The Director of Nebraska Innovation Studio (NIS) provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and vision for the multidisciplinary makerspace located on Nebraska Innovation Campus (NIC). This position is responsible for advancing the NIS’s mission of fostering educational opportunities, community building, and business development through innovative programming, strong partnerships, fiscal stewardship, and the cultivation of a collaborative and inclusive culture. This position also oversees Frontier Tech Lab (FTL), a design and prototyping service center operated and managed by NIS, ensuring alignment between prototyping requests, hands-on learning for students, and the broader goals of NIS. This position is responsible for developing and implementing strategic plans for NIS and FTL that advance awareness, revenue, membership, and experiential learning.

This position directly supervises NIS permanent staff, interns, and grant-funded staff. This position oversees all NIS and FTL daily operations, including general oversight and upkeep of the facility and equipment; budgeting and accounting; receiving membership and material payments; purchasing materials; annual inventory count; scheduling curriculum and instructing trainings, workshops and classes; coordinating NIS classroom schedules with university departments and faculty users; organizing and facilitating events and outreach; managing NU Foundation funds; and creating and implementing safety policies and procedures. This position is also responsible for promoting NIS and FTL through outreach, events, and strategic communications; seeking out fundraising and grant opportunities; writing and submitting grant proposals; tracking and reporting required grant data; and working with the NU Foundation on funding opportunities.

This position develops relationships with, and represents Nebraska Innovation Studio in, university, industry, and community partnerships. This position also works in partnership with the Nebraska Innovation Campus Development Corporation team to create and implement programming, amenities, and services to NIC Partners, the university, and the community. Some evenings and weekends will be required.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln seeks to attract and retain a high performing and collaborative workforce. UNL is committed to providing a work environment and culture that fosters personal and professional success where every person and every interaction matters. The University is proud to be one of Nebraska’s preferred and largest employers where individuals are able to participate and contribute to their full potential. As an EO/AA employer, qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation. See: http://www.unl.edu/equity/notice-nondiscrimination

The ideal candidate possesses strategic leadership skills, strong operational oversight experience, and a clear vision for a multidisciplinary makerspace. They are self-motivated and demonstrate the ability to motivate, supervise, and support others in a dynamic, service-oriented environment. They possess strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills. The ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with university departments, faculty, staff, and students, as well as current and prospective donors and vendors, is essential to success in this role.

Click on “Apply for this Job”. You will then either create an application or edit your current application that is on file. You will be required to attach your resume, cover letter, and list of references as three (3) separate documents in MS Word or PDF format.

Ember Welsch, Human Resources Specialist Lead
Office of Research and Innovation
ewelsch2@unl.edu