One Day, One Job » Maryland

American Institute of Physics

Willy Franzen — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 12:20:56 +0000

After mentioning high school yesterday, I had a high school exam dream last night. It was a history test, and oddly enough I think I performed pretty well (though I woke up before I got a grade). If it was a Physics test, I think it might have been more of a nightmare. As much as I enjoyed AP Physics, it was definitely one of the hardest courses that I took at any level. That probably explains why I’m not a member of the American Institute of Physics, which is a College Park, MD based non-profit membership organization that promotes “the advancement and diffusion of the knowledge of physics and its application to human welfare.” The group was founded in 1931 by “a group of American physical science societies joined forces to create an institute that would strengthen their response to the practical and philosophical uncertainties facing their field.”

Overcome Your Frictional Force

The American Institute of Physics consists of ten member societies ranging from the Acoustical Society of America to The Society of Rheology. They also have at least two dozen affiliated societies including the American Nuclear Society, the Cryogenic Society of America, and the Society for Applied Spectroscopy. All of these societies and the individuals who participate team up to achieve goals in the following areas:

Supporting our Member Societies by providing efficient services and systems for essential society functions. See programs/presentations from the Assembly of Society Officers

Advancing the science of physics as publisher of leading research journals, magazines, and conference proceedings.

Tracking employment and education trends through statistical reports that have charted the progress of physics for more than six decades.

Fostering connections between science & industry by creating strong ties between corporate leaders and the larger physics community.

Preserving the past through the archival collections and outreach programs of AIP’s Center for History of Physics.

Mentoring tomorrow’s physicists through support of undergraduate physics, as well as initiatives to shape and energize science education.

Promoting science in the public realm by advocating sound science policy to Congress, and through outreach to the general public.

A significant amount of the AIP’s work is done in the realm of publishing. You can see a list of all of their publications here. If you love science and like what the American Institute of Physics is about, then take a look at their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Web Production Assistant and Customer Relations Specialist (Melville, NY). Both positions look like they could be a great fit for a new or recent grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you take Physics?

50CAN

Willy Franzen — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:48:29 +0000

Reasoning Mind is an education focused non-profit that uses the web to teach kids math, and they’re hiring 30 new grads as Program Coordinators. Learn more about these amazing entry level opportunities.

I was really lucky in that my parents sent me to a top notch private school for 6th through 12th grade. I have no doubt that it had a significantly positive effect on my education. Why? Because it was a truly great school. Private schools obviously aren’t the only great schools (and plenty of private schools aren’t all that great), but there’s no doubt that many of our country’s public schools are underperforming. 50CAN is a New York, NY based non-profit organization that is pushing for education reform because they believe that “Great Schools Can Change Everything.” They don’t just mean test scores and individual outcomes. They mean our economy, our democracy, our dreams, our competitiveness, our health, our communities, and pretty much everything else. 50CAN is different from many of the education focused non-profits that you’re likely familiar with in that 50CAN is focused squarely on advocacy.

YouCAN

50CAN has a wonderful website. It’s beautiful, and it does a great job of conveying information in a simple way. I recommend that you start browsing it by reading their Why Schools? page. Next you’ll want to read through the 50CAN Model. You’ll get an in-depth look at how they’re going state by state to “build citizen movements to ensure that every child has access to a great public school.” If you want to see what kind of results this approach delivers, just check out 50CAN’s Case Studies. Hopefully as you check out these pages, you’ll be drawn into other parts of 50CAN’s website. There’s a lot more to learn about the organization. So far CAN is operating in Minnesota, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland, and New York (North Carolina is coming soon). Obviously the goal is to reach all 50. If you want to be a part of 50CAN, check out their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Government Relations Associate for RI-CAN (Providence, RI) and a New Site Development Manager (New York, NY). If neither of those positions look right for you, you can also sign up to bring 50CAN to your state.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you go to a great school?

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 13:43:31 +0000

One of the most amazing things about the United States is our National Park system (check out National Park Service jobs)–it really shows off how vast and how diverse the country’s natural beauty is. While you’ve probably visited at least one National Park and know of many more, chances are that you’ve never heard of National Marine Sanctuaries. NOAA manages the system of sanctuaries “to conserve, protect, and enhance their biodiversity, ecological integrity and cultural legacy.” The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is a Silver Spring, MD based non-profit organization that “was created to assist the federally managed National Marine Sanctuary Program with education and outreach programs designed to preserve, protect and promote meaningful opportunities for public interaction with the nation’s marine sanctuaries.”

Under the Sea!

Before you dig in and learn about the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, you really need to learn about the National Marine Sanctuaries. This is probably a good place to start, and you’ll also want to read up on the history of the program. From there you can start to learn more about the NMSF. There isn’t a ton on their website, so the best way to take a deep dive into what they do is to read their most recent annual report. It’s a lot to read, but it will give you a much better idea of now the non-profit interacts with the federal government. If you like what you see, then you will probably want to check out the NMSF’s latest job posting for an Accounting and Administrative Assistant. It looks like a great way to get involved with a really cool organization–don’t overlook them like most people overlook our marine sanctuaries.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you visited any National Marine Sanctuaries?

Health Leads

Willy Franzen — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 18:36:48 +0000

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” This often seems to be the case in medicine. Doctors are the only people who can prescribe drugs, so that’s exactly what they do. Sometimes it works, but for many (most?) health problems, medication isn’t the most effective answer–especially for low income patients who have trouble paying for basic needs. What if doctors could prescribe “food, housing, health insurance, job training, fuel assistance, or other critical resources just as they do medication?” They can if they’re working in a facility affiliated with Health Leads, which is a Boston, MA based non-profit organization that currently operates in Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; New York, NY; Providence, RI; and Washington, DC.

Be a Health Leader

Health Leads relies on college student volunteers to be their “pharmacists.” These people work in the clinic’s waiting room and “fill the prescriptions” by helping patients access available community services. What I find really impressive is that Health Leads is already doing this on a large scale. They’ve had more than 1,000 volunteers work with more than 9,000 patients (that patient to volunteer ratio seems kind of low to me). Half of the patients got a prescription that solved at least one critical need within 90 days, which is pretty amazing (that’s more effective than a lot of drug prescriptions). If Health Leads sounds like an organization that you’d want to get involved with, you have two options. You can volunteer or you can consider a job with Health Leads. While their current postings aren’t ideal for new grads because they require a decent amount of previous experience, I still think it’s worth checking out their Data Analyst (Boston, MA) and Program Manager (Chicago, IL; Washington, DC, and Providence, RI) positions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Health Leads?

