The Chesapeake Research Consortium (CRC; www.chesapeake.org) seeks an energetic, motivated, and well-organized individual with good communication skills and a career interest in environmental science and policy to assist the CRC in coordinating activities of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s (CBP; www.chesapeakebay.net) Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC; www.chesapeake.org/stac). CRC fully enables its seven-member academic and research institutions and the broader scientific community in the region to inspire and implement solutions to the understanding and management of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed by defining, coordinating, and disseminating the research and education needed for its science-based management. The Chesapeake Bay Program brings together leaders from state, federal and local government, as well as academia and the watershed’s many communities, to collaborate on creating the best strategies and tools for cleaning up the Bay and the rivers and streams that flow into it and engaging with diverse communities to restore habitat health for living resources and promote stewardship for an environmentally and economically sustainable Chesapeake Bay.

CRC has coordinated the activities of the CBP’s Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee since STAC’s creation in December 1984. STAC provides independent scientific and technical advice to the CBP by preparing technical reports and white papers; reviewing CBP approaches, tools, and products; organizing workshops to explore a scientific finding or management question; and enhancing communication between the scientific community and the technical and management teams of the CBP. Through the organizational networks of its 38 members, STAC ensures close cooperation among the various academic institutions and management agencies represented in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to facilitate the application of the best available scientific understanding to Bay restoration efforts. The effective management of these activities is key to STAC’s continued success in providing the most recent science to the partnership.

STAC Staff Role and Responsibilities

The selected candidate for the STAC Staff position will assist the STAC Coordinator with the day-to-day management of the committee. This generally includes providing administrative support for the committee and its suite of activities and involves both working directly with STAC members and coordinating with Chesapeake Bay Program staff and partners. The following provides some specific responsibilities that are likely to be assigned to the person accepting this position.

  • Provide quarterly meeting support by scheduling meetings and developing meeting agendas, setting up hybrid meeting technologies such as video conferencing and collaborative tools (training provided), drafting concise meeting minutes, and tracking and following up on action items.
  • Support STAC workshops by assisting with the proposal development and workshop selection process, workshop planning and implementation, and the development of the workshop recommendations and summary report.
  • Support additional STAC activities such as technical reviews, synthesis projects, and ad-hoc activities by providing administrative support like that provided for quarterly meetings and workshops.
  • Coordinate with STAC leadership, the STAC Executive Board, and Chesapeake Bay Program partners to advance committee priorities, track current activities and committee needs, and provide updates to keep everyone informed.
  • Along with the STAC Coordinator, represent STAC at Chesapeake Bay Program meetings.
  • Manage and update content, contacts, and event information on the STAC website and Chesapeake Bay Program website (content management system training provided). Maintain various STAC distribution lists.
  • Help prepare quarterly electronic newsletters designed to keep the STAC membership informed about on-going and upcoming STAC and Chesapeake Bay Program activities.
  • Assist with managing the cooperative agreement which funds STAC by managing budgets and providing progress updates to the agreement manager for routine performance reports.

The person hired for this STAC Staff position will work at the Chesapeake Research Consortium’s office located in Edgewater, MD on the campus of the Smithsonian’s Environmental Research Center. All CRC Staff can choose to work on a hybrid work schedule appropriate to their responsibilities, dividing time each week between in-office work and telework, in negotiation with CRC management.  All CRC Staff have individual office spaces and can work full-time in the CRC office should they choose.

Desired Skills and Qualifications

The ideal candidate for the position should have a strong desire to work with science and policy related to the Chesapeake Bay watershed and would have the following background and interests. However, if you meet more than 75% of the qualifications of this description, we encourage you to apply. We welcome inclusion of nontraditional or nonformal education and experiences, volunteer, and lived experience that contributes to your fit for the position.

  • A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study – candidates with backgrounds in environmental science, policy, and management fields are especially encouraged.
  • Ability to provide support by independently planning meetings, developing agendas, drafting concise meeting minutes, and tracking action items.
  • Experience and/or familiarity with scientific writing and proofreading, as relevant to the preparation of technical policy reports, scientific summary reports, and factsheets.
  • Experience with producing content for various written and web-based communications.
  • Familiarity with using hybrid meeting technologies such as video conferencing (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, etc.).
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is required.
  • Experience with database management is a plus, as well as familiarity with Adobe Acrobat Professional suite, reference management software (e.g., Zotero or EndNote), and content management systems.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to prioritize tasks under tight timelines in a fast-paced environment.
  • Self-motivated to identify tasks that can advance the work of the committee.
  • Works effectively in a collaborative environment.
  • Possesses an interest in learning how a multi-stakeholder, regional governmental-environmental-management partnership sets and achieves goals through collaboration, adaptive management, and science-based decision making.

The individual hired for this position will be required to successfully complete a federal background check upon hire.

Chesapeake Research Consortium is committed to a diverse workforce and encourage people from all backgrounds to apply. CRC recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, gender identity (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender individual), sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

Salary and Benefits

The annual salary for the STAC Staff position is $50,000. Our competitive benefits package includes paid vacation, sick, and personal leave; 14 paid holidays; affordable health, dental, and vision insurance options; short-term disability; and retirement saving options with an employer contribution.

Application Instructions

Applications (cover letter, resume, list of three references, transcript [unofficial accepted] and a short writing sample) should be sent electronically to Melissa Fagan at faganm@chesapeake.org.