Outreach and Residential Life Coordinator

The Darling Marine Center seeks a motivated and community focused person to develop and deliver programs for K-12 students and visiting college groups that meet state standards and other goals of educators though field and lab-based programming, lead tours, engage the local community, and to create a positive and engaging residential student community on our campus located in Walpole, Maine along the shores of the Damariscotta River.  The ideal candidate is someone who has a strong passion for experiential environmental and marine science education, loves interacting with others both formally and informally, and has the desire to develop a positive intentional residential community at a busy marine science field station. Starting wage for this full-time, temporary position is $18.00/hr.

The Darling Marine Center is a proud part of the University of Maine, the state’s Land and Sea Grant University. Since its founding in 1965, the DMC has been an active center of marine research, education, outreach. The DMC brings unique strengths and opportunities to UMaine by virtue of its waterfront facilities, resident expertise, and the surrounding community.

The DMC welcomes scientists and students from UMaine and around the world throughout the year to the campus in Walpole, Maine. Our location and facilities enable scientists and students to easily engage in field and laboratory studies of coastal and marine ecosystems. In addition to supporting university research and education, the DMC also actively engages with fishermen, aquaculture entrepreneurs, marine industry professionals, and community members through collaborative research, workforce development, and business incubation programs.

Duties/Responsibilities

Education Programs (~50%):

• Develop and deliver programs for K-12 students that meet the Maine State Standards and other goals of local educators through field-based programming and classroom-based programming online and at local schools. Integrate Darling Marine Center scientific research into student programs, in collaboration with researchers, graduate students and DMC staff. Communicate with teachers to ensure field trips and classroom programs meet expectations.
• Develop, lead and/or host K-12 teacher professional development classes/opportunities.
• With Program Manager and external partners, assess the impact of K-12 programs. Assess needs/wants of participants and update or create educational programming accordingly. Accumulate long-term data from K-12 student monitoring and evaluation. Work with Programs Manager to store and distribute data and. disseminate assessment results to stakeholders. 
• Provide tours, field experiences, lectures and other programming for college-level courses, seminars and undergraduate clubs on their visits to DMC.
• Assist University of Maine instructors and others with use of DMC’s scientific and natural areas to enhance relevant courses and workshops. Support field and lab activities, including coordinating access and equipment, for University of Maine courses offered at DMC.
• Provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to contribute to K-12 education programs and community programs and events. Train University of Maine undergraduate and graduate students to effectively communicate science to learners of all ages.

Community Engagement (~25%):

• Coordinate citizen science programs and volunteer opportunities including sustaining long-term partnerships with collaborating education and research institutions, ensuring consistent and accurate data collection where appropriate. Work with Program Manager to store and distribute data.
• Planning and delivery of tours and presentations for the public at the DMC. Ensure that these programs accurately communicate DMC’s science and its impact. In collaboration with DMC staff, faculty, and graduate and undergraduate students (including those in residence in the summer and fall), communicate science to a wide range of audiences.
• Represent DMC at offsite community events (festivals, public events, symposiums, etc.), while enabling residential students and others to participate in these events.

Residential Life (~25%):

• On-site five to six nights (dinner-breakfast) per week.*
• Create a welcoming, inclusive and safe environment for all residents (college interns, semester students, and visiting groups).
• Serve as first contact for residents’ issues and emergencies, with support from supervision.
• Enforce campus policies, safety procedures and respond to medical/fire emergencies as trained.
• Confrontation and documentation of noteworthy behavior or incidents.
• Assessment of individual students’ needs and referral to resources as necessary and appropriate.
• Academic support and outreach to students in need of resources.
• Ensure residential and shared areas are safe and clean.
• Community support duties include:
• Organize ride-shares to town for students without transportation.
• Organize two social events per month.
• Organize one community dinner per week during the fall semester, as either group trip to regional restaurants or take out.

* Trained dorm staff must be on site seven nights per week. A resident student will be hired as an alternate RLA. The Alternate RLA may occasionally fill in for multiple nights in a row.

Additional Duties:

• Community engagement duties complement the residential life duties and will be integrated to the degree reasonable, particularly in terms of involving residential students in community-oriented programs.
• Other duties as deemed appropriate and necessary by the Darling Marine Center.
   

Additional Job Information:

• Housing is required onsite in a furnished suite (private bath, living room, bedroom) in waterfront dormitory, meals when meals are available in dining hall, access to shared kitchen. 
• Work Year: full time 8-month position (May 1-December 31), possibility for extension dependent on unit needs. 
• Work schedule is irregular and includes nights, weekends and being on-call. Typically 40 hours a week but may vary depending on student support needed. 
• Wage: $18.00/hour
• Benefits: not eligible 
• Specific Location: University of Maine Darling Marine Center, Walpole, Maine

About the University:
The University of Maine is a community of more than 11,900 undergraduate and graduate students, and 2,500 employees located on the Orono campus, the regional campus in Machias, and throughout the state. UMaine is a land, sea and space grant university, and maintains a leadership role as the University of Maine System's flagship institution. UMaine is the state's public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, dedicated to providing excellent teaching, research and service for Maine, the nation and the world. More information about UMaine is at umaine.edu. 

The University of Maine offers a wide range of benefits for employees including, but not limited to, tuition benefits (employee and dependent), comprehensive insurance coverage including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and short and long term disability as well as retirement plan options. As a former NSF ADVANCE institution, the University of Maine is committed to diversity in our workforce and to dual-career couples.

Employees in the University of Maine System are required to comply with UMS COVID protocols which currently include, but are not limited to, being vaccinated, obtaining a qualified vaccination exemption, and/or participating in regular COVID testing. Further information can be found here.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Education, Education, Marine Science, Ecology, Biology, Education or related field with at least 3 years of experience
• Previous experience in residence life or comparable leadership development
• Documented experience developing, delivering content to, and managing informal education programs
• Experience working with MS Office and Google Applications
• Classroom and environmental/outdoor education teaching experience
• Work experience in one or more of the following areas: scientific or educational research, ecology, conservation, sustainability, or higher education.
• Familiarity with Darling Marine Center or other biological field stations. 
• Must be able to lift up to 40lbs regularly and perform other manual and physically demanding tasks as required.
• Position requires working in the field (included but not limited to rocky intertidal, woodland trails, mudflats, aboard vessels, exposed to sun, cold, insects, and outdoor weather year-round) 

How to apply:

Materials must be submitted HERE. You will need to create a profile and application; upload:

1.) a cover letter which describes your experience, interests, and suitability for the position
2.) a resume/curriculum vitae
3.) contact information for three professional references

You will also need to submit the affirmative action survey, the self-identification of disability form, and the self-identification of veteran status forms. Incomplete application materials cannot be considered. Materials received after the initial review date will be reviewed at the discretion of the University.

Application materials must be submitted HERE. Please visit dmc.umaine.edu for more information about the Darling Marine Center.

For questions about the search, please contact search committee chair Matthew Norwood at matthew.norwood@maine.edu or 207-563-8220