The Humane Society of the United States

Willy Franzen — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 18:00:23 +0000

Amy and I are going to the International Kennel Club of Chicago Dog Show today. We’re not thinking about getting a dog yet, but we’re thinking about thinking about it. Since dogs are on my mind today, I figured I’d look for an animal friendly non-profit. You’d be hard pressed to find an organization more animal friendly than The Humane Society of the United States. They are “the nation’s largest and most effective animal protection organization” with support from more than 11 million people in the U.S. Their national headquarters is based in Washington, DC, but you’re probably familiar with local humane societies. While the local societies are not directly connected with The Humane Society of the United States, they do get support from it.

Be Humane

The Humane Society of the United States is different from local shelters in that they typically focus on bigger picture issues. They do this “by advocating for better laws to protect animals; conducting campaigns to reform industries; providing animal rescue and emergency response; investigating cases of animal cruelty; and caring for animals through our sanctuaries and wildlife rehabilitation centers, emergency shelters and clinics.” You can read much more on the organization’s work here. There’s a lot more to explore on The Humane Society of the United States’ website, so I highly recommend that you take some to learn more about how they operate and what they’re working on right now. If you’re inspired by what you see, then take a look at Careers at The Humane Society of the United States. Right now they have a few opportunities that you may want to consider including:

If you love animals, one of these jobs could be perfect for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you have a pet?

Sleepy’s

Willy Franzen — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:35:04 +0000

I will never understand why Presidents’ Day is such a big retail holiday. I tried doing some research, and all I could find was that the Federal holiday is still known as Washington’s Birthday, but it’s commonly known as Presidents’ Day because so many retailers use the name. There’s no explanation for why the sales started happening in mid-February, and it’s even more puzzling that the sales are focused on durable goods like cars and mattresses. But that’s the way it is, and since we’re talking about mattresses, I think we should take a look at Sleepy’s. They are based in Hicksville, NY with 700+ showrooms across Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. It all adds up to make them the “largest mattress retailer in the world.” Sleepy’s tv advertisements are ubiquitous, so it’s nearly impossible for me to think about mattresses with out thinking Sleepy’s (and hearing their jingle in my head).

Don’t Sleep on Sleepy’s

An average day for Sleepy’s means delivering more than 3,000 mattresses. Add that up over a year, and you get over a million mattresses. I wonder how many of them are sold during Presidents’ Day week. Sleepy’s doesn’t stray too far from the mattress business. They do sell some bedding and furniture, but those selections seem to be pretty limited. Sleepy’s appears to sell all of the major brands of mattresses, and they’re willing to stand behind the products they sell (even if they don’t make them) with their Comfort Exchange Policy and their 8 Year Comfort Guarantee. If all this talk about mattresses gets you excited instead of sleepy, then you should check out Sleepy’s Careers page. I’ll warn you that even though the Careers page looks ok despite all the stock photography, their job search function is barely usable. There’s no simple listing of all of their jobs, and when you run a search with all categories selected, you get results that aren’t that helpful. Despite all this, I’ve found a few positions that you might want to take a look at including:

Those are the jobs that seem most appropriate for new grads; however, there are also a ton of sales positions available at Sleepy’s retail locations. I’ve heard they have a pretty extensive training program, so you may want to check those out too.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What kind of mattress do you sleep on?

Association of Public Health Laboratories

Willy Franzen — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:48:10 +0000

For the most part illness is an individual problem. You get sick, you go to a doctor if it’s serious enough, and it eventually gets better with or without treatment. But sometimes your illness can be a public health issue. If you get something like influenza or food poisoning, there’s a good chance that information about your illness could help lots of other people stay healthy. At times like these “when new health risks emerge or well-known problems re-emerge, it is public health laboratories that analyze the threat and provide the answers needed to mount an effective response.” The Association of Public Health Laboratories is a non-profit organization based in Silver Spring, MD that “works to strengthen laboratories serving the public’s health in the US and globally.” The organization’s membership spans across all kinds of laboratories ranging from the public health labs mentioned in their name to environmental and agricultural labs. Many are government labs, but there are also corporate and non-profit labs included.

Check the Labs

To get a full understanding of what the Association of Public Health Laboratories does, you really need to understand what public health labs do. Luckily, the APHL has put together an About Public Health Labs page. Once you’ve read that, you’ll be better able to make sense of their programs and policy positions. But the best way to get a feel for why the APHL is an organization that you may want to work for is to check out their success stories–they’re the reason that promoting public health labs is so important. If you’d like to help the APHL deliver more success stories, you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they have a few positions that seem well suited for new and recent grads including Associate Grants Management Specialist, Associate Communications Specialist. There are a few more science-y positions, but they typically require a few years of experience.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about the Association of Public Health Laboratories?

Outward Bound

Willy Franzen — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:52:46 +0000

I went to small, private middle and high school. They were really big on outdoor education, so almost every year we took some kind of class trip to promote bonding and a kind of learning that can’t be done in the classroom. The trips were wonderful–even when 20 of us got lost in the woods with one teacher overnight. I was lucky to get these kind of experiences through my school, but if I hadn’t, there’s a good chance I would have done something like Outward Bound. They are “a non-profit educational organization and expedition school that serves people of all ages and backgrounds through active learning expeditions that inspire character development, self-discovery and service both in and out of the classroom.” Outward Bound is headquartered in Golden, CO (but operating across the country), and “was founded in 1941 in the tumultuous waters of the North Sea during World War II, to provide young sailors with the experiences and skills necessary to survive at sea.” They got their start in their current state in 1961.

Job Bound?

While Outward Bound may no longer be about teaching survival skills to people who are actually likely to use them, they still do some really important educational work. Outward Bound’s programs serve all kinds of people ranging from “at-risk youth” to corporate employees, and they stretch across all kind of activities including Canoeing, Rock Climbing, Dogsleeding, Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, and more. I know that Outward Bound has an extremely strong connection with alumni, and that speaks to how truly great their programming is. If you want to be part of the Outward Bound family, take a look at their Careers page. Right now they have some great opportunities for new and recent grads including:

Backpack/Canoe Instructor (Baltimore, MD)
Backpack/Canoe Instructor (Philadelphia, PA)
Canoe/At Risk Instructor (Ely, MN)
Backpack/Canoe/At Risk (Newry, ME)
Course Director (Omaha, NE)
Field Instructor (St. Paul, MN)
Insight Facilitator (Baltimore, MD)
Insight Instructor (St. Paul, MN)
Logistics Coordinator (Midpines, CA)
Logistics Coordinator (Newry, ME)
Logistics Coordinator (Wheeler’s Bay, ME)
Logistics Coordinator (Redmond, OR)
Logistics Coordinator (Moab, UT)
Mountain Instructor (Leadville, CO)
Mountain/Raft Instructor (Redmond, OR)
Program Manager (Omaha, NE)
River Instructor (Moab, UT)
Sailing Instructor (Wheeler’s Bay, ME)
Urban Center/Field Instructor (Omaha, NE)

If you love the outdoors and want to work in the non-profit world, it’d be hard to beat a job with Outward Bound.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you do Outward Bound?

