Program Operations Specialist: Project Administrator

University of Washington; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Washington invites applications for a Program Operations Specialist within the PMEL GOBOP group at PMEL, reporting to Dr. Jonathan Sharp.

You will lead the Adopt-a-Float outreach program, coordinate school visits, manage budgets, and support reporting and communications to advance Argo science. The role requires strong organization, event planning, budgeting, and teamwork, with opportunities to engage regional schools and undergraduate collaborators.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 12 months of related experience.
• Equivalent education/experience may substitute for minimum qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Manage the PMEL Adopt-a-Float Outreach Program (50%): grow, manage, and administer the outreach program, coordinate events with teachers, develop tracking tools, and manage the budget.
• Support Group Logistics (25%): assist with shipping, deployment planning, budgeting, purchasing, file organization, and intern coordination; develop performance metrics.
• Support Group Reporting and Communications (20%): draft proposals, reports, presentations, outreach stories, publications, and digital content.
• Perform Additional Duties (5%): complete other tasks to support the GOBOP Argo team.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Meeting coordination

Project management

Microsoft Office

Communication skills

Organization

Graphic/visual content

Team collaboration

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor of Science in Earth Science

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Project Management/Marketing

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Job Description

CICOES has an outstanding opportunity for Program Operations Specialist to join their team

About This Opportunity

The University of Washington (UW) is proud to be one of the Nation’s premier educational and research institutions. Our people are the most important asset in our pursuit of achieving excellence in education, research, and community service. UW is in the greater Seattle metropolitan area, with a dynamic, multicultural community of 3.7 million people and a range of natural environments from mountains to ocean. The UW is a community of 80,000 students, faculty and staff including 25% first-generation college students, over 25% Pell Grant students and faculty from over 70 countries. The Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies (CICOES) has existed since 1977 for the purpose of fostering research collaboration between UW and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). CICOES’s research is at the forefront of investigations on climate change, ocean acidification, fisheries assessments, and tsunami forecasting.

Reporting to Dr. Jonathan Sharp, CICOES is seeking a Program Operations Specialist to join the Global Observations of Biogeochemistry and Ocean Physics (GOBOP) Group at the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL). Based out of PMEL, this role involves leading the administration and management of PMEL’s Adopt-a-Float outreach program. There are more than 4,500 robotic profiling floats distributed throughout the global oceans thanks to the international (30 contributing nations) Argo research program that strives to understand the ocean’s role in global climate. These floats vertically sample the ocean interior from ~2,000 m (or 6,000 m) depth to the sea surface every 10 days, sending their data to shore via satellite while at the sea surface. Argo data are vital for weather forecasting, climate predictions (e.g., El Niño), and scientific research on ocean variability and change. The PMEL GOBOP group deploys ~80 floats annually, many of which are “adopted” by regional high school classrooms. Students from these classrooms get to name their adopted float and engage with our team to learn about ocean concepts, explore data from floats in distant seas, and discover career paths in ocean science. The Program Operations Specialist will lead and manage PMEL’s Adopt-a-Float outreach program, increasing its impact by growing the number of schools we engage with and potentially expanding the program to include regional community colleges. Specifically, the Program Operations Specialist will be responsible for engaging new potential schools and outreach partners, managing the budget allocated for the program, and organizing and leading outreach events. Other highly successful implementations of Adopt-a-Float in France and California serve as examples of how this program can make an impact. In addition to managing the Adopt-a-Float outreach program, this role will provide essential support to the PMEL GOBOP team by assisting with logistics, reporting, and external communications, to further the Argo mission.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the PMEL Adopt-a-Float Outreach Program (50%): Grow, manage, and administer the PMEL Adopt-a-Float Outreach Program by organizing and optimizing existing outreach content and materials, coordinating outreach events with teachers from regional high schools, and developing tools to track the success of outreach engagements, and managing the budget allocated to the program. This role will involve organizing approximately quarterly school visits that will be carried out by members of the GOBOP team in collaboration with colleagues and students at PMEL and UW.
• Support Group Logistics (25%): Assist with shipping, float deployment planning/notifications, budgeting, purchasing, file organization, and intern coordination. Contribute to the development, management, and maintenance of performance metrics to track the status and needs of ongoing hardware, software, and data quality control efforts.
• Support Group Reporting and Communications (20%): Assist in drafting textual and visual content for proposals, reports, presentations, outreach stories, publication media, and digital platforms (e.g., group website). Such efforts will largely build from existing materials but would ideally evolve to include the development of new materials, depending on the skillset and interests of the hire.
• Perform Additional Duties (5%): Complete other tasks as assigned to support the GOBOP Argo team.

Required Qualifications

To be considered for this opportunity your application must demonstrate you meet both the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below. Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science. in Earth Science (e.g., Oceanography, Atmospheric Science, etc); or Bachelors of Arts in Business Administration, Project Management, Marketing, or similar;
• 12-months of job-related experience
• Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Applicants who do not meet these qualifications WILL NOT be forwarded to the Hiring Manager.

Additional Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Experience or interest in arranging and running meetings.
• Broad, basic computer skills (e.g., Microsoft Office suite).
• Demonstrated excellence in oral and written communication skills.
• Highly organized, self-motivated individual with strong attention to detail and time management skills.
• Experience with, or training in, project management and handling deadlines.
• Experience developing graphical/visual content to communicate information.
• Demonstrated ability to work well in a team and prioritize team success.
• Ability to quickly adapt to changing priorities while exercising sound judgment and taking initiative.

Preferred Qualifications

• An educational background or interest in ocean/environmental science.
• Experience with web design.
• Experience with budget management.
• Experience developing and/or implementing outreach events.
• Experience organizing and leading small groups of people with a common goal.
• The ability to occasionally assist team members in the float lab with unpacking, packing, or testing floats and maneuvering floats/boxes of ≤80 lbs with the help of another individual.

Working Conditions

• Professional office setting–desk work.
• Occasional assistance in the PMEL float lab.
• This role may involve semi-regular trips to regional schools to assist group scientists and/or contribute to outreach events. Therefore, a drivers license is required, though a personal vehicle is not required.

Application Requirement

• Please provide a 1-to-2 page cover letter describing how your experience makes you well suited for this position. You are also welcome to submit one additional page of textual or graphical content to serve as an example of your written or visual communication skills, respectively.

Visa Sponsorship

NA

About The Team

The PMEL GOBOP team monitors and studies ocean dynamics and ecosystems, contributing to the implementation of all three Argo missions (Core, Deep, and Biogeochemical) as well as GO-SHIP. Group scientists analyze data collected over the past 26 years from the array of >4,500 Argo profiling floats distributed throughout the global ocean. The floats are free drifting and profile from ~2,000 m (or 6,000 m) depth to the sea surface every 10 days, sending their data back to land via satellite after each profile. Our group deploys approximately 80 floats annually, many of which are adopted by regional high school classrooms through our Adopt-a-Float outreach program. The students get to name the floats and engage with our team during classroom visits to explore ocean concepts and learn about career paths in ocean science.

Compensation, Benefits And Position Details

Pay Range Minimum: $55,200.00 annual

Pay Range Maximum: $69,600.00 annual

Benefits

Other Compensation: For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/

Shift: First Shift (United States of America)

Temporary or Regular? This is a regular position

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent): 100.00%

Union/Bargaining Unit: Not Applicable

About The UW

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state and surrounding the world. UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

Our Commitment

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or [e-mail].

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.