Position Vacancy Announcement, Kansas Geological Survey

Position: Energy Research Project Manager (000556)

Position Overview: Provide dynamic project management and perform technical tasks to enable the Kansas Geological Survey's (KGS) Energy Research Section to reach sponsored project contract targets and meet objectives of the ongoing energy-related research. This includes effective management of contractor relationships, data acquisition, and team collaboration. Support monitoring activities and compliance reporting for federally sponsored studies.

Salary, Employment Status, and Fringe Benefits: Position is contingent on funding. Salary commensurate with experience. Position is .75 FTE, regular unclassified professional staff position, FLSA exempt, subject to annual review. Benefits include university staff privileges; 22 days of vacation leave, 12 days of sick leave, and 9 holidays annually; group medical, life insurance, and retirement program options.

Tentative Start Date: Start date is December 16, 2018.

Application Deadline: Deadline is November 4, 2018.

Responsibilities

(40%) Project Management

• Manage several aspects of the project to include taking the lead on some of the environmental aspects of the study.
• Provide guidance/direction to the different parties and entities involved in the project.
• Manage the budget and track project progress.
• Develop reports and publications, assemble data and references, and schedule tasks to meet publication deadlines on a large complex research study.
• Contact participants and assemble information to aid contract reporting and procurement of state and federal authorizations and permits.
• Direct interface with professionals, regulatory partners, and external organizations to develop and maintain effective project relationships and opportunities.
• Manage schedule and submit documents to contract agency under regulatory guidelines.
• Coordinate data processing efforts, evaluate meaningfulness of methods and planning techniques to optimize team performance to meet project objectives.
• Review and select vendors to generate effective delivery of services within budget.
• Extract key information from reports to highlight on website or other types of public dissemination.
• Generate tailored bibliographies and summaries on selected topics to assist research and manuscript preparation.

(25%) Technical Projects

• Assist collection of data in core facility, lab, and field.
• Aid in organizing field expeditions, operating relevant data gathering tools to facilitate field investigations, and electronic retrieval and integration of information.
• Manage activities using lab equipment such as mass spectrometer for isotopic analysis, X-ray diffraction, or scanning electron microscope.
• Train and/or supervise students and research personnel as needed.
• Electronically catalog results of lab and field work; integrate with other applications.

(15%) Coordinate Research Collaborations, Proposal Development

• Lead and/or coauthor one or more environmental policy papers on the topic of carbon management with the subawardee on the project, Great Plains Institute.
• Explore and facilitate development of ideas for new initiatives and expanding research.
• Investigate background on initiative(s), aid discussion, and seek consensus to move forward.
• Network with stakeholders and set meetings/conference calls to evaluate and refine initiative.
• Develop position papers, presentations, and a website to convey information and share data.
• Monitor successful deployment of the new initiative through its lifecycle, attaining goals and objectives.
• Organize and interact with collaborating scientists to respond to funding opportunities.
• Facilitate deployment of successful projects including contract and budget negotiations.

(10%) Data Management

• Assemble and organize datasets.
• Provide access of datasets to public and collaborators as required using web services.
• Retrieve and prepare data from collaborators for central storage and access.
• Manage data handling protocols such as upload of digital (LAS) well logs.
• Assist with data integration and analysis using standard software, e.g., GIS, Petrel, Excel, KGS Java web tools.
• Assemble information for interactive web-based mapping system, including logs, maps, cross sections, and models.
• Contribute to GIS-related tasks and create graphics or maps to facilitate geospatial analysis and efficient data access for collaborative research.
• Assist in integration of 3D surface and subsurface data to perform environmental assessment and resource evaluation via external and collaborative sources.

(10%) Professional Development

• Workshops and courses in grants and contracts administration, project management, software utilization, etc.

Required Qualifications

1. M.S. degree in an earth science related field.
2. Minimum one year of experience as project coordinator in a science related field (by time of appointment).
3. Three years training and/or experience using ArcGIS or related software and mapping project data.
4. Proficiency in office programs including Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat.
5. Demonstrated experience with archiving data and managing confidential information.
6. Demonstrated development and maintenance of electronic databases.
7. Demonstrated ability to write technical reports.
8. Demonstrated project management experience to include: ability to follow direction, work independently in a multi-disciplinary team; ability to complete tasks with minimal supervision; strong organizational and multitasking skills; and excellent written and verbal communication skills.
9. Familiarity and working knowledge of the petroleum and environmental industries.
10. Demonstrated experience in collaboration with external organizations.

Position Requirements

1. Ability to obtain a State of Kansas driver's license by onset of appointment.
2. Ability and willingness to travel up to three weeks per year to participate in meetings and other project-related events.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Ability to participate effectively in and influence project decision making and negotiating.
2. Demonstrated ability to learn and ability to work in a proactive and professional demeanor.
3. Ability to communicate effectively to lead teams and motivate staff.
4. Participation experience in negotiations with clients and the supply chain.

Application Procedure

Apply online at http://employment.ku.edu/staff/13029BR. Complete the online application profile and upload the following:

1. Cover letter addressing the required and preferred qualifications;
2. Resume;
3. Contact information for three professional references.

A complete application will consist of all items above; incomplete applications will not be considered.

Contact Information

Annette Delaney, Kansas Geological Survey
Phone: 864-2152
Fax: 864-5317
Email: adelaney@ku.edu

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression and genetic information in the University's programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Executive Director of the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access, IOA@ku.edu, 1246 W. Campus Road, Room 153A, Lawrence, KS, 66045, (785)864-6414, 711 TTY. http://policy.ku.edu/IOA/nondiscrimination

Placed online Oct. 24, 2018
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