Research Associate

Research Associate

Position Specifications

Time period: Term appointment through September 30, 2025 with an anticipated start date of May 6, 2024.

Hours: 40 hours a week.

Location: The successful candidate will have office space at the Graham Sustainability Institute, located at 214 S. State Street, Ann Arbor, MI

Supervisor: Supervised by Maeghan Brass, program manager at the Graham Sustainability Institute, and will work closely with other program staff.

Pay: $46,800-50,000

Introduction

The University of Michigan Water Center at the Graham Sustainability Institute is seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented collaboration specialist to join the National Estuarine Research Reserve System Science Collaborative program hosted by the Center. The successful applicant will integrate into a team whose members are equally comfortable in leading project planning and integrating input on their work as they are in providing thorough and thoughtful feedback to the work of teammates. Work is fast-paced and variable, covering a variety of activities supporting the Science Collaborative. 

The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) excels at the practice of collaborative science and has pioneered many techniques that make it successful. One such innovation is the Reserve System’s Science Collaborative. With funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the NERRS Science Collaborative provides grants and other support for collaborative projects that are conducted in partnership with one or more National Estuarine Research Reserve sites located around the country. The Science Collaborative helps the Reserve System address critical coastal management needs by providing resources and tools for developing strong projects, selecting and supporting collaborative science projects through annual national competitions, and disseminating the knowledge, processes, and key lessons learned from projects. With a national network dedicated to sharing tools and knowledge, research conducted at one reserve strengthens all 30 sites and the communities they serve, leaving them better prepared to manage our changing coasts.

At the Graham Sustainability Institute, our dedication to academic excellence for the public good is inseparable from our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our mission of mobilizing the expertise and passion of scholars, partners, and decision-makers to work together and bring world-class research to real-world sustainability challenges includes ensuring that each member of our community thrives. We believe that diversity is key to empowerment and to the advancement of sustainability knowledge, learning, and leadership. 

Responsibilities

Work closely with the NERRS Science Collaborative (NSC) team to:

• Support the development and implementation of workshops and other opportunities to foster peer-to-peer learning about collaborative science;
• Support the development of collaborative science resources and their integration into the Guide to Collaborative Science, including resources related to meaningful engagement;
• Contribute significantly to project closeout activities, including participating in final check-in calls and developing and implementing an approach to adding project content to the Science Collaborative website for long-term access and archival;
• Contribute to the communication of project and program activities and impacts,  including generating content for email updates, the Science Collaborative website, progress reports, and other content as needed;
• Provide input and support to program learning and adaptation, including related to understanding impact; and
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree in a relevant natural or social science field, and demonstrated interest in natural science-informed or human dimensions of coastal issues such as water quality, climate adaptation, coastal land use planning, or wetland habitat restoration;
• Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to prioritize multiple projects with tight deadlines;
• Demonstrated ability to work in a highly-collaborative team environment that is both fast-paced and detail oriented;
• Proven ability to work independently;
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace (Drive, Docs, Spreadsheets) applications.

Required skills/traits

• Collaboration experience (for example, within research, policy, communication, or other contexts);
• Flexible/adaptive to different systems and processes for organizing the program’s work flows;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Experience with virtual engagement;
• Strong familiarity with the National Estuarine Research Reserve System and the NERRS Science Collaborative;
• Prior experience engaging with NERRS staff and their partners;
• Prior experience applying social science methods to understand collaborative processes and translate findings into resources and tools;
• Complete openness and willingness to be part of a collaborative team with the expectation that team collaboration includes input and feedback on all aspects of the work.

How to apply:

To apply, please submit a letter of interest and resume through the U-M employment website. If you have any questions, contact Maeghan Brass at [email protected].