Science Support Specialist

  • Department: Science
  • Location: 4Culture, 101 Prefontaine Pl S, Seattle, WA 98104
  • FLSA Status: Regular, Full-Time (37.5 hours), non-exempt
  • Salary Range: Starting range is anticipated to be $26.99 - $33.65
  • Reports to: Bart J. Cannon, Ph.D. Science and Technology Director
  • Apply by: Monday January 20, 2025, 5:00 pm PST
  • Anticipated Start Date: March 16 or April 1, 2025

About Us

4Culture is an independent public agency, chartered under state law and King County ordinance in January 2003, after 35 years as the King County Office of Cultural Resources. The ideal candidate for this position champions public support for arts, culture, science, and technology and has demonstrated sustained commitment to advancing racial equity and social justice. As the cultural funding and services agency for King County, Washington, 4Culture works to make the region vibrant. The organization’s five program areas—Arts, Heritage, Historic Preservation, Public Art, and Science and Technology—put public resources to use all over King County.

Guided by a vision of a King County in which every person has what they need to explore and create culture, we’re working to become an actively anti-racist organization. We know that this work is urgent and ongoing; as a public agency, we’re committed to being transparent about our successes and failures. 4Culture is part of the system of white supremacy that has historically disadvantaged Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color. We are working to understand systems of structural racism, dismantle them with the tools available to us, and build up something equitable that supports and recognizes the value in cultural expression of all of people, especially those in King County.

About the Role

We are seeking qualified candidates for the position of Science and Technology Support Specialist II.  This position will provide support to department staff, assisting with the administration of grant programs for science-focused nonprofits as well as communicating with and providing technical assistance to grant applicants.

Unique to the history of 4Culture, this position will have the exciting opportunity to help launch a brand-new funding department.  For anyone committed to strengthening the role of science in society, this is a rare opportunity to make a lasting difference in the field.

You will be most successful in this position if:

  • You have experience with and enjoy working with CRM or other data management systems.
  • You have experience with grant management, particularly providing direct customer support to grant applicants.
  • You have the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues.
  • You are knowledgeable about regional science and technology nonprofits providing experiences to the public.

Additionally, you will be prepared to take on this role if you have following experience, abilities, commitments, and skills:

Committed to:

  • Advancing racial equity and social justice in how you conduct your work.  
  • The effectiveness and stability of King County’s science and technology organizations as well as advancing the field.
  • Building trust, credibility, and collaborative relationships with all stakeholders, including 4Culture staff, advisory and board members, county and city partners, and community leaders.
  • Excellent customer service and communication

Experienced with:

  • Grantmaking and philanthropy, particularly as it relates to broadening cultural opportunities in historically underinvested communities.
  • Supporting grant management and employing best practices in grantmaking.
  • Working directly with colleagues from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
  • Communicating policies and guidelines with members of the public from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Skilled in:

  • Supporting several complex projects simultaneously, often in a deadline-oriented environment requiring creative and flexible solutions
  • Data entry, management of data, and reporting
  • Effective written and oral communication with both internal and external stakeholders
  • Using Microsoft Office applications and Salesforce (or other) CRM.

Have the ability to:

  • Complete projects on time, retain important details, and respond to assignments promptly.
  • Be flexible and navigate ambiguity while remaining responsive to the needs of applicants and program participants.
  • Work with a range of stakeholders, such as nonprofit staff and board members, informal community groups, volunteers, and public officials.
  • Remain detail-oriented while managing multiple timelines and tasks In the context of a larger goal
  • Learn new digital systems, software, and other technology

Supervisory responsibilities:

  • This position has no supervisory responsibilities but may occasionally oversee interns and volunteers.

Job Responsibilities:

  • Under the supervision of the department director, provide program and administrative support for Science and Technology staff in implementing grant programs and initiatives.  This includes application and guideline development, potential applicant outreach, scheduling meetings, panel process support, organizing records, contract administration, program evaluation, and other tasks as assigned.
  • Respond to requests for information from the public regarding grant programs.
  • Provide technical assistance to grant applicants.
  • Support and strengthen the science and technology sectors locally by participating in related events and meetings.
  • Work with the department director, 4Culture staff, and partners to conduct outreach and reduce barriers to accessing Doors Open funding, to expand the base of science and technology organizations who apply for and receive support from 4Culture.
  • Contribute to the overall health and welfare of 4Culture by participating on internal sub-committees that address overarching issues affecting the operations of the agency and working collaboratively to create publications, presentations, and other 4Culture outreach and advocacy materials as needed.
  • File 4Culture public records in accordance with agency policy, following statutory requirements and best practices.

4Culture leadership has the right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time to ensure the success of the organization.

Minimum Qualifications:

We are looking for candidates that can demonstrate they have the skills listed above through a combination of their work, education, and life experience as demonstrated in their resume, and cover letter.

  • Two years’ experience working in a nonprofit, educational, or small government environment.
  • Experience with Salesforce or other customer relationship management software, and MS Office 365 including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and SharePoint. 

Desired Qualifications

    • Two years’ experience with public or private grant making.
    • Degree in science, inclusive of natural and social sciences as well as formal and applied sciences, such as mathematics and engineering.

Work Environment

  • Position works a 37.5 hour work week, Monday–Friday. 
  • This position will primarily be onsite 4Culture at 101 Prefontaine Pl S, Seattle, WA. Seattle. This position is hybrid (3 days in the office/2 days remote). 
  • Occasional early morning, evening and/or weekend hours are required.  
  • Alternative work arrangements may be considered and will be based on operational needs. 
  • Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Compensation:

The pay range for this position is between $26.99 - $40.38. Starting range is anticipated to be $26.99 - $33.65. Salary will be negotiated and based on the selected candidate and their experience and includes a competitive package of benefits. It is classified as Regular Full Time, non-exempt.

Benefits of Working at 4Culture

Working at 4Culture provides the chance to support and learn from the cultural community that makes King County a vibrant region to live in. Our mission affirms a deep commitment to racial equity as we work with our community to end institutional and structural racism. We work toward this goal, while supporting the physical and mental health of all 4Culture employees. Maintaining an appropriate work life balance is essential to our work, and 4Culture prioritizes staff wellness and the continual evolution of a healthy organizational culture.

The perks of working at 4Culture include:

  • A 37.5 work week, flex schedule
  • 12 days of vacation in the first five years of employment
  • 12 days of paid Holiday (including Juneteenth and Indigenous Peoples’ Day)
  • Sick leave and 12 weeks of paid Family and Medical Leave after working over 1 year at 4Culture; access to a lactation room.
  • Orca transit card
  • Attractive comprehensive health insurance package consisting of medical, dental, vision, and basic life and long-term disability insurance for employees.

To Apply

Apply online no later than Monday, January 20, 2025, 5:00 pm PDT. You will need to log in or create a 4Culture account in order to access the application.

Apply online no later than the deadline. You will need to log in or create a 4Culture account in order to access the application.

Please contact  if you have any difficulty with this process.

The privacy of applicants will be respected and preserved until the last phase of the hiring process. For example, references will be checked during the process of interviewing the finalists and with the applicant’s knowledge.

No Discrimination in Hiring

4Culture is committed to upholding and promoting equal opportunity in employment. We recognize that diverse perspectives, ideas, cultures, and life experiences of all employees are critical to our success. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace that reflects our residents, meets the needs of the communities we serve, and leverages the power of our employee's individual uniqueness. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to creed, age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical handicap, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability unless such limitations are necessary for the performance of the role and no less discriminatory alternatives are available.

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