4-H

Willy Franzen — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 12:27:38 +0000

One of my favorite classes at Cornell was Animal Science 290, which was better known as “Meat Science” or “Meats.” We did pretty much everything including slaughtering, butchering, curing, cooking, and eating, but, even better, we learned all about the scientific reasons for why we were doing what we did. Everything about the class was great (especially the eating), but one of the unexpected benefits was getting to interact with an entirely different group of students than I was accustomed to. A lot of the kids in the class actually grew up on real, working farms, and I don’t think that I had ever met anyone my age who grew up on a farm before Cornell. They were the kind of kids I assumed did 4-H in high school. It turns out that my view of 4-H was a bit narrow, as it’s much more than an organization for farm kids–it’s a non-profit that “empowers youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults” in all environments. 4-H is based in Chevy Chase, MD, and it’s pretty clear from their website that they’re trying to build an image that goes beyond agriculture. Still, 4-H is administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture and works through the Cooperative Extension of “America’s 109 land-grant universities,” so agriculture remains extremely important within the organization.

Head, Heart, Hands, and Health

I had absolutely no idea that 4-H is as big as it is. There are 90,000 affiliated clubs across the United States with a total of more than 6.5 million members between the ages of 5 and 19. There are also more than 60 million alumni. Today, 4-H’s programs are split into three distinct areas: Science, Citizenship, and Healthy Living. These programs are delivered in a variety of ways including clubs, camps, after school programs, and even in school programs. Yes, a lot of the programming is focused on agriculture and surrounding topics, but they also cover things ranging from robotics to digital photography. If it’s relevant to helping develop young people into better citizens, then 4-H probably does it. With 90,000 chapters, you’re going to get a ton of diversity, and that’s what is so cool about 4-H. If you’re excited about what 4-H is doing for America’s youth, then check out their Careers page. They have a bunch of job openings that seem suitable for new or recent grads including Community Coordinator – my4-H.org, Consumer Insights Specialist, and Multi-Channel Merchandising Assistant. The opportunities are as diverse as the organization, so give them a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you do 4-H?

Council of State Governments

Willy Franzen — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 14:44:41 +0000

A lot of people overlook the importance of state and local governments. They get all excited about federal elections, but overlook the elections that are closer to home. I’m sure there are a lot of reasons for this, but I’d generally like to start seeing states taking back some power from Washington (though the thought of the State of Illinois having more power scares me to no end). Anyway, states have a huge advantage in governing in that they have 49 peers (more if you include territories, foreign provinces, etc.) who are dealing with similar issues. State governments can work together, share ideas, and benefit from each other’s experiences. A lot of that is done through the Council of State Governments, which is a nonpartisan non-profit organization that “fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy.” They’re headquartered in Lexington, KY (with multiple other offices), and they work in all three branches of state governments.

Sharing Capitol Ideas

Much of what the Council of State Governments does is done through region-based forums that bring together state officials to give them “opportunities to network, develop leaders, collaborate and create problem-solving partnerships.” A state governor always acts as the organization’s President, and a member of a state legislature always act as chairman. CSG’s programming is split into three key areas: Leadership Programs, Policy Programs, and Innovations. The best way to get a better understanding of what is going on at CSG is probably to read their Capitol Ideas Magazine. If you find yourself reading for a while, you may want to take a look at the Council of State Governments’ Career opportunities. Right now they have a few opportunities that might be suitable for a new or recent grad including:

Project Assistant – Just Reentry (New York, NY)
Project Associate – Justice Reentry (New York, NY or Bethesda, MD)
Project Assistant – Justice Reinvestment (Seattle, WA)
Logistics Assistant – Justice Center (Bethesda, MD)

Hopefully one of these opportunities will be a good fit for you. There are also offices in Sacramento, CA; Atlanta, GA; and Lombard, IL; so watch out for future opportunities in those locations.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you get excited about state elections?

Bach to Rock

Willy Franzen — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 16:05:30 +0000

I started playing the drums in 5th grade. I started with a snare drum, but soon after I got a drum set that filled my entire bedroom. At about the same time I started taking private lessons, and I had a teacher who seem like the coolest guy in the world to my 11 year old self. After taking the summer off from lessons, I came back to my first lesson to find a new teacher sitting in the drum room. I was heartbroken. I never liked the new teacher, and my excitement for playing the drums never returned. I could have been a rockstar if only I had taken my lessons at Bach to Rock. They are “the Music School for students of all ages.” They’re based in Bethesda, MD, and they have a growing number of locations across Maryland and Virginia. They’re also an Inc 5000 company that has seen an even 1,000% growth in their revenue over the past three years.

Bach to Work

Even though the recording industry seems to be struggling with how technology has fundamentally changed their business, music is as hot as ever. The Bach to Rock Method is all about engaging people who love music and keeping them excited about improving their talents. (I love that Bach to Rock’s name says so much so simply.) Last year Bach to Rock generated $3.3 million in revenue, and I expect that number to keep increasing. They’ve adopted a franchising model, so there’s a very clear path to future growth. If you want to be part of that growth, then you’ll want to take a look at Bach to Rock’s Jobs page. It includes listings for all of their locations, which include Bethesda, MD; Gaithersburg, MD; Herndon, VA; Leesburg, VA; McLean, VA; and Chantilly, VA. Most of the positions are for Music Specialists (Voice, Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Early Childhood, Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Obo, and Bassoon), but they also have some Administrative Assistant and Audio Engineer/Composer positions. There’s nothing at Corporate right now, but I’m sure there will be more positions as they continue to grow.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you play an instrument growing up?

Active Network

Willy Franzen — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:52:23 +0000

Lately I’ve been making it a habit to look for interesting companies in cities I visit–it’s just another way to generate new ideas. Since I’m in San Diego, CA for the weekend, I did a little searching and came across Active Network. They’re a company that is all about enabling active lifestyles, so their location is quite fitting. They are “a technology and media company powering the largest network of organizations, activities, and people.” I know that sounds like marketing speak, but Active Network actually serves more than 47,000 customers and handles over 70 million event registrations annually. If you’ve ever run in a race, played in a sports league, or stayed at a campground, there’s a good chance that you in someway interacted with Active Network software.

