Role Overview
The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, is looking for a Scientific Writer and Education Consultant to serve as a central collaborator in the design, delivery, and assessment infrastructure of a scientific publication program. This role combines expertise in scientific communication with curriculum development and adult learning and requires someone equally comfortable analyzing manuscript structure and facilitating engaging workshops for early-career researchers.
The consultant will work closely with program leadership to develop the program's core learning architecture and curriculum and will serve as a key feedback provider for trainee manuscripts.
Key Responsibilities
Curriculum Development
- Design and sequence structured learning modules that build competency progressively, from foundational scientific communication principles to publication-ready writing.
- Develop annotated case studies and exercises for use in both synchronous workshops and asynchronous/microlearning formats.
- Create discipline-adaptable learning exercises and guided analysis activities that trainees can complete independently or in cohort groups.
- Lead the development of a modular manuscript assessment rubric with a universal core (applicable across scientific disciplines) and discipline-specific add-on components, in collaboration with program leadership.
Workshop Facilitation
- Deliver engaging and evidence-based scientific writing workshops (in-person or virtual)
- Record workshops for asynchronous use, ensuring recordings function as standalone instructional resources.
- Adapt facilitation approach to a mixed audience of postdoctoral researchers and advanced PhD students across scientific disciplines.
Manuscript Feedback and Coaching
- Provide structured, rubric-anchored written feedback on trainee manuscript drafts
- Guide trainees in interpreting reviewer feedback and developing well-reasoned, professional rebuttal responses.
Program Evaluation Support
- Contribute to the design of pre- and post-program competency surveys in collaboration with program leadership.
- Assist in interpreting scoring data and trainee outcomes to inform program refinement between cohorts.
- Participate in program documentation to support ongoing program refinement.
Qualifications
Required
- Advanced degree in a scientific discipline, science communication, education, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience in scientific writing, editing, or communication for peer-reviewed publication contexts.
- Proven experience developing educational curricula or structured training programs, preferably for graduate or postdoctoral audiences.
- Experience designing and facilitating workshops or training sessions, in-person and/or virtually.
- Familiarity with rubric development and competency-based assessment frameworks.
- Ability to provide feedback on scientific manuscripts focused on communication quality — structure, clarity, argumentation, and flow — without requiring deep domain expertise in every discipline represented by trainees.
- Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple deliverables within a structured program timeline.
Preferred
- Experience working with or within a journal editorial process, or familiarity with peer review workflows.
- Experience supporting researchers from diverse scientific disciplines.
- Prior work with grant writing training or assessment.
What We Offer
- Flexible scheduling with a mix of in-person/virtual engagements or fully in-person or fully remote.
- Competitive consulting rate commensurate with experience ($50-$80 per hour).
How to Apply
Please submit the following materials as one file directly to sharmav@uchicago.edu:
- CV or resume.
- A brief cover letter (1–2 pages) describing your experience in scientific writing, curriculum or rubric development, and workshop facilitation, and your interest in this program.
- One or two samples of relevant work (e.g., a curriculum outline, rubric, workshop materials, or edited/annotated scientific manuscript).
