Ocean Career: Coastal Processes Specialist at North Carolina Sea Grant

Coastal Processes Specialist

Its headquarters is located in Raleigh on the campus of North Carolina State University.

This position serves as a technical resource, including but not limited to the following: coastal processes and hazards (including impacts of climate change on coastal systems), shoreline erosion and erosion management, coastal flooding, community resilience planning, coastal structural and landscape engineering, for a range of partners in the coastal region of North Carolina. The position focuses on solutions and best practices to the resilience challenges North Carolina coastal communities confront.

The Coastal Processes Specialist, in consultation with NC Sea Grant team members, key stakeholders and constituencies, extends science-based information to coastal communities, resource managers, and interest groups in North Carolina and the surrounding region and works with researchers to develop outreach extensions for their projects. The specialist contributes to research motivated by community needs and provides hands-on operational and technical support for constituents.

The specialist solicits funding as needed to support projects through the development of grant proposals. Topical areas of work include coastal response to storms and sea level change, coastal and riverine flooding, coastal engineering, coastal hazard resilience, and other synergistic topics.

Specific duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Deliver technical assistance and educational programming related to coastal processes and hazards, erosion control and management, coastal structures and infrastructure, engineering and the operation, management, development, and restoration of coastal ecosystems.
• Identify and deliver technical support to targeted audiences using a variety of delivery mechanisms including written materials, digital media (e.g., development, implementation and administration of specialized GIS based web sites), presentations, meetings and workshops, site visits and individual consultations.
• Identify, compile, and synthesize information on coastal processes, coastal hazards and associated impacts of climate change, shoreline erosion management and engineering, flooding and flood mitigation strategies, technical and regulatory aspects of dredging, and renewable energy, among other topics
• Identify existing and emerging opportunities related to built environment resilience in North Carolina coastal communities.
• Where basic information required for program development is lacking, the specialist will help craft applied research questions and design studies to fill these gaps and identify funding sources to facilitate these efforts.
• Technical assistance and educational programs will be designed to increase technical capabilities and improve decision making and planning for local, state, and federal government representatives, coastal property owners and businesses, community groups and consulting engineers and marine contractors.
• Identify audience and program informational needs, develop and submit proposals and design and conduct applied research to fulfill these needs. The specialist will communicate research needs of constituents to NC Sea Grant and UNC System academic researchers, and collaborate with researchers in proposal development and project implementation in subject areas.
• Continue to expand knowledge, and keep current in their area of professional expertise. Professional growth is demonstrated in development and fulfillment of professional improvement plans filed with NC Sea Grant leadership.

Required

Master's Degree in engineering, geosciences, coastal/marine science, or related field and one year post graduation experience in coastal processes, erosion management, shoreline engineering, engineering project management, design, or related field.

Or

Bachelor's Degree in engineering, geosciences, coastal/marine science, or related field and at least three years of professional work experience in coastal processes, erosion management, shoreline engineering, design, or related field.

• Advanced computer skills and the ability to use computer and long-distance education…