Be Active About Your Job Search

To really get a feel for Active Network, you need to browse their website. Be sure to take a look at the Industries They Serve, the Technology Solutions They Offer, and the Media Properties they own. Active Network’s customers include a ton of big names ranging from IBM to Notre Dame to the State of California. The business continues to expand, but the common theme of supporting active lifestyles remains. So if you’re into being active, you’ll want to check out Jobs at Active Network–there are more than 100 positions open at Active Network right now. Since there are so many, I’m going to leave you to browse through the positions. There are options in Sales/Account Management, Marketing, Software Development, and lots of other areas. Additionally, the jobs are kind of all over the place geographically.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

How active are you?

Morningstar

Willy Franzen — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:01:41 +0000

Want to land a job and save the world at the same time? This week’s sponsor is Samaritan’s Purse, a non-profit organization with some amazing entry level career opportunities.

Sometimes during your job search a company name will keep popping up. You’ll ignore them because of assumptions that you’ve already made about them. Eventually you’ll give them a look, and you’ll realize that you didn’t know as much as you thought about them. That’s kind of how I’ve been with Morningstar. I knew of them well before I started this site. I have a friend who worked for them. They’re headquartered here in Chicago, IL, and they’re big supporters of the local startup and technology scene. They’re one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For, and I’ve even had multiple people tell me to write about them. I guess it’s time to take a closer look at Morningstar, which is “a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.” They serve all investors from individuals to financial advisors to institutions, and they do so with a wide range of products that includes services, software, online publications, and print publications.

Good Morning!

Morningstar is a big company. They have thousands of employees, and work all across the world–26 countries to be exact. They provide “data on approximately 380,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with real-time global market data on more than 5 million equities, indexes, futures, options, commodities, and precious metals, in addition to foreign exchange and Treasury markets.” In other words, there are all kinds of job opportunities at Morningstar. Luckily, they do a great job with their Careers site. You should probably start with the Morningstar Story, and then read up on what it’s like to work at Morningstar (you may also want to check out their Employee Testimonials).

From there you will have two options. The first is to look at Morningstar’s Development Program, which is their formal entry level recruiting program. They’re actually having a Meet and Greet at their headquarters on August 4th for people interested in the program (you must register by e-mailing mdpresumes@morningstar.com before July 29th). The second option is to go straight to their Job postings. You can narrow it down to only Morningstar’s entry level listings, where you’ll see positions like Associate Municipal Credit Analyst, Data Analyst, Private Funds – Custom Software (Chicago, IL),
Data Management Analyst (Chicago, IL), Data Management Analyst (Oakland, MD), IFA Journalist (Australia), Investment Analyst – Morningstar Investment Management (Chicago, IL),
Operations Associate, Morningstar Investment Services (Chicago, IL), Product Consultant (United Kingdom), Product Consultant for Institutional Software (France), Product Support Specialist (Austin, TX), Quality Assurance Analyst – Custom Solutions (Chicago, IL), Research Analyst (Chicago, IL), and Sales Associate – Inside Sales (Chicago, IL). There’s a ton of opportunity at Morningstar, so don’t overlook them like I did.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What company have you been ignoring?

OpGen

Willy Franzen — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:42:55 +0000

Everything that I learned about DNA I learned from the O.J. Simpson trial and Jurassic Park. That’s not entirely true, but it’s scarily close. DNA analysis seemed so futuristic back then, but now it’s an everyday type thing. Still, there continues to be a ton of innovation in the world of molecular DNA diagnostics, and one of the leaders is OpGen, which used to be headquartered in Madison, WI, but is now located in Gaithersburg, MD. OpGen’s business is based on “a unique and powerful Optical Mapping Technology that rapidly generates high-resolution, ordered, whole genome restriction maps from single DNA molecules.” I’d explain that to you if I could, but I think you’re better off reading OpGen’s explanation of Optical Mapping.

OpGen Sesame

So what is Optical Mapping good for? Well OpGen aims to have their technology “positively influence healthcare outcomes, advance scientific research, and enhance public health.” But what does that actually look like? You’ve heard about the latest E. coli outbreak in Europe, right? Understanding the genetics of this new, extremely virulent strain of bacteria is essential to fighting it. OpGen’s Optical Mapping technology enables scientists and researchers to “discriminate between closely related strains or that detect insertions in engineered strains,” and, in turn offer “a tractable solution for triaging microbial strains for complete genome sequencing.” It’s still way over my head, but it’s really cool stuff. If you are interested in genetics and the science behind Optical Mapping, then you may want to consider check out Jobs at OpGen. They have a few opening that seem suitable for new or recent grads in Gaithersburg, MD including Customer Support Specialist, Laboratory Assistant I – Manufacturing, and Laboratory Associate. Check the positions out and see if you’re a good fit for any of them.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about OpGen?

38 Studios

Willy Franzen — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 17:19:17 +0000

A few days ago I saw a retweet from Peter Gammons’ account about some job opportunities. That seemed a bit odd to me since Peter Gammons is a baseball reporter and analyst, and the jobs didn’t seem to have anything to do with baseball. I made a note of it and went back to what I was doing. Today I went to check out 38 Studios, and I realized that Gammons was retweeting Curt Schilling, the former Phillies and Diamondbacks pitcher (he may have also played for the evil Red Sox, which is probably why Gammons, the biggest Red Sox homer ever, was retweeting him). Anyway, Curt Schilling is the founder of 38 Studios, which is “an entertainment and IP creation company in development on a broad range of products, including online and console video games, toys, novels, comics, film, TV, and other forms of digital media.” I’m not sure how I’d describe the stuff that they’re putting out, but if I had to pick one word it would be fantasy. Like I said, nothing to do with baseball. 38 Studios was previously based in Boston, MA, but they’re in the process of moving to Providence, RI, and that’s where most of their jobs are now.

No Bloody Socks Here

38 Studios currently has two products: Copernicus and Kingdoms of Amalur. Both are games, but I assume that novels, comics, toys, etc. will be spun out of these games. Curt Schilling’s partners in 38 Studios are Todd McFarlane and R.A. Salvatore and the company bought out Big Huge Games, so they have a ton of creative firepower. If you want to learn more about 38 Studios, the best way to do that is to check out their products and get a feel for how they’re “combining the ages-old art of the story with 21st century interactive entertainment.” If you like what you see, then you’ll have to check out jobs at 38 Studios. Current opportunities that might be suitable for new grads include Administrative Assistant, Cinematics Illustrator, Content Designer, Front Desk Coordinator, Quality Assurance Tester (Baltimore, MD), Recruiting Coordinator, Software Engineer – Platform, Tools Software Engineer, and User Experience Designer. There’s lots of cool stuff here, so take a closer look. Also, this article mentions that they’re aiming to hire 280 people after they complete their move, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t see anything that suits you. There are more jobs coming soon.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you play any of 38 Studios’ games?

