Postdoctoral Research Associate for Coastal Processes

To support efforts outlined in the state’s “Maine Won’t Wait” Climate Action Plan, the U.S. Department of Commerce awarded a $69 million grant to the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future through the Inflation Reduction Act. The five-year Resilient Maine project made possible through this award has engaged Maine Sea Grant in collaborative work with communities, state agencies, University of Maine faculty and staff, and many other partners to provide scientific and technical expertise to identify and address coastal hazards, including sea level rise, coastal flooding, and other impacts of climate-driven extreme weather events. 

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate for Coastal Processes with expertise in civil and environmental engineering and experience in community engagement activities in the context of coastal resilience and coastal planning. The primary role of the Postdoctoral Research Associate is to serve as a technical resource for coastal communities and the State of Maine for issues related to climate hazards, coastal storms, and resiliency planning.  The associate will contribute outreach expertise in coastal processes and engineering to guide vulnerability assessments and help evaluate alternatives for adaptation to sea level rise along the Maine coast. This 18-month grant-funded position will be supported in partnership with Maine Coastal Program (MCP), Maine Geological Survey (MGS), and faculty from the UMaine Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Additional collaborators on this work will include the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Maine Department of Transportation (DOT), Maine Climate Science and Information Exchange (MCSIE), and coastal municipalities. The typical hiring range for this soft-money funded position is $60,000 to $70,000 commensurate with qualifications and experience. Funding for this position is currently available for 18 months and is contingent upon continued external funding. 

Complete Job Description

About the University:
The University of Maine is a community of more than 11,900 undergraduate and graduate students, and 2,500 employees located on the Orono campus, the regional campus in Machias, and throughout the state. UMaine is a land, sea and space grant university, and maintains a leadership role as the University of Maine System's flagship institution. UMaine is the state's public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, dedicated to providing excellent teaching, research and service for Maine, the nation and the world. More information about UMaine is at umaine.edu. 

The University of Maine offers a wide range of benefits for employees including, but not limited to, tuition benefits (employee and dependent), comprehensive insurance coverage including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and short and long term disability as well as retirement plan options. 

UMaine is located in beautiful Central Maine. Many employees report that a primary reason for choosing to come to UMaine is quality of life. Numerous cultural activities, excellent public schools, safe neighborhoods, high quality medical care, little traffic, and a reasonable cost of living make the greater Bangor area a wonderful place to live. Visit the Maine Office of Tourism to learn more about what the Bangor region has to offer.

Qualifications:
Required: 

• Doctoral degree in engineering, environmental science, geoscience, or related field.         
• Knowledge and experience in engineering design, modeling, mapping, coastal planning and management, or related activities. 
• Demonstrated understanding of interactions between the built environment, coastal processes, and natural environments.
• Demonstrated understanding of numerical coastal wave modeling and application to coastal engineering, (e.g., erosion control structures).
• Familiarity with different scenarios for sea level rise, coastal inundation, and other climate hazards, and their implications for coastal communities.
• Experience developing and conducting workshops for community, municipal, business or related audiences. 
• Demonstrated capacity for team collaboration, problem-solving, flexibility, and co-development of project plans.
• Demonstrated experience keeping timely and organized records for the use of multiple project partners and regular project reporting.
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