Call for Applications for Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) Committee Co-Chair

The EPEC network is organised by early career researchers, for early career researchers, and includes volunteers from across the global Europlanet community. EPEC strives to form a strong network of early careers by organising events and creating a platform for early careers to engage with the wider scientific community. 

The EPEC Committee, composed of chairs responsible for leading our activities and events, is led and coordinated by two Co-Chairs, whose duty is to make sure all the active events and activities are functioning nominally, fill periodic reports on ongoing activities, and liaise with the Europlanet Society Executive Board. You will be the primary point of call for EPEC queries about joining, membership, activities and events for both committee and members. EPEC’s Co-Chairs play a crucial role in coordinating the community and its activities, making key decisions that benefit the EPEC network as a whole, encouraging new and innovative ideas and actively expanding the community. 

EPEC’s Co-Chairs are responsible for: 

• Communications: 
  • Acting as a central contact node within EPEC and directing people through the network 
  • Managing and posting consistently on social media 
  • Liaising with other EPEC members and Europlanet representatives via email 
  • Creating and updating EPEC sections of the Europlanet website 
  • Building relationships with other early career networks, like AbGradE 
  • Operating a shared email inbox and participating proactively in email exchanges relating to EPEC
  • Consistent presence on social media, particularly on Discord
• Coordinating with other EPEC members to stay up-to-date with new and existing EPEC activities 
• Reporting to the Europlanet Executive Board and providing input for Europlanet’s annual report 
• Representing EPEC at events: academic conferences, webinars, outreach presentations etc.
• Gathering feedback from participants after events like EPEC Annual Week and EPEC @ EPSC. 

EPEC is looking for one elected Committee Co-Chair for the next term to help sustain the Committee activities. The term of the elected EPEC Committee Co-Chair will be two years with an option to extend for an additional year. The expected time commitment of the elected EPEC Chair is approximately two hours per week, with increased commitment expected during EPEC Annual Week and around EPSC.

This is a great opportunity to join a vibrant community of early career researchers, learn valuable leadership skills and work closely with another experienced Co-Chair to help each other make the most of the experience. Europlanet is passionate about providing a supportive environment and a great platform for raising the profile of its early career members. 

Eligibility to apply: 

To be eligible for this position, you must meet the following requirements: 

• You must be a member of the Europlanet Society; 
• Leadership: In working with our diverse community, you must ensure that all points of view are heard and respected. If needed, both Co-Chairs must be able to facilitate discussions and make decisions in the best interests of the community; 
• Availability on Discord: Europlanet and EPEC use Discord as our main platform for brainstorming, community-building and exchange. Please ensure that you engage as consistently and proactively as possible; 
• You must be an early-career planetary scientist and/or space professional whose last degree (e.g. MSc or PhD) was obtained a maximum of 7 years ago (excluding parental leave, serious illness and similar delays). 

We encourage applications from a diverse early career community (undergraduates, graduates, doctoral researchers and postdocs).

How to apply:
If you are interested in becoming an EPEC Co-Chair, please submit your application via the form below by 25th November 2024. 

After the deadline, the EPEC Committee will meet for a discussion and will then proceed with a formal vote.  

The new Co-Chair will be announced in early December.