Volunteers of America

Willy Franzen — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 15:22:13 +0000

When you’re job searching, volunteering is a great way to both put your skills to use and develop new skills. There are countless non-profit organization that put volunteers to work in situations where they can really make a difference. One of our country’s largest volunteer organizations is Volunteers of America, which is a faith-based non-profit headquartered in Alexandria, VA. With their staff of 16,000 paid employees and 70,000 volunteers, they’re able to help “more than 2 million people in over 400 communities in 48 states.” Since the organization was founded in 1896, they “have supported and empowered America’s most vulnerable groups, including at-risk youth, the frail elderly, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, people with disabilities, and those recovering from addictions.” An organization that has been around as long as Volunteers of America has must adapt to changes over the years. While they continue to remain focused on providing neighborly aid to all people, it looks like Volunteers of America is putting more emphasis on helping the growing population of aging Americans.

Volunteer for a Job

Volunteers of America has a nice video on their About page that goes more in-depth in describing how they work and what they do. I’ve embedded it below (e-mail readers need to click through).

Volunteers of America also has this Overview sheet that provides some really specific information about the organization’s work. If you’re moved by their mission, then you’ll want to check out Volunteers of America’s job opportunities. They separate these into three groups: National Office, Nationwide, and Health Services. The Nationwide section actually has over 200 positions posted, along with 25 entry level opportunities, so it probably makes the most sense to check out. They have a wide range of opportunities, and they’re in a variety of locations, so you should be able to find something that piques your interest.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Volunteers of America?

Golin Harris

Willy Franzen — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 16:51:38 +0000

It’s been a while since we took a look at a full-fledge PR firm (we’ve covered a ton in the past, check our public relations and communications tags). It’s not that they don’t offer great entry level opportunities, it’s just that they’re kind of boring to write about. As an outsider it’s hard for me to tell what makes one PR firm better than the other—I usually focus on clients lists, but even that’s not enough. You really need to dig deep and do some serious research to get a read on a PR firm. You’re probably wondering what about Chicago, IL (with offices across the world) based Golin Harris made them stand out to me. Well, someone I follow tweeted about the company’s jobs, and then I saw that they were named 2010 “Large PR Agency of the Year” by PRWeek. They were also a 2009 Holmes Report “Best Agency to Work For,” and that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to honors and awards.

Golin or Go Home

Oddly enough, Golin Harris doesn’t seem to list their clients on their website; however, the company’s Wikipedia page mentions that they do work for Bristol-Myers Squibb, McDonald’s, Nintendo of America, Dow Chemical, Orange, Texas Instruments, and Toyota. Those are monster names, which makes sense for a company that was recently named Large PR Agency of the Year. The Golin Harris website is a bit lacking when it comes to providing information that can really give you a feel for a company, but their Capabilities section does give some insight into the kind of work they do and how they go about it. If you’re impressed with what you see at Golin Harris, then you’ll want to check out their Careers page. They have a number of entry level opportunities including Assistant Account Executive – Interactive Entertainment (Los Angeles, CA), Staff Writer – Interactive Entertainment (Los Angeles, CA), Assistant Account Executive – Healthcare (Chicago, IL), and Assistant Account Executive (Dallas, TX). Golin Harris’ locations U.S offices in Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Miami, FL; New York, NY; Orange County, CA; Richmond, VA; San Francisco, CA; San Juan, PR; and Washington, DC; along with plenty of international offices. So you may want to look out for opportunities in those offices too.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Golin Harris?

American Pyrotechnics Association

Willy Franzen — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 14:00:33 +0000

I know that a lot of you are buried under feet of snow and not excited to hear about my vacation in the sunshine, but you’re going to have to deal with it today. This is the 6th consecutive New Year’s Eve that I’ve spent in Aruba, and every year it’s celebrated with lots and lots of fireworks. Unless you’ve been here for New Year’s Eve, there is no way that you can understand the amount of fireworks that people shoot off. I heard somewhere that the average Arubian spends 10-15% of their annual income on fireworks. It’s ridiculous. There are big shows put on by hotels and resorts, and there are backyard shows. From sundown until the early morning, the sky will be filled with pyrotechnics, which is why we’re going to look at the Bethesda, MD based American Pyrotechnics Association. They were founded in 1948 as “premier trade association of the fireworks industry.”

Happy New Year

As far as I can tell, the fireworks industry is pretty tight-knit. There are few American companies that have been in the business forever, and there are also a lot of Chinese importers. The American Pyrotechnics Association “has set the agenda and determined the priorities that serve the common good of the companies and professionals in the fireworks industry.” It’s hard to say whether they have any job openings, but I did some looking on LinkedIn, and they do have a small staff. I’m really just having fun with this post, but use New Year’s Eve to come up with new ideas. Look at the traditions and celebrations around you, and see what you might come up with. Or look at our past posts on Waterford, Times Square Alliance, and Martinelli’s. And if you don’t feel like it, set a resolution for the New Year and start tomorrow.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Will you watch fireworks tonight?

Center for Student Opportunity

Willy Franzen — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 16:26:18 +0000

If you’re struggling with your job search, there’s a chance that you’re feeling disillusioned about all of the time, effort, and money that you’ve invested in your college education. Now, a college education (even if it’s from a top school) doesn’t guarantee a job, but it’s still amazingly valuable. It’s no secret that a college degree usually leads to “higher employment rates, higher job status, and earn higher wages.” For many of you, college was a given, but there are plenty of students who don’t come from a “college-bound culture.” They live in underserved communities or come from families where college is not a foregone conclusion. Bethesda, MD based Center for Student Opportunity is a non-profit organization that empowers “underserved, first-generation college students to and through college by providing critical information, guidance, scholarships, and ongoing support.”

An Opportunity for You

The Center for Student Opportunity was founded in 2005, and since then they’ve stood out from other similar programs by helping students “identify and connect with the many colleges and universities that have targeted these students for admission.” They can do this because they have strong relationships with a huge number of college partners (including many of the nation’s best schools). If you firmly believe that college is “a life-changing experience and a catalyst toward successful life outcomes,” then you might want to consider a career with the Center for Student Opportunity. Right now their Idealist page shows that they’re looking for a Development Associate. It looks like it could be a good fit for a new or recent grad, so take a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Were you well prepared for college?

