Research Specialist

Posting Details

Posting Details

​Benefits of Working at UNCW

Want to become a soaring UNCW Seahawk and work at one of the best universities on the East Coast? Want to put your toes in the sand after a day of work? The University of North Carolina Wilmington offers a wonderfully vibrant university community along with a beautiful location just miles from the beach.

Employees of UNCW are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other programs, resources, policies, and practices that help to support a work/life balance. Our programs have been designed to provide a variety of choices to best fit your needs and the needs of your family. Full time employees are eligible for dental, vision and health insurance plans. Health insurance benefit plans eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.

Full time employees are also eligible for up to three (3) paid waivers from the state and then UNCW provides an additional two waivers in the summer for classes taken only at UNCW including the application fee and book rental. In addition as a full time employee, UNCW offers a free membership to the Campus Recreation Center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, meditation and yoga sessions, voluntary supplemental insurance coverages, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays, 24 hours of paid community service leave time, paid vacation and sick leave accrual and family medical leave after 12 months of continuous service

We also offer an abundance of training and development programs through our Dare to Learn Academy , Skillport , and the employee assistance program , many of which are offered free of charge.

Recruitment Range

$48,153-$49,000

Vacancy Number

S01943

Position Title

Research Specialist

Working Title

Research Specialist

Competency Level

Journey

Dept/School

Center for Marine Science - 30600

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

The University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Center for Marine Science ( CMS ) is recognized both nationally and internationally for conducting research that contributes to the understanding of environmental processes and problems.

Through research, education, and outreach, the Center strives to increase knowledge and cultivate public awareness about coastal and marine sciences. This includes a variety of fields such as physical oceanography; marine and coastal biology; marine, atmospheric and natural products chemistry; marine geology; aquaculture; and environmental sciences. Currently, there are more than 100 active research programs supported by CMS and over 140 scientists, staff, and students broadly associated with the unit.

The teaching and research facility located on the Intracoastal Waterway in southeastern North Carolina features state-of-the-art core facilities in spectrometry and spectroscopy, light stable isotopes, biotechnology, aquaculture, DNA and water quality analysis, as well as running seawater systems, a coastal workboat fleet and a wide range of oceanographic equipment that are available to all CMS researchers. CMS supports educational programs related to marine science, including the MS Marine Science degree, as well as courses and students from various marine-science-related academic departments. It also supports several outreach entities, including NC Sea Grant, the NC National Estuarine Research Reserve, and Marine Quest, among others.

College

Center for Marine Science - 30600 College

College/School Information

University Information

The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world-class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking and a community rich in diversity, inclusion and global perspectives.

A public institution with nearly 18,000 students, UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to- BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation’s only bachelor’s degree program focused on coastal engineering.

The university’s efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of “Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity” institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969.

Location of Workplace

CMS Myrtle Grove

Brief Summary of Work for this Position

This is a mixed role position for CMS operations and the Coastal Ocean Research and Monitoring Program ( CORMP ). Duties include coordinating, facilitating, and participating in scientific research in the coastal ocean, fabrication of oceanographic moorings, mounts, etc., deployment and maintenance of non-real-time and real-time sensors, at-sea oceanographic sampling and data collection, operation of drones, scientific SCUBA diving, data management, small vessel repair, and all aspects of cruise planning and execution, as well as budget planning and execution for each of these activities.

The position functions both independently and as a member of a research team, frequently serving a lead role in supervising students and other technicians in the accomplishment of all phases of scientific research. The incumbent may serve as a lead scientist for oceanographic research cruises and will provide support to multiple Principal Investigators conducting research projects involving multiple scientific protocols and complex techniques that cross all marine science disciplines, including Physics and Physical Oceanography, Biology and Marine Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Earth Sciences.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a discipline related to the area of assignment + 1 year of directly related experience; or equivalent combination of training and/or related experience.
All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Preferred education, professional skills and experience

• Knowledge of real-time and non-real-time oceanographic equipment
• Knowledge of real-time oceanographic moorings. Knowledge of underwater sampling equipment
• Knowledge of deployment, recovery, and assembly of moored instrument arrays
• Knowledge of mechanical and hand-held tools and fabrication equipment
• Skills to SCUBA dive and follow AAUS guidelines
• Skills to operate small boats
• Skills to properly use underwater equipment
• Skills in the documentation of operating procedures and system design
• Ability to enter and analyze data on a personal computer
• Ability to collect samples underwater
• Ability to learn new analytical processes
• Ability to maintain complex sampling equipment
• Ability to pass AAUS dive physical
• Ability to earn USCG captain’s license
• Ability to spend extended periods of time aboard ships at sea

Required Certifications or licensure

NC Driver’s license

FTE

1.0 (40 hours per week)

Months Per Year

12 Months

Work Days

Monday - Friday

Work Hours

8:00AM - 5:00PM

Type of Position

Time-limited

Anticipated Ending Date if Time-Limited

07/31/2023

Position Number

1965

Job Posting Date

09/23/2022

Posting Close Date

10/23/2022

Number of Openings

Single Incumbent

Special Notes to Applicants

This position is time-limited with the possibility of continuation pending availability of funds and department need.


PLEASE NOTE : This posting will close at 11:59PM (Eastern time) on the posted closing date. To receive full consideration, please be sure you have fully completed the entire application, including the ‘Work History’ section, before you apply for this position. Failure to answer all required questions will cause the system to disqualify your application. Applications must be submitted through the online application system to be considered.

This position is being recruited at the Journey level. If no applicants apply who meet the required competency and training & experience requirements, then management may consider other applicants. Salary would be determined based on competencies, equity, budget, and market considerations.

EEO Statement

At the University of North Carolina at Wilmington ( UNCW ), our culture reflects our values of inclusion, diversity, globalization, ethics and integrity and innovation and we are committed to providing equality of educational and employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents – except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs. UNCW believes that embracing the unique contributions of our faculty, staff and students is critical to our success and paramount in being recognized for our global mindset.

Eligibility for Employment

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

External Link to Posting

https://jobs.uncw.edu/postings/26084
Applicant Documents
Required Documents

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter
3. List of 3 Professional References

Optional Documents

1. Curriculum Vita

Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * How did you learn of this opportunity with UNCW? (2022)
   • UNCW Website
   • UNCW LinkedIn Page
   • UNCW Twitter Account
   • UNCW Employee Referral
   • UNCW Instagram Account (UNCW_jobs)
   • UNCW Job Alert
   • Chronicle of Higher Education
   • Diverse Issues in Higher Education
   • Glassdoor
   • Higher Ed Jobs
   • Hispanic Outlook
   • Indeed
   • Inside Higher Ed
   • North Carolina Job Network
   • Women in Higher Education
   • Craigslist
   • Other