Mid-Atlantic HERC

UMCES (https://www.umces.edu/) is a leader in basic and applied environmental science aiming to engage academic and non-academic partners to create solutions to difficult environmental problems. Central to this work are professionals who excel at bridging divides through translation and facilitated collaboration on analysis of complex environmental data.

The Chesapeake Global Collaboratory (CGC) is a new UMCES-wide initiative with the goal of accelerating solutions to complex problems by bringing a new generation of tools, data, voices, and approaches to environmental research. The CGC is both a physical and virtual space equipped with state-of-the-art technology where scientists, environmental policy makers, academics, and stakeholders can work together to address challenging environmental issues and educate the next generation of problem solvers. The main activity areas are: Cyberinfrastructure, Data Science, Education and Training, Science Communication, and Stakeholder Engagement. The CGC is designed to support research applications by facilitating project-specific tailored services. A new building as part of the CGC located on the Chesapeake Bay will provide technology-augmented, in-person meeting capabilities and house high-performance computing resources and data scientists. Collaboratory resources and expertise are also available and distributed university-wide virtually and in person. An NSF-funded SCIPE (Strengthening the Cyberinfrastructure Professionals Ecosystem) project presently supports data scientists as part of the CGC.

We are seeking a Coordinator for the CGC who will be the point-of-contact for the Collaboratory throughout UMCES, and for external interactions with other University System of Maryland universities, government and nongovernmental groups, and other stakeholders. The coordinator will provide scientific coordination for the CGC and also be responsible for the operations of CGC related to providing scientific support services to faculty. Scientific coordination includes: (1) organizing CGC activities (e.g., training, workshops, newsletter) to maximize the impact and efficiency of the CGC, (2) assisting in team building for specific projects that use the CGC, (3) assisting and, as appropriate, leading proposal preparations (Federal, state, foundations) that involve the CGC, and (4) participate in activities raising awareness within UMCES and to outside organizations about the services offered by the CGC. There will also be opportunities for the coordinator to engage in active research as part of CGC projects. Overseeing operations includes working as part of a team on scheduling, project management, and logistics of CGC activities and ensuring smooth and responsive daily operations of the CGC scientific enterprise. The coordinator will work closely with the CGC advisory committees, faculty, and UMCES administration. The coordinator will work with the personnel responsible for the new building but will not be responsible for the operations or personnel of the building.

Specific responsibilities include:

● Managing CGC projects

● Supporting Faculty Steering Committee and External Advisory groups

● Coordinating the convening summits, workshops, and meetings

● Preparing CGC communications for UMCES and external audiences

● Representing the CGC at meetings

● Participating in proposals that involve CGC activities

This is a full-time position with anticipated annual renewals of ongoing state support. We encourage applications from people who are interested in advancing team science, coordinating stakeholder engagement, contributing to science communication, and organizing training and graduate education on big data, high performance computing and related topics. The specific responsibilities will be adjusted and tailored depending on the qualifications of the selected coordinator. The coordinator should be familiar with and conversant about big data and high-performance computing but the position focuses on bringing together data scientists and UMCES researchers spanning diverse disciplines (oceanography, earth science, ecology, hydrology, biogeochemistry, etc.). The coordinator must have a PhD or equivalent in a discipline related to environmental science, and should have training and/or experiences that demonstrate skills in some or all of the following: 

The chosen candidate will be hired as an Assistant or Associate Research Scientist depending on qualifications and experience. 

UMCES researchers receive a competitive salary and excellent benefits including health and dental insurance, retirement investment, tuition remission and more. The CGC promises a dynamic, fun, and exciting atmosphere, and affords an opportunity to shape an emerging keystone initiative at a research-intensive university, as well as a chance to organize teams and work on pressing local, national, and global environmental problems.

UMCES has multiple locations across Maryland, located in Frostburg, Solomons, Baltimore, Cambridge, and Annapolis. Travel to UMCES locations will be expected; the successful candidate will understand the value of in-person interactions and collaboration. The position is open to a locally based telework plan designed to balance the needs of the employee with the need for in-person collaboration at UMCES locations.