist with research and writing for this project. The job will involve publishing content to the FAS website. The intern may support staff with research and writing on additional projects as need be. This is a part-time volunteer position for the Fall of 2009.
QUALIFICATIONS:
• High academic achievement with interest in international security, nuclear arms control or nonproliferation issues; previous course work in the field required
• Excellent research skills with past research experience
• Excellent writing and editing skills
• Detail-oriented with strong time management and organizational skills
• Experience with web-editing with knowledge of basic HTML and web content management systems a plus
EDUCATION:
• Graduate student
• Pursuing a degree in political science, public policy, international relations, security studies or other field if interests and experience are relevant to the position
REQUIREMENTS:
To apply for the position, please send an e-mail to fas@fas.org with “Strategic Security Intern” as the subject along with (1) a resume along with 3 references, (2) cover letter with dates of availability and (3) two-page writing sample.
No phone calls, please.
Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship
Title: Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship
Location: Washington, DC
Compensation: stipend of $2,200 per month and health insurance, plus travel expenses to Washington, DC.
Deadline: Spring 2010 Fellowship--October 15, 2009
The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship invites college graduates to apply for six to nine month fellowships in Washington, DC, focusing on arms control, peace, and international security issues. Scoville Fellows serve with one of the twenty-five participating public-interest organizations. They may undertake a variety of activities, including research, writing, and advocacy on a range of security issues, including nuclear, chemical andand peacekeeping, that support the goals of their host organization, and may attend coalition meetings, policy briefings and Congressional hearings. biological weapons, non-proliferation, missile defense, weapons trade,
Benefits include a stipend, health insurance and travel to Washington, DC.
For complete details, see www.scoville.org or call (202) 543-4100 x124. There is no application form; the application requirements are listed on the website, as are links to the websites of each of the twenty-five participating organizations and information on the work of current and former Scoville Fellows. Applications may be submitted via email. A flyer about the program can be printed from http://www.scoville.org/flyer.
Please contact Paul Revsine at (202) 543-4100 x124 with any questions regarding the Fellowship.
