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Research Engagement Specialists, Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research

How to Apply
Applications are welcomed and encouraged from all qualified individuals regardless of background and identity. To apply, please complete the application on the U-M Careers site. A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

Summary
We are seeking two Research Engagement Specialist to support efforts at the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR). You will engage with stakeholders and rights holders in the co-design of Great Lakes research that will lead to socially useful research products. You will spend the majority of time at NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) in Ann Arbor. Our team offers flexible work styles, such as flexible hours and/or flexible workplace (with approved agreements in place).

In addition to supporting the research engagement component of multiple research projects, you will support the preparation of reports, implement strategies to enhance CIGLR’s engagement with underrepresented populations, co-author peer-reviewed publications, and represent project teams on various committees, advisory groups, and at scientific conferences.

You will join a collaborative team of engagement researcher-practitioners to:

  • Foster two-way interactions between researchers and end-users. These interactions will be mutually beneficial for development and transfer of knowledge, technologies, products, methods, management actions, or other outcomes.
  • Identify stakeholders and rights holders, build meaningful relationships, and support existing relationships.
  • Ensure that research products are useful and usable by involving stakeholders and rights holders in every stage of research projects.
  • Bridge the gap between scientists and end-users to ensure knowledge and research outcomes translate effectively to decision-support and operations.
  • Conduct social science research on engagement methodologies, stakeholder and rights holder perceptions, co-design, decision-support, and other topics related to science and society.
  • Support ongoing efforts of research and practice to facilitate researcher engagement with stakeholder, rights holder, and end user groups with the goal of co-designing research from project development to product distribution.

Term Limited Appointment: This is a 1 (one) year term limited appointment, with an opportunity for extension based on funding and performance.

Mission Statement
The School for Environment and Sustainability (https://seas.umich.edu/) is a collaborative and interdisciplinary school. Our mission includes contributing to the protection of environmental resources and the achievement of a sustainable society. We accomplish this by generating and sharing knowledge, contributing to policy and engaging managers and stakeholders. The University of Michigan is a top-ranked public university with excellence in research and teaching. Ann Arbor, home to the University of Michigan, is a town known for arts, culture, parks and restaurants.

SEAS is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable environment that respects diverse experiences, promotes generous listening and communications, and discourages and restoratively responds to acts of discrimination, harassment, or injustice. Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is deeply rooted in our values for a sustainable and just society.

Who We Are
Your appointment will be with The Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR), which is part of the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. CIGLR is a collaboration between the University of Michigan and NOAA that brings together experts from academia and government research labs to address pressing problems facing the Great Lakes region.

Our team deploys methodological approaches that utilize participant observation, open-ended and semi-structured interviews, focus groups, cognitive walkthroughs, facilitation, oral histories, workshops, text and policy analysis, inductive content analysis, and surveys.

Examples of research products developed at CIGLR using co-design methods include the Experimental Lake Erie Hypoxia Forecast and the Lake Erie Harmful Algal Bloom Forecast.

Why Work at Michigan?
In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

  • Generous time off
  • A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
  • Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Long-term disability coverage
  • Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses

Responsibilities

  • Assist researchers in the development of products (such as web pages, fact sheets, and science presentations) to effectively communicate research results to stakeholders and rights holders.
  • Create analytical outputs to inform the interdisciplinary research teams we collaborate with of our engagement results. This may include stakeholder & rights holder inventories, reports, and recommendations for research design and product improvement.
  • Share the results of research co-design efforts with the broader research community through public presentations, webinars, conferences, reports, and contributions to peer-reviewed publications in collaboration with the Research Engagement team and project research teams.
  • Coordinate CIGLR’s engagement activities with other NOAA groups and partner organizations in the Great Lakes through participation in events, working groups, and conferences.
  • Job Type: Staff
  • Application deadline: 07/21/2023
  • Organization: Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research School for Environment and Sustainability University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI
  • Qualifications: Required Qualifications*: Experience with social science methods for focus groups, interviews, and/or surveys including data analysis. Ability to communicate in public settings. Must be able to produce technical reports, as well as translate science to a diverse audience. Ability to work independently and and contribute as part of an interdisciplinary team. This position is open only to US Citizens or permanent residents due to federal security clearance required for access to NOAA GLERL facilities and resources. Desired Qualifications* Experience organizing and facilitating engagement activities. Knowledge of relevant Great Lakes and national water quality policies and research. Experience in MAXQDA or qualitative data analysis software.
  • How to apply: Apply on website: https://careers.umich.edu/job_detail/236004/research-engagement-specialist
  • Location: Ann Arbor, MI
  • Web address: https://careers.umich.edu/job_detail/236004/research-engagement-specialist

Contact Information:
Margaret Throckmorton


+17346473299
throckmj@umich.edu