Environment America

Willy Franzen — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 16:44:36 +0000

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Now, I’m not one to worry much about Global Warming, especially when I’m enjoying a snap of 60-plus degree weather in Chicago in mid-November, but that doesn’t mean I’m not concerned about the environment. There’s no doubt that our way of life has numerous negative impacts on the natural world around us, and we’re not doing enough to minimize those impacts. Environment America is a nationwide, non-profit “federation of state-based, citizen-funded environmental advocacy organizations” that is headquartered in Washington, DC. Their strategy is focused on combining “independent research, practical ideas and tough-minded advocacy to overcome the opposition of powerful special interests and win real results for the environment.” (Yes, they’re another special interest that is fighting special interests.) They’ve been around for 30 years, and I’m sure that they’re going to keep on going as long as mankind is harming the environment.

Try a New Environment

While much of Environment America’s work is focused at the state level, some of of the broader initiatives that they’re currently working on are Repower America (Green Energy), Stopping Global Warming, Our Rivers, Lakes & Streams, and Stop Toxic Pollution. As you can see, Environment America spreads their work across a lot of issues, which means that they have a ton of different job opportunities. You can find the full rundown here. For students and recent grads, their Fellowship Program is probably the best fit (and I believe potential locations include Mobile, AL; Little Rock and Fayetville, AR; Phoenix, AZ; Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco and Santa Barbara, CA; Denver, CO; Hartford, CT; Washington, DC; Miami and Tallahassee, FL; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Des Moines, IA; New Orleans, LA; Portland, ME; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Ann Arbor, MI; Minneapolis, MN; St. Louis, MO; Gulfport, MS; Missoula, MT; Las Vegas, NV; Concord, NH; Trenton, NJ; Albuquerque, NM; Albany and New York, NY; Raleigh, NC; Columbus, OH; Portland, OR; Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA; Providence, RI; Austin, TX; Richmond, VA; Seattle, WA; and Madison, WI), but you may also want to check out positions like Communication and Development – Grants Associate (Los Angeles, CA), Financial Assistant (Washington, DC), Executive Assistant (Boston, MA or Washington, DC), Communications Associate (Boston, MA or Philadelphia, PA), Web Associate (Boston, MA), and Online Organizing Software Developer (Denver, CO). There are all kinds of options, so give everything a good look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What environmental issues are you most concerned with?

Lurn

Willy Franzen — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:36:40 +0000

Hope you’re all wishing the veterans in your life a Happy Veterans Day! If you’re interested in related jobs, you should check out jobs at the Department of Veteran Affairs.

If you’ve been following One Day, One Job for any time at all, you’re probably sick of my telling you how important online marketing is. You’d love to be able to get a job in this burgeoning field, but you have no idea where to start. I mean, not many colleges teach this stuff. Luckily, there are plenty of free online resources that can get you up to speed. There are also quite a few businesses that exist solely to teach people online marketing. One of these is Gaithersburg, MD based Lurn. They are an Inc. 500 company that has seen 609% three year growth to $7.1 million in annual revenue. Their business consists of providing “a range of products and services including online training courses and live events on a variety of online marketing topics, online communities and publications for Internet marketers, and e-learning technology platforms for educators of business and marketing professionals.” In other words, they teach people how to do what they’re doing to grow their business.

Are You a Good Lurn-er?

When you combine online marketing with online education, you have the potential for a huge success. And considering the numbers that Lurn is reporting, they’re well on their way. From what I can tell, Lurn is heavily focused on areas surrounding performance marketing, although their focus has changed a bit.. Their solutions used to include specific courses on Affiliate Marketing, Blogging, and PPC Advertising, and similar topics, but now their approach is based on customer groups instead of topics. These course are housed under the JujuQ brand. This may all sound a little confusing, but Lurn is still tightly focused on online marketing e-learning. Now, Lurn doesn’t have a Careers page on their site, but they went from reporting 11 employees on the 2009 Inc 500 list to reporting 72 employees on this year’s list. They’re obviously growing their headcount very quickly, and they’re certainly friendly to young people—the CEO was named to BusinessWeek’s Top Entrepreneurs Under 25 in 2008. I’m sure there are a variety of positions that they offer that might be suitable for new grads, you’ll just have to reach out to them and find out what’s available.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you done any e-learning?

A Wider Circle

Willy Franzen — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 16:08:49 +0000

The One Day, One Job LinkedIn Group is growing fast. Join now so you can connect with me and other readers.

Ever get off to a bad start? Maybe it was a class, a sports season, or a new social situation. It’s hard to dig yourself out of the funk, right? Or maybe it was something far more important like life. Millions of people are born into poverty in our country, and that makes it likely that they’ll eventually have children who are born into poverty. It’s a vicious cycle that is nearly impossible to get out of, which means that more and more kids will be born into a very difficult situation. A Wider Circle is a Silver Spring, MD non-profit organization that empowers “children and adults to break the cycles of poverty and poor health.” By providing basic need items to struggling families, A Wider Circle puts people in a situation where success is attainable.

How Wide Is Your Circle?

Every month A Wider Circle furnishes the homes of more than 1,000 people free of charge. They provide basic needs that individuals need to ensure that they can focus on a healthy and productive life that includes education and employment. A Wider Circle isn’t tied to a specific type of help, but instead aims to serve people based on their needs. They do this through a number of programs including Neighbor to Neighbor, Public Housing Wellness, Shelter Support, School Community, and Well Mother, Well Baby. From what I can tell, A Wider Circle really makes the most of the resources they have, and that includes their people. If you want to be one of them, then you should check out A Wider Circle jobs on Idealist. They do have their own Jobs page, but it doesn’t really provide much information. It appears that they’re currently looking for a Marketing Coordinator and 2010-2011 Fellows in Education, Management, Community Outreach, Marketing, and Information Technology. Additionally there may be a Neighbor-to-Neighbor Program Coordinator position available.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about A Wider Circle?

Enterprise Community Partners

Willy Franzen — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 16:36:18 +0000

Chances are that housing is and will be your biggest expense for most of your life. It’s one of our most basic needs, so it makes sense that we spend a lot on it. Unfortunately, housing markets don’t react quickly to changes in demand, so we often have situations where housing becomes unaffordable for many who wish to live in an area. This may be ok when it’s some posh area of town, but what about when people who have lived and worked in area for years can no longer keep up with the real estate prices? Enterprise Community Partners is a Columbia, MD based non-profit that addresses these problems by creating “opportunity for low- and moderate-income people through fit, affordable housing and diverse, thriving communities.” They want to help people living in poverty “move up and out,” and they do this by helping to develop “a diverse mix of affordable and market housing options, access to jobs and social supports, and a strong commitment to the environment and civic participation.”

