Student Job Opportunity at NCASC

If you are detail-oriented, have strong organizational skills, and are comfortable learning new technologies and tools, this position is right for you! The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Climate Adaptation Science Center (NCASC) is seeking a part-time student to support project tracking, systems management, and user experience / usability improvements to tools and workflows used to manage funded science. In this position, you will be part of a team actively working to ensure that important scientific products, data, information, and tools are available to our target audiences. Through this work, we aim to provide on-the-ground natural resource managers and other stakeholders with science to help them respond and adapt to climate change.

Eligibility & Availability: This position is open to current part-time or full-time undergraduate or graduate students, as well as recent graduates (must have graduated within the last 12 months). If an undergraduate, the student must be within two years of receiving their degree. The applicant should be available 20 hours per week, for at least one full year. Hours and schedules are flexible, within reason, to accommodate educational commitments. The anticipated start date is September 7, 2021, but will depend on the speed of the hiring and onboarding process.

Activities: While in this position, the selected candidate will have the opportunity to interact with USGS staff within NCASC and across the Regional CASCs; learn the ins and outs of managing and operating project tracking workflows and tools across a national-scale science program; and help improve the user experience of these processes. Specific tasks may include:

• Using human centered design and usability techniques to help design, develop, and manage a new project tracking tool and workflow for the network;
• Supporting project management processes and tools, including helping to manage a national project tracking and data repository system and a funding solicitation / proposal management system;
• Tracking publications and products from CASC-funded research, entering new projects into our project tracking system, and updating project information;
• Ensuring the results from scientific projects are publicly accessible;
• Developing how-to resources (instructional documents, videos, etc.) to increase the use of network web tools;
• Revising descriptive project information to make it more understandable to public audiences;
• Other activities as needed.

Required Skills:

• Ability to organize, manage, and prioritize multiple tasks and projects at the same time
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills
• Comfort learning new technologies and tools
• Familiarity with basic computer operations and “office” software
• Ability to follow up on tasks and self-initiate (propose new ideas and next steps, etc.)
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team setting

Preferred Skills:

• Education or demonstrated experience in environmental science or an earth science field (e.g. biology, geography, meteorology, climatology)
• Education or demonstrated experience in user experience, human centered design techniques, or related field
• Experience with database management and data entry
• Experience using web content management systems
• Excellent writing and editing skills and ability to translate scientific information into non-technical, compelling summaries
• Experience using video editing programs

About NCASC: The National CASC manages a network of nine regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) located across the U.S. Together, the National and Regional CASCs fund and conduct over 40 new science projects each year to understand how changing climate conditions impact fish, wildlife, ecosystems, and communities. The Information Management team at NCASC develops, manages, and improves web tools and workflows to support efforts across our network to solicit and fund projects, track and manage science products, data, and reports, and organize important information and resources to ensure our users can find the science they need. Learn more about the CASC network:

Duty Station: This position may be completed remotely from any location in the U.S.

Compensation: The successful applicant will be paid $16-40 per hour, depending on level of education and geographic location. This is a student contract position, and as such, taxes are not automatically taken out of the student contractor’s paycheck (the student contractor will be responsible for paying quarterly taxes). Student contractors do not accrue paid leave, but will earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. This position may be used for course credit or to meet internship requirements, should the student receive approval from their academic advisor to do so.

Apply: Please send the documents listed below to casc@usgs.gov. Applications will be accepted until Friday, June 25, 2021 or until 50 applications have been received.

• Resume
• Cover letter: Please explain why you would be a good fit for this position.