Research Project Administrator (Fixed Term)

The Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability (WIES) at the University of Southern California (USC) seeks a collaborative and organized individual with a strong background in Earth, ocean, or environmental sciences to support its research mission. The successful candidate will help propose, coordinate, and integrate innovative and high-impact research in environment and sustainability at the USC Wrigley Institute.

This position is located on the USC University Park Campus (UPC) in Los Angeles and reports to the Executive Director of WIES. The position is a 2-year fixed-term position; the role may be extended for up to one additional year depending upon the performance of the incumbent and the availability of funding.

Job Description:

With direction from WIES leadership, the Research Project Administrator will help develop and advance natural science research investigations in the institute’s Climate & Carbon Management Initiative and coastal/marine research at the institute’s Wrigley Marine Science Center (WMSC) on Catalina Island.

The successful candidate will work with WIES’s team of staff scientists and affiliated research faculty conducting foundational and applied environmental research. Responsibilities include leading and/or participating in the preparation of research proposals; project coordination and administration; contributing to papers and presentations for lay and scholarly audiences; organizing and executing symposia, workshops, and associated events; linking research to fellowship and/or internship programs; and reporting research outcomes to funders, partners, and stakeholders. Depending upon the individual’s experience, they may also serve as an investigator or collaborator in one or more of the institute’s research efforts.

The Research Project Administrator will foster close relations with WIES leadership, affiliated faculty, and staff. While the successful candidate will be based at USC’s UPC campus in Los Angeles, periodic day trips and/or overnight visits to the WMSC on Catalina Island will be required. Research activities at WIES are extensive and take place at the UPC campus, the WMSC campus, and various national and international locations.

Major Responsibilities:

The major responsibilities of the Research Project Administrator include:

  • Research proposals: Helps identify appropriate funding opportunities; prepares research proposals for submission to external funding agencies, foundations and other donors to support WIES research initiatives, campus locations, and research priorities•Project coordination: Participates in the administration and execution of research programs; coordinates activities with research teams and support personnel; serves as a liaison between affiliated faculty, relevant departments/schools, and partners;
  • Communication: Interacts with funders, stakeholders, and other organizations about research activities and outcomes
  • Reporting: Prepares, plans, and/or implements reports, papers and articles, symposia, and presentations to share research activities and outcomes
  • Events: Leads and/or supports the planning and execution of WIES workshops, conferences, and other research-related engagements
  • Mentoring: Contributes to WIES student mentoring programs; provides guidance and best practices to more junior team members
  • Resource management: Works with leadership to allocate resources to meet goals
  • Quality assurance: Ensures research quality and compliance with regulatory standards
  • Calendaring: Maintains engagement calendar with awareness of shifting organizational priorities and adapts schedules and timelines accordingly. Maintains records on research activities, progress and outcomes.
  • Budgeting: Reviews and reconciles budgets and expenditures on a program or initiative basis, and coordinates with leadership and finance staff to arrange consultants/vendors and to process payments to vendors as necessary.
  • Contributes to an inclusive environment, building and maintaining strong cross-functional relationships and a deep understanding of organizational and university cultures; upholds the principles of the USC Code of Ethics; demonstrates alignment to the organization’s and university’s strategic plans through words, actions, and ideas
  • Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

The successful candidate is expected to provide a collaborator and partner experience of outstanding quality that includes a friendly, service-oriented approach; the ability to work in a team setting with students, staff, visitors and administrators; a work ethic that fosters timely responses to inquiries; and effective and innovative problem-solving skills.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Minimum Education: Masters degree in a natural science or related discipline that aligns with WIES research initiatives, or combined experience/education as substitute
  • Minimum Experience and Field of Expertise: 3 years of experience with environmental or sustainability research including grant writing and/or program management.
  • Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage multiple programs, initiatives, activities, and schedules
  • Excellent interpersonal, and written and oral communication skills
  • Ability to work within a team atmosphere and building and maintain positive relationships with researchers, colleagues, and partners
  • Ability to work with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community including faculty, students, and staff

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Preferred Education: PhD in a field or discipline that aligns with WIES research initiatives, plus 3-5 years of experience working as a research coordinator in higher education
  • Other Preferred Skills: Track-record in interdisciplinary environmental and/or sustainability research; established project management abilities; data management and analysis skills; experience planning and coordinating large-scale research projects; proven grant-writing abilities; understanding contemporary trends in environmental and/or sustainability research; established network of environmental and/or sustainability researchers in the United States and abroad

Schedule:

Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm. Flexibility to work 1-2 days per week remotely. Some weekend and after-hours work required. This position is not eligible for overtime.

Compensation:

$80,000-$85,000 annual salary depending on experience; generous benefits package, including health insurance, a retirement account, life insurance, tuition benefits, and a wide range of discounts. For more details on USC Benefits and Perks, visit: employees.usc.edu/benefits-perks.

When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

About the Wrigley Institute

The mission of the Wrigley Institute is to create a more sustainable and environmentally just future for our planet and all who live on it by educating, training, and empowering the next generation of leaders and change agents; leading solutions-focused research at the intersection of people and planet; and engaging with the public and our partners to raise awareness and inspire positive change.

Located in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California, one of the nation’s premier research universities, we also have a satellite campus on California’s beautiful Santa Catalina Island. Through education, research, and engagement, we train the next generation of environmental leaders, develop original solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental problems, and encourage nonpartisan action for sustainability and environmental justice.

WIES is part of USC’s oldest and largest school, the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and a key player in the university’s high-profile sustainability initiatives. We are home to:

  • Dornsife’s Environmental Studies academic program, which grants both undergraduate and graduate degrees;
  • The Wrigley Marine Science Center, our Catalina Island campus;
  • USC Sea Grant, which conducts outreach and advocacy on the urban ocean;
  • Research Launchpads on Earth & Environmental Systems, Applied Environmental Solutions, and Social Transformation; and
  • Signature public events that bring together business leaders, policy makers, activists, and scholars for conversations of consequence on the environment and sustainability

A job with the Wrigley Institute is an opportunity to help solve some of the most important challenges of our era. Join us to create a more sustainable future!

To Apply:

Applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate has been identified.

To apply, please send the following to wies-opportunities@usc.edu: a letter of interest, a curriculum vitae, examples of research including refereed journal articles, official graduate transcripts, and the names and contact information for three professional references.