Join the Enterprise Community

Enterprise Community Partners has been doing their work for more than 25 years, and their site is full of information on what they do and how they do it. You can read about their Programs, Policy Work, Financial Products, and Local Work. They also offer a ton of Information Resources so that you can learn more about the organization and its work. Since 1982 they’ve helped to “develop over 240,000 affordable homes and invest over $9 billion throughout the United States,” so they’re operating on a scale that few other non-profits are. Once you’ve had a chance to check out the links above, you should take a look at jobs at Enterprise Community Partners. Most of the positions require a couple years of prior work experience, but there’s a Program Analyst position in Washington, DC that appears to be entry level. You should check that out, and also look at the other positions to see if they might be a good fit for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about Enterprise Community Partners?

EarthShare

Willy Franzen — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 15:16:23 +0000

I remember selling wrapping paper at my Dad’s office to support my elementary school. I’m sure his employees felt pressured to buy from me so I could win some stupid prize. What a terrible way to raise funds for a school or non-profit—it’s such an intrusion. But what if there was a great way to give money to great causes while at work that wasn’t quite so pushy? There is, and it’s called EarthShare. They’re a Bethesda, MD based non-profit that helps other environmental conservation focused non-profits raise money. They do this by giving employees (at any company that participates) the choice to have funds automatically deducted from their paychecks and donated to either specific member charities or a general EarthShare fund that is distributed amongst all of EarthShare’s member charities.

Do Your Share

In my opinion fundraising is a huge distraction for all non-profits (except maybe for EarthShare). Their number one priority should be focusing on achieving their mission, not getting more money to support their mission. EarthShare takes some of the fundraising burden off of their member charities through their payroll integration. Being an EarthShare member organization has some pretty serious benefits, which is why they have extremely strict eligibility criteria. If you’re interested in working at a non-profit that is focused on taking an innovative approach to fundraising and supporting other organizations that protect our environment, then you need to check out EarthShare’s jobs on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for a Communications and Marketing Associate and a Campaign Assistant. Both look like excellent opportunities for web savvy new or recent grads.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Would you donate through EarthShare?

Civic Works

Willy Franzen — Sat, 01 May 2010 15:46:42 +0000

Some of my best “on the job experience” came the summer after my Freshman year of college. I didn’t land an amazing internship nor did I do anything entrepreneurial. I landed a job at my dad’s fish and game club. Another college kid and I were responsible for assisting the club manager in maintaining the grounds on the club’s 250-acre parcel. I only had to work from 8 to 12 every day (before it got too hot), but I worked my butt off. I was filling potholes with sand, weed whacking 6 foot high weeds, and digging ditches. I came home every day dirty, tired, and occasionally with a good story (like the time a 30 ft tall tree almost fell on my head). If you want to experience what it’s like to work hard, and you want to do it for a good cause, you should check out Civic Works. They’re a Baltimore, MD based “urban service corps and an AmeriCorps program” with a mission “to build a future for Baltimore’s youth through community service and skills development.”

Get to Work

Every year Civic Works takes on approximately 200 AmeriCorps members and puts them to work. The projects range from tutoring and mentoring children to rehabilitating abandoned houses. Civic Works has a wide range of programs, all of which are focused on doing work that wouldn’t otherwise get done in Baltimore. If you’re looking to get some experience working hard and you want to make a positive change, then you can either become a corpsmember or check out the Green Projects Development Coordinator posted on Idealist. Right now they’re recruiting corpsmembers for the Community Lot Team and the Healthcare Careers Alliance, but I wouldn’t be surprised if other positions appear in the near future.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s the hardest that you’ve ever worked?

Millennial Media

Willy Franzen — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:32:50 +0000

I hate the term Millennial when it’s used in the same way that Generation Y is. A lot of career advice these days is focused on generational issues, but I just don’t buy into it. Yes, old people and young people have different attitudes, but that’s nothing new. There are way more important things to be talking about, which is why I get visibly irked when the word millennial comes up. (And I’m proving my point right now by being a 25 year old grumpy old man.) My bad attitude should explain why it took me a second to warm to the idea of Millennial Media, which is a Baltimore, MD based mobile advertising company. By millennial, they mean next generation/futuristic, so they’re ok in my book. The company apparently has the largest mobile advertising network in the country, and they claim to reach 83% of the U.S. mobile audience.

The Mobile Millennium

It’s very clear that mobile advertising is growing at an amazing rate. Cell phones used to be terrible platforms for marketing messages, but we’re suddenly seeing that change with rich technologies on smaller devices. Getting ads on your phone may not seem all that desirable, but when you realize that it’s subsidizing all those cool, free sites, you have to agree that it’s worth looking at some ads to use Google or whatever other site on your phone. And with location based services popping all over the place, mobile advertising is actually going to be useful soon enough (Foursquare has already netted a free appetizer, a free cupcake, and 10% off of Berry Chill). So how do you get in on mobile marketing while it’s still kind of early? You head for Millennial Media. They’re an industry leader, and they’re already working with big name publishers like ABC, MTV, The New York Times, Digg, and more. And to get a closer look at how their platform works, you can check out Millennial Media’s Case Studies. If you like what you see, you should head over to Millennial Media’s Jobs page. Right now they have about a dozen job openings, and a few look suitable for new grads including Account Manager, Application Developers Account Manager, Business Analyst, and Mobile Application Developer. You can apply online for any of these positions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you pay attention to mobile ads?

MITRE

Willy Franzen — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 12:28:19 +0000

Not many of the companies on Fast Company’s list of “The World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies” are non-profit, and not many non-profits generate over $1 billion in annual revenue, but MITRE fits both criteria. I know that many of you responded in our survey that you wanted to see fewer technical jobs, but I’ve also noticed that most of the non-profit jobs that we feature on weekends aren’t very technical. MITRE, which has headquarters in Bedford, MA and McLean, VA offers an exception. They are an “organization chartered to work in the public interest” through “expertise in systems engineering, information technology, operational concepts, and enterprise modernization.” They do this work through “four Federally Funded Research and Development Centers,” with one focused on the Department of Defense, one on the Federal Aviation Administration, one on the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, and one for the Department of Homeland Security.

Give MITRE a Try

MITRE serves each of these groups by providing “a unique combination of broad operational knowledge and in-depth technical skills” while also developing new technology that can be transferred when appropriate. What is really astonishing about MITRE is its size. They have over 7,000 employees, and more than 65% of them hold an advanced degree. The organization is a hotbed for technical knowhow and creativity, and it’s great to know that they have thousands of talented people working to ensure the future of our country. On that note MITRE is constantly looking to hire smart people for both technical and non-technical positions. They have a very strong college recruiting program, which you can find out about here. There are nearly 400 positions posted right now on MITRE’s Jobs site, so browsing through everything may be a little tough. It maybe a little hard to sniff out which jobs are considered entry level, so you may want to reach out to Jessica Yu using MITRE’s employee directory to get your questions answered (or you can use the chat box on the Student Opportunities page during working hours).

