Program Specialist - Program Strategy and Operations

 

Who we are:
 

The American Physical Society (APS) is a nonprofit membership organization working to advance and diffuse the knowledge of physics through its outstanding research journals, scientific meetings, and education, outreach, advocacy, and international activities. APS represents more than 50,000 members, including physicists in academia, national laboratories, and industry in the United States and throughout the world.

 

Position Summary:

The Program specialist - program strategy and operations provides vital administrative, logistical, and operational support across the department’s portfolio of programs, meetings, and cross-functional initiatives. Collaborate with the senior program manager - program strategy and operations to support member-facing programs and events, including conference logistics, scheduling, and departmental agendas. Design and implement training for operational systems, compile and track program evaluation metrics, coordinate logistics for national scientific meetings on behalf of the department, and process and track stipends, reimbursements, and expense documentation for academic events and conferences. This position will also provide some resource support to the staff liaisons to the APS Committee on Education (COE) and the Committee on Careers and Professional Development (CCPD), apply today!

This position is primarily remote, but the specialist is expected to perform duties in the College Park, MD or Washington, DC offices 2 - 4 days per month. 

APS has a “remote first” concept that promotes equal treatment and equal access within the United States, independent of physical work location, with a majority of staff working primarily from remote work locations. APS values diversity and welcomes candidates from a variety of backgrounds. APS offers a dynamic work environment with an outstanding total compensation package, including salary, outstanding benefits, and excellent paid time off.
 

Responsibilities:

• Provide administrative and logistical support for meetings and gatherings, such as preparing and distributing agendas and other meeting materials, reserving and preparing facilities, and recording and transcribing meeting minutes.
• Monitor progress on specific projects to ensure that deadlines are met and deliverables are generated, under supervision.
• Processes invoices and tracks expenses associated with specific programs, as directed.
• Manages webpage content associated with specific programs, as directed.
• Serve as point of contact and/or monitor email communications associated with specific programs, as directed.
• Participate as a member in program design teams, as appropriate.
• Assist in development of statements of work (SOWs) by gathering relevant information and consulting appropriate partners/stakeholders.
• Provide information relevant to the development of budgets and staff time estimates.
• Participate as a team member in planning and executing programs and evaluating program effectiveness.
• Participate in cross-departmental work in a consulted capacity, as needed.

•  Bachelor’s degree. Directly applicable experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.

• Minimum of 2 years of professional relevant work experience.
• Experience in coordinating and managing on-site meetings, events, and conferences, including logistics and documentation.
• Demonstrated ability in developing budgets, estimates costs, allocating resources, and tracking time.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate professionally via email with external and internal stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft office suite (Word/Excel), Zoom video conferencing, and Google Suite products.
• Experience with project management systems preferred (e.g. Asana).
• Consistently completes responsibilities on time and generates quality deliverables.
• Understands and applies project management principles.
• Customer service orientation.
• Adapts well to change.

Travel: 

• This position also requires up to 10% travel to attend events and conferences as well as other off-site locations for periodic meetings and training sessions. Additional travel may be required as assigned by the supervisor.
• Regular commuting is expected to perform duties in the College Park, MD or Washington, DC offices 2 - 4 days per month, with additional visits as needed. 

Salary:
 

The salary range for this position takes into account various factors influencing compensation decisions, such as skill sets, experience, training, and other business and organizational requirements. The salary listed within the specified ranges considers relevant experience. Our compensation philosophy at APS aims to maintain salaries at the midpoint of the market. As a result, we typically hire within the target starting range. Exceptional, rare cases may merit reviews above target starting range for specialized or niche skills aligned with strategic operational goals.

Hiring Range: $56,817/year - $77,413/year (USD)

Target Starting Range: $56,817/year - $63,209/year (USD)

Work Environment:

As noted above, APS offers a “Remote First” workplace. Although our offices are located on Long Island, NY, College Park, MD and Washington DC, you can work from other places in the United States. We are flexible about work hours, but expect responsiveness during the core of the workday, Eastern Time. 


Our Core Values:

• Scientific Method
• Trust, Integrity, and Ethical Conduct
• Equity, Diversity, and Respect
• Collaboration
• Education and Learning
• Speaking Out

Amazing 2025 Benefit Offerings:

• Flexible schedules and ability to work remotely
• 8% employer-paid retirement contribution
• Investment advisement services: 100% employer paid
• Medical benefits: PPO or HDHP option
• Employer contribution to FSA or HSA account, eligibility based on medical plan enrollment
• Lifestyle Spending benefit up to $2000.00 (USD) - 100% employer paid
• Dental benefits:  individual coverage 100% employer paid
• Vision benefits: individual and dependent coverage 100% employer paid
• Basic Life & Accident insurance: employee coverage 100% employer paid
• Supplemental Life & Accident insurance, including spouse & dependent child(ren) coverage
• Disability insurance:  employee coverage 100% employer paid
• Voluntary Accident & Critical Illness insurance
• Healthcare, Commuter & Dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Vacation: 15 days annually
• Generous holiday leave: 17 paid days of significance; includes one week closure at the end of December
• Personal leave: 4 days annually
• Volunteer leave: 1 day annually
• Sick leave: 10 days annually
• Bereavement & Compassion leave: 2 -15 days based on loss
• 12 weeks employer-paid family leave
• College tuition reimbursement plan
• Job related seminar & continuing education
• Professional Certification/Recertification 100% employer paid
• Training and professional development; access to LinkedIn Learning on-demand courses
• Employee Assistance Program
• Mindfulness Meditation: live and on-demand classes
• APS does not offer relocation assistance/costs

The American Physical Society is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of American Physical Society not to discriminate or allow the harassment of employees or applicants on the basis of race, religious creed, immigration status, alienage or citizenship, religion, color, ethnicity, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, familial status, protected veteran status, protected military status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, predisposing genetic characteristics, ancestry, domestic violence victim status or any other characteristic protected by law with regard to any employment practices, including recruitment, advertising, job application procedures, hiring, upgrading, training, promotion, transfer, compensation, job assignments, benefits and/or other terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, provided the individual is qualified, with or without reasonable accommodations, to perform the essential functions of the job. This policy applies to all jobs at APS. The American Physical Society is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request a reasonable accommodation, please contact APS Human Resources at hr@aps.org. The “Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal'' poster, prepared by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), provides an overview of several laws that protect you from discrimination on the job, and several rights are afforded to you by these laws. The “Pay Transparency Non Discrimination Provision,” prepared by the U.S. Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), provides an overview of several protections implemented to protect individuals working under federal contracts from discrimination when inquiring about or discussing compensation; these protections apply to all employees and applicants. The APS has a "remote first" concept that promotes equal treatment and equal access, independent of physical work location, with a majority of staff working primarily from remote work locations.


 

Regular commuting is expected to perform duties in the College Park, MD or Washington, DC offices 2 - 4 days per month, with additional visits as needed.

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