Oregon Sea Grant Extension Specialist in Marine Renewable Energy and Communities

https://jobs.oregonstate.edu/postings/144567

Oregon Sea Grant invites applications for a full-time (1.00 FTE), 12-month, fixed-term Assistant Professor of Practice and Oregon Sea Grant Extension Specialist in Marine Renewable Energy and Communities position. Reappointment is at the discretion of the Director.

This Assistant Professor of Practice and Oregon Sea Grant Extension Specialist in Marine Renewable Energy and Communities position is with Oregon Sea Grant (https://seagrant.oregonstate.edu) and Oregon State University Extension Service (https://extension.oregonstate.edu). It has a statewide assignment with a focus on Oregon’s coastal counties and is based in Corvallis, OR. This is a temporary fixed-term Assistant Professor of Practice position and reports to the Oregon Sea Grant Associate Director of Extension and Engagement.

This Assistant Professor of Practice position in Marine Renewable Energy and Communities contributes to the missions of Oregon Sea Grant, OSU Extension Service, and Oregon State University. The department home for this position is Oregon Sea Grant (OSG). This is a full-time position with a 2-year appointment. Extension or renewal beyond two years is contingent on funding and the discretion of the director.

The purpose of this position is to develop and implement a program of authentic community engagement focused on marine renewable energy, specifically floating offshore wind energy development, in Oregon. This position has leadership responsibilities for facilitation, development, execution, coordination, and evaluation of education and research projects related to marine renewable energy and communities. This position will work with interested parties to understand their needs and assist in co-development of solutions through consultation and cooperation, supporting civic readiness, and serving as a liaison among various audiences.

This faculty member also engages with local communities and practitioners to enhance understanding of how social, cultural, and historical factors influence perceptions, preferences, and understanding of issues related to marine renewable energy development with a focus on offshore wind energy. Such issues could include climate mitigation, cultural resources, marine spatial planning, workforce development, fisheries, conservation, ecosystem-based management, energy systems, coastal resilience, blue economy, environmental literacy, marine technology, or others identified in the Oregon Sea Grant Strategic Plan (2024-2027) [https://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/about/strategic-plan] or relevant to Tribal Nations, tribal communities, or other coastal zone communities of Oregon. The individual filling this position could bring expertise from one or more social science disciplines (or an interdisciplinary background). The individual should have experience with a variety of community engagement tools and methods.

In addition to being part of the Oregon Sea Grant program, the person in this role will benefit from being part of the national Sea Grant network and the OSU Extension Service. They will collaborate with the National Sea Grant Offshore Wind Energy Liaison (http://www.seagrantenergy.org) in Rhode Island, and a new wind energy extension position to be established with California Sea Grant in northern California. These programs and positions are supported in part by funding from the Department of Energy to Sea Grant.

Active and effective communication with staff and interested parties is critical to the success of this position. This position will involve travel to and from meetings throughout the state with occasional out-of-state travel for projects and training.