Chesapeake Research Consortium

Program Coordinator

Chesapeake Student Recruitment, Early Advisement, and Mentoring (C-StREAM)
Internship Program

The Chesapeake Research Consortium (CRC) is seeking a passionate individual to coordinate and further the development of its Chesapeake Student Recruitment, Early Advisement, and Mentoring (C-StREAM) internship program. CRC aims to play a critical and central role in defining, coordinating, and disseminating the research and education needed to best contribute to the decision-making process for effective and sustainable management of the Chesapeake Bay, its watershed, and its living resources. We recognize that we can only achieve this mission if all voices and perspectives are represented within the Bay’s science and management community.

Chesapeake Research Consortium and its partners – that is, the CRC member institutions and the federal agencies with whom the CRC routinely cooperates – through it’s C-StREAM program aim to evolve and strengthen a leadership pipeline that attracts and retains a diverse community of both undergraduate mentees and mentors so that the necessary diversity of perspectives is applied to the protection and restoration of complex human-impacted ecosystems. In its current form, C-StREAM develops and trains a diverse population of future leaders in environmental research, restoration, and protection by engaging them over multiple years in mentored engagement experiences. While this initial pipeline construction has been successful, there are structural elements that can be strengthened so that it can be filled to capacity.

C-StREAM Program Coordinator Responsibilities

The successful candidate would be responsible for C-StREAM program implementation while working to strengthen and further develop, improve, and evaluate the program according to the program’s guiding principals and practices. The C-StREAM program recently received funding from the National Science Foundation that will support further program development and the program coordinator position. Funding is expected through September 2023 along with an opportunity to be extended if additional funding support is obtained.

C-StREAM develops and trains a diverse population of future leaders in environmental research, restoration, and protection by engaging them over multiple years in mentored engagement experiences. The program coordinator will be expected to maintain the following specific responsibilities.

  • Oversee current C-StREAM program operations which provide students access to a summer internship program that allows them to explore both sides of actionable science (i.e., science and its application in management and policy) by offering opportunities from multiple on-going, impactful internship programs. This responsibility includes identifying specific mentors and internship opportunities within our network of partners, developing the program application and overseeing its distribution, evaluating program candidates and working with mentors to place students, and assisting in the on-boarding and orientation process.
  • Implement a common language of leadership competencies that can be developed by the student through the program.
  • Build a strong sense of belonging by providing the C-StREAM Fellows of any given annual cohort (of roughly a dozen students) multiple and substantive opportunities to create community, enhance communication skills, and have shared professional development experiences.
  • Create a community of practice composed of well-respected and professionally well-connected summer mentors who are not only highly skilled in areas of direct intellectual interest to the student, but also trained to be culturally aware, articulate in leadership competencies, and responsive to the student’s needs so that the program experience can be leveraged to its fullest potential.
  • Work with each C-StREAM Fellow to continue to pursue interests that they’ve developed (from the summer experience or otherwise) during the academic year and in collaboration with home-institution advisors and mentors.
  • Promote the C-StREAM program and its Fellows through communication avenues such as the CRC website, social media, and the Career Development News blog; and represent C-StREAM at career fairs and other networking events, especially those focused on increasing diversity within the environmental sector.
  • Manage program administration functions such as reporting, budget tracking, and expense planning and approval.

While the program coordinator will have primary responsibility for these tasks, the coordinator will be supported by CRC’s Executive Director, the developing C-StREAM Advisory Board, and additional CRC Staff and partners currently engaged with program implementation. The program coordinator position will be based out of CRC’s main office which is located on the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center’s campus in Edgewater, MD.

Desired Skills and Experience

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.

  • Bachelor’s Degree with a focus on sociology, community engagement, education, environmental justice, environmental management or policy, communication and outreach or related area of study.
  • Experience working in student engagement and/or diversity and inclusion in higher education, including peer-to-peer, field school, or traditional mentoring relationships.
  • Strong leadership and interpersonal skills to build relationships with populations from diverse backgrounds.
  • Program management experience to include budget management, reporting, and/or evaluation.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint required.
  • Familiarity with remote meeting technologies (Zoom, Google Meets, etc.) beneficial.

Salary and Benefits

The minimum annual salary for this position is $55,000 with opportunity to increase based on previous experience. A competitive vacation and benefits package is provided which includes paid vacation, sick, and personal leave; paid holiday leave; health insurance coverage (medical, dental, and vision options); 401(k) retirement savings program; short term disability coverage; and a flexible and family-friendly work environment. Funding is provided to support work related travel.

Application Instructions

Applications (a detailed cover letter, resume, writing sample (approximately 600 words), and list of at least three references) should be sent electronically to Melissa Fagan, Environmental Management Career Development Program Coordinator, at faganm@chesapeake.org.

Application Due Date: January 17, 2021

Additional information about the Chesapeake Research Consortium and the C-StREAM program is available at www.chesapeake.org.

Chesapeake Research Consortium is committed to building a diverse team and strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. CRC provides equal employment opportunities and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, veteran status or national origin. CRC maintains a drug-free workplace. All CRC Staff are required to successfully complete a federal background check upon hire.