Job categories at MITRE include: Acquisitions, Artificial Intelligence, Business Analysis & Administration, Communications, Computer Operations, Contracts/Subcontracts, Database Technology Software, Defense & Space Systems, Desktop Support, Digital/Microprocessor Hardware, Domain Operation Analyst, Economics/Business, Electromagnetic & Nuclear Effects, Facilities Engineering, Financial Analysis, General Accounting, General Systems Engineer, Graphics, Human Resources Generalist, Human Factors Engineer, Industrial Security, Information Security, Information Systems Engineer, Integrated Electronics, Legal, Multi-Disciplinary Systems Development, Networking & Distributed Systems, Physical Security, Procurement, Sensor Systems, Signal Processing Engineer, Software Applications Development & Software Systems, Special Security, System Administrator, Technical Project Support, Telecommunications Specialist, and Treasury & Risk Management. There are also a variety of locations beyond MITRE’s headquarters, so you’ll have plenty of options.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about MITRE?

Applied Physics Laboratory

Willy Franzen — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:44:51 +0000

This has nothing to do with physics, but yesterday was likely the greatest day in Cornell athletics history. I’m a happy guy. I’m also a guy who took AP Physics and found it extremely difficult. Despite the fact that our survival is based on having a basic understanding of physics (like knowing how a spear will fly when you throw it at a mammoth), most of us have basically no clue about the scientific side of physics. That’s not the case with the folks at The Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, MD. The APL is a division of Johns Hopkins University, and it’s “a not-for-profit center for engineering, research, and development.” The Laboratory’s work has a huge impact on the success of our nation—they work in areas like Air and Missile Defense, Homeland Protection, Biomedicine, and Civilian Space.

Apply Yourself at APL

To get a better feel for what The Applied Physics Laboratory does, you should take a look at some of their Sample Programs. It includes things like Space Threat Awareness and Characterization, Imaging Inside Buildings with Radar, and Effective Preparation of Biological Samples. If you pore over these case studies, you’ll start to realize just how important the field of applied physics really is. Another thing that The Applied Physics Laboratory is known for is hiring the best and the brightest. They have a significant College Recruiting program, and they do have a single posting on their site for technical entry level positions. It covers a number of different job functions including: Aerospace/Aeronautics, Communications Engineering, Controls Engineering, Defense Systems Test and Evaluation, Hardware Design, Information Systems/Security, Modeling and Simulation, Network/Communications Engineering, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Space Physics, and System Engineering Analysis. They’re looking for candidates from all degree levels, and they seem to offer a great work environment. Their Careers page has a lot more information, so check it out for more details. And if you’re looking for a non-science position, you can keep your eye on all of the APL’s job listings.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you see the Cornell game?

The Reinvestment Fund

Willy Franzen — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:13:45 +0000

I grew up in Fairfield, CT, which is next to a city, Bridgeport, that is always aiming for “revitalization.” They’ve talked about a building a casino for years, and they even built a minor league baseball stadium. It’s hard to say whether that has helped or hurt, but it seems that Bridgeport is at least doing a little better than it was a decade ago. I’d imagine that the real reasons for improvement have come from smaller projects that are more in tune with the city’s communities’ needs. These are the kinds of projects that The Reinvestment Fund invests in in cities in the Mid-Atlantic. They are “a 24 year old nonprofit financial lending institution with a strong social mission” and offices in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC. They started out as a small community development organization, and they’ve grown to become something much bigger.

Reinvest in Yourself

So far the Reinvestment Fund has invested nearly a billion dollars in capital into economic development projects. The results speak for themselves, as TRF has helped create:

532 businesses

18,590 housing units

28,870 charter school slots

45,755 jobs

8.2 million square feet of commercial space

2.7 million MWh of clean energy – enough to power over 290,000 homes for a year!

It may not sound as sexy as a baseball stadium or a casino, but The Reinvestment Fund is all about finding “the point of impact.” That means that they’re looking for the place where they can get the most bang for the buck. They want to maximize the opportunity that they create for both individuals and neighborhoods regardless of what might be popular. If you’d like to help “build wealth and opportunity for low-wealth people” while revitalizing communities, then you need to look no further than The Reinvestment Fund’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Financial Analyst in addition to post-doctoral students for their Policy Solutions Group Fellowship. They also have some part-time Policy and Information Services positions available, but they seem more along the lines of internships than jobs (but they are paid).

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about The Reinvestment Fund?

The Aspen Institute

Willy Franzen — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:23:22 +0000

I don’t usually do this, but this is important. I find many of the non-profit jobs that I feature on One Day, One Job on Idealist.org. It’s the best resource for non-profit jobs on the web, and it’s a non-profit itself. The organization is in trouble right now, and they need money. If they’ve helped your job search in any way, go to their home page and make a donation—I just did. Even $5 will help.

If Aspen is known for anything, it’s known for skiing and affluence. In 1945 Walter Paepcke, a Chicago businessman, was so inspired by the town’s natural beauty that he wanted it to be known for something else—”as an ideal gathering place for thinkers, leaders, artists, and musicians from all over the world to step away from their daily routines and reflect on the underlying values of society and culture.” He started by organizing events in Aspen like “a celebration of the 200th birthday of German poet and philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,” and then he founded The Aspen Institute. It started as a “forum based on the writings of great thinkers of the past and present,” but now it’s evolved into something more. It is now a non-profit organization that fosters “values-based leadership” and provides “a neutral and balanced venue for discussing and acting on critical issues.” It’s certainly an ideas-focused organization, and it is now headquartered in Washington, DC with offices in Aspen, CO and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Happy Goethe-Day

Although it may sound as though The Aspen Institute is light on action, that’s not really the case. Their focus is on taking action to bring people together to discuss big ideas. The organization has four main modes of operation: they put on seminars; they provide young leader fellowships; they run non-paritsan policy programs; and they put on public conferences and events. What it really all comes down to, though, is promoting dialogue and the sharing of ideas. If that sounds like something that you could get behind, then you might want to consider a job at the Aspen Institute. Right now they’re looking for a Financial Analyst and a Front Desk Coordinator in their Washington, DC office. You may also want to look at their Leadership Programs for fellowship opportunities.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about the Aspen Institute?