Management and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay watershed requires a diverse group of passionate individuals and the Chesapeake Research Consortium (CRC) seeks such an individual for a three-year appointment to its Environmental Management Career Development Program. As a staffer in the Environmental Management Career Development Program, you will provide staff support to the Chesapeake Bay Program. 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. The Chesapeake Bay Program is fueled by science and driven by partnership.

The successful candidate will provide support to the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Scientific, Technical Assessment, and Reporting (STAR) Team primarily focusing on STAR’s Modeling Workgroup, Climate Resiliency Workgroup, Integrated Trends Analysis Team and Tidal Trends Analysis Team. STAR’s mission is to facilitate productive deployment of scientific resources, to provide high quality and timely information to managers, and to expand communication between workgroups. STAR supplies a forum for analysis and synthesis, and engaging government, non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions. Monthly STAR meetings foster continuing dialogue between Chesapeake Bay Program Goal Implementation Teams and data providers, ensuring effective and responsive use of scientific resources in addressing management questions.

Environmental Management Staffer Responsibilities

The candidate selected for this position will be involved in core leadership team activities associated with STAR and the assigned workgroups. Through coordination, logistics, and documentation you will gain hands on experience working with natural resource managers from agencies and institutions around the Chesapeake Bay. You will also have the opportunity to apply technical knowledge and skills such as Geographic Information Systems proficiencies, computer model code development and maintenance, statistical analysis, and literature reviews in the area of atmospheric, watershed, and estuarine science and modeling. Additionally, you will be engaged in the Chesapeake Bay Program’s innovative Strategy Review System process, which tracks progress towards the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership’s restoration goals by learning from past actions. The selected candidate will work as a CRC employee at the U.S. EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program Office located in Annapolis, Maryland.

Summary of Responsibilities

  • Provide meeting support by developing meeting agendas, setting up remote technologies such as video conferencing (training provided), drafting concise meeting minutes, and tracking and following-up on action items.
  • Manage and update content and calendar items on STAR and workgroup webpages.
  • Solicit, track and consolidate feedback on documents or topics as necessary from STAR and workgroup members and experts.
  • Perform analysis, research, and/or coding on various topics as a member of the CBPO Modeling Team and the Climate Resiliency Workgroup.
  • Participate on project teams as needed to perform analysis, consolidate data, write reports and present results.

Desired Skills and Interests

The ideal candidate for the position would have the following background and interests however if you meet more than 75% of the qualifications of this description, we encourage you to submit an application.

  • A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in natural, social, or environmental science or engineering, or a related area of study.
  • Technical knowledge and skills such as aptitude with Geographic Information Systems, and/or computer model code development and maintenance, and/or statistical analysis. Proficiency in writing scripts in R or similar statistical software a plus.
  • The ability to research, organize, and synthesize complex information.
  • The ability to do literature reviews in the general areas of atmospheric, watershed, and estuarine science and modeling.
  • Experience with or interest in collaborating with a range of partners and stakeholders as part of interdisciplinary teams representing a variety of interests, in an environment meant to build consensus.
  • 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 and a team-player.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is required.
  • Familiarity with using remote meeting technologies such as video conferencing (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, etc.) a plus.
  • 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.
  • A willingness to explore career options and interest in engaging in professional development activities.

Salary and Benefits

The annual salary is $42,481 and a competitive vacation and benefits package is included for the three-year position.  In addition to the experience gained through your work assignments, CRC can support your attendance at professional conferences, workshops, and trainings related to your position, identified future career interests and individual professional development plan.

Application Instructions

Applications (a detailed cover letter, resume, list of at least three references, transcript [unofficial accepted] and a short writing sample) should be sent electronically to Melissa Fagan, Environmental Management Career Development Program Coordinator, at faganm@chesapeake.org. Please include information concerning education and professional background as well as immediate and long-term career goals as part of your cover letter.

Application Due Date: October 4, 2020

Additional information about the CRC Environmental Career Development Program is available at www.chesapeake.org. Additional information about the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership is available at www.chesapeakebay.net.