Field Day Studio Director

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Job Category:

Academic Staff

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Research Program Associate Director (B)

Job Summary:

The Field Day Studio Director is a creative leadership position responsible for overseeing the development of research-based, educational games.

Job Responsibilities:

• Develops, directs, and evaluates research program strategic planning initiatives and establishes objectives to ensure appropriate use of financial, administrative, and staffing resources in alignment with the strategic plan

• Develops, implements, directs, and evaluates research program operating policies and procedures to comply with regulations, institutional policies, and unit objectives

• Serves as the unit liaison and key spokesperson to internal and external stakeholder groups, providing organizational information and representing the interests of the research program

• Develops and audits research program budget(s)

• Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Serves as a unit liaison to internal stakeholder groups to foster cross-unit partnership efforts regarding research programs and activities

Disseminates the lab’s work through internal and external communications, including academic articles and conference presentations

• Serves as a consultant to project directors and provides technical expertise to research and operational personnel

• Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees

• Collaborates with project directors and the full range of clients whose knowledge and expertise varies

• Determines unit personnel needs and the unit personnel resource allocation plan

Collaborates closely with the Field Day Director to plan, execute, and implement strategy

Supervises creative and developer staff

• Assists with planning, implementation, and management of strategic initiatives for a center or program

Develops branding and communications strategy for each project and the Field Day Lab

• Manages large research projects for a center or program

Department:

School of Education / Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER)

Compensation:

Minimum $110,000

Commensurate with qualifications and experience. This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. 

Required Qualifications:

• 7 years minimum experience with managing multimillion dollar grant-funded research projects (mid-career).

• Experience supervising full-time staff.

• Direct experience leading a game design studio, including supervising a team of developers and designers, production, creative direction, and game design experience.

• Experience in creative game development

• Leadership experience in the roles of producer, creative director, and game designer.

• Demonstrated experience in academic writing and publishing and dissemination of work through presenting at conferences.

• A portfolio of currently accessible games

Location requirements: Currently, employees at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) work in a hybrid environment, with responsibilities performed both onsite and remotely. The balance of onsite and remote work for this position will be discussed at the time of hire. Employees at this center typically report to the office a minimum of three days a week. When onsite work is required, the employee must be able to report to 1025 West Johnson Street, Madison, WI 53706.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in grant writing

• Active member of both the professional and academic communities developing and studying educational games

• Experience working with grants funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF)

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Design Studies

How to Apply:

​To begin the application process, click on the "I am a current employee" button or "I am not a current employee" button under Apply Now. You will then be prompted to upload your application materials. 

​Important: The application has only one attachment field. Upload the following documents in that field, either as a single combined file or as multiple files in the same upload area.  

• Resume/CV

• Cover Letter:  -Address your interest in the position as well as how your training and experience align with the required and preferred qualifications listed above. -Links to at least 3 recent or current games you led in development, including title, description, and partnership. For each game, please describe your role on and specific contributions to the project. Games must be currently accessible for review by the search committee; please provide access instructions when necessary. 

Note:  References will be requested from final candidates. All applicants will be notified once the search concludes and a candidate is selected. Incomplete application packages that do not include all the requested documentation will not be considered.

Contact Information:

Jim Mathews (search chair) [email protected]

Levi Huillet  [email protected]

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. 
 
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). 
 
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