Research Operations Manager at Continental Scientific Drilling Facility (CSD)
Official job title: Research Project Specialist, job code 9742S1

We have 2 (TWO) openings for Research Operations Managers whose duties are designed to fulfill and support the CSD Facility project development and implementation roles, in collaboration with other Facility staff, particularly the Director and Senior Operations Manager. The successful candidates will be dynamic, creative, self-motivated, eager to learn, and prepared to engage with a large and diverse scientific community.

Essential Functions of the Position

• Project development. Translate scientific goals into actionable plans and budgets. Select optimal techniques based on project requirements. Solicit, review, and align bids from commercial contractors and academic facilities. Prepare budgets, justifications, and other documentation for proposals to be submitted to project sponsors. Document and maintain records for vendor capabilities. (50%)
• Operations management. Prepare documentation for operational plans, including contracts, shipments, permit applications, site-specific plans for health, safety, environmental and operations protocols, and others. Maintain, procure, prepare, and ship materials required for project operations. Travel to field sites to manage activities, represent the project team, train and collaborate with participants and contractors to ensure project requirements are met, track on-site activities, consumption of supplies, contractor performance, data collection, and others, and manage budgets and communicate with onsite and remote stakeholders in highly dynamic operational conditions. (30%)
• Infrastructure development. Evaluate tools, equipment, instrumentation, cyberinfrastructure, and other resources for effectiveness and prioritize plans for improvement. Develop specific plans, budgets, and rationale for modifications and acquisitions prioritized, contributing to proposals as needed to obtain funds. Implement developments and integrate them into Facility operations. (10%)
• Support other facility functions in the field, lab, office, and at meetings and conferences as assigned. (10%)

Please contact Anders Noren (noren021@umn.edu)  if you have any questions.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Geology, Geophysics, Earth Sciences, Environmental Science, or a related field with at least 6 years experience in scientific drilling and/or coring project development and management, including aspects related to techniques, logistics, and/or data management OR advanced degree in Geology, Geophysics, Earth Sciences, Environmental Science, or a related field with at least 4 years of experience in scientific drilling and/or coring project development and management, including aspects related to techniques, logistics, and/or data management
• Ability to organize tasks, multi-task, and prioritize work to meet deadlines, independently or coordinating group activity.
• Strong organizational skills, strong communication skills, and fluency in English.
• Ability to travel to remote domestic and international locations frequently and for long durations, up to several months per year.
• Ability to obtain driver’s license, passport, and international travel visas on a continuing basis.
• Ability to drive vehicles while towing trailers in combinations up to 26,000 pounds gross combined vehicle weight rating (GCWR), and ability to deploy and drive watercraft.
• Proficiency in standard computer operating systems (Windows, Mac) and software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google App Suite).
• Physical requirements: The duties of this position involve fine motor skills for delicate tasks and strenuous physical activity, including lifting and carrying medium to heavy weight objects (50 to 100 pounds), reaching, bending and maintaining balance on a floating boat, platform, or ship; working day or night shift, in confined conditions, exposed to noise, vibration, and adverse weather conditions (temperature extremes, wind, rain, snow).

Preferred

• Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in geoscience-related field.
• 5 or more years’ experience in drilling and/or coring project development and management.
• 5 or more years’ experience in open water operations (watercraft, outboard motors, sonar, anchoring, etc.).
• 5 or more years’ experience in domestic and international logistics including air and surface import/export; trucking; courier.
• Familiarity with common techniques in scientific drilling and coring, including diamond core drilling, sonic, auger, direct push, mud/air rotary, and soft-sediment coring systems deployed by rod or wire.
• Familiarity with geophysical site and borehole survey techniques including ground penetrating radar, seismic reflection, downhole logging.
• Familiarity with core-based workflows and analyses including handling, splitting/slabbing, scanning, imaging, lithologic description, subsampling.
• Experience operating small engines and hydraulic systems.
• Familiarity with the US Continental Scientific Drilling community.
• Familiarity with National Science Foundation and other funding agency requirements, priorities, and grant management in the university administrative environment.

About University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

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