APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

This position is funded for 12 months; continuation past 12 months will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding.

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POSITION SPECIFICS​

The Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) at Penn State University is seeking a Community Engagement Specialist with experience in collaborative, community-engaged research (CEnR). This position will be filled at the Intermediate Professional or the Advanced Professional level, based on the successful candidate's qualifications.

The successful candidate will support CERAP’s mission by strengthening community-engaged research capacity and building meaningful university–community partnerships. They will play a central role in training, technical assistance, and coordination of CEnR projects while fostering community trust and collaboration. The ideal candidate will have direct experience working in and with communities, as well as experience working on social science and/or interdisciplinary research projects.

Responsibilities for this position include, but are not limited to the following:

• Facilitate community-university partnerships between Penn State investigators and community members and organizations
• Coordinate efforts to develop community capacity to co-create CEnR projects
• Provide CEnR support to faculty and community partners 
• Develop and facilitate CEnR trainings, and provide CEnR consultation to individuals, groups, and organizations
• Support collaborations with other SSRI units (e.g., Survey Research Center)
• Contribute to a Community Research Advisory Board
• Lead and participate in workshops and CERAP meetings
• Develop and facilitate CEnR presentations
• Contribute to CEnR dissemination efforts and facilitate community involvement in CEnR dissemination
• Participate in community outreach events and build and maintain a presence of CERAP in Pennsylvania communities
• Provide strategic leadership, management, planning, and implementation of CEnR projects
• Assist with CERAP general operations and events

This position requires a flexible schedule to include occasional evenings and weekends.