See Below
School of Earth, Society, and Environment
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The School of Earth, Society, and Environment (SESE) seeks a full-time (12 month) academic professional as Field Research Specialist. This position reports to the Associate Director for Operations and provides management and support for existing and developing research and instructional facilities in School of Earth, Society, and Environment (SESE) and its three academic units.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
Coordinates and manages water-related research facilities. This position will join an interdisciplinary team involved in a variety of river, lake, and watershed research projects primarily in the Midwest, but also elsewhere in the United States, Canada, South America, and overseas.Operate and maintain (or coordinates maintenance of) data-collection equipment and supporting facilities, including;RTK-GPS systems, multibeam echo sounder (MBES),acoustic Doppler current profilers (aDcp),sub-bottom profiler,single beam echo sounders,acoustic Doppler velocimeters,support software,field vehicles (two trucks, an SUV, all-terrain utility vehicle), andseveral boats, ranging from a small jon boat to a large, fully equipped, research vessel.
Provides technical assistance for other existing or developing research facilities and laboratories as needed.Provides technical assistance for instructional laboratories as needed, such as preparing thin section samples for Geology courses, and other similar tasks as needed.Field activities can involve work in unpredictable environmental conditions, often outside traditional work hours.The candidate will have the opportunity to work with graduate and undergraduate students through training on equipment operation and field techniques and safety, and may also instruct a field methods course using the equipment.This position will be expected to help identify and develop revenue-generating opportunities that involve innovative applications of these research capabilities. This may be in the form of sponsored research agreements, online facility use, and technical testing agreements.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s Degree required, Master’s Degree preferred, in Geography, Geology, Environmental Sciences, Oceanography, Engineering, or related field.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:
Experience preferred in data collection and data management procedures; field deployment and maintenance of electronic/digital instrumentation; boat operation, towing and trailering; design and fabrication of field-equipment deployments; and a working knowledge of common office, scientific, and navigation software (Word, Excel, MATLAB, HyPACK) with demonstrated ability to learn and adapt new software/applications. Experience in grant writing or with obtaining and working on field-related contracts is desired.
Starting date: As soon as possible after closing date. Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience.
For full consideration, all application material (including cover letter, resume) must be received by the closing date of November 26, 2012. Applicants may be interviewed before the closing date; however, no hiring decision will be made until after that date.
Application: Create your U of I application and upload your cover letter and resume at https://jobs.illinois.edu. Online application will require names and contact information for 3 references.
For further information/questions email Jennifer Drennan at jldrenna@illinois.edu. Illinois is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ideas who embrace and value diversity and inclusivity. www.inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu