Associate Director for Outreach and Engagement

The University of Wisconsin Aquatic Sciences Center (ASC) is a statewide leader in multidisciplinary research, education, and outreach focused on the protection and sustainable use of Wisconsin's water resources-including lakes, rivers, groundwater, wetlands, and the Great Lakes.

The Center administers two federally authorized programs: the Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program (funded by NOAA) and the Water Resources Institute (funded by USGS). Together, these programs invest over $6 million annually in research, education, and outreach and engagement activities that serve Wisconsin and the broader Great Lakes region. Both programs function as competitive grant programs supporting universities, communities, and partners statewide.

ASC supports a network of approximately 30 staff located across Wisconsin who collaborate with universities, Tribal Nations, state and federal agencies, local communities, and industry partners. Over a dozen of our staff serve as statewide scientific experts across a variety of important topics such as coastal engineering, contaminants, aquatic invasive species, fisheries and aquaculture, coastal tourism, nutrient management, social sciences, and environmental education - conducting scientific research and engaging with communities directly to support their needs.

The Associate Director for Outreach and Engagement provides strategic direction and oversight for outreach and engagement programs across Wisconsin Sea Grant and Water Resources Institute activities. This role ensures strong integration of research and community engagement across programs and statewide and national networks. The position reports to the Center Director and serves on the ASC leadership team.

• Serves as a unit liaison to internal stakeholder groups to foster cross-unit partnership efforts regarding research programs and activities

• Manages large research projects for a center or program

• Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees

• Collaborates with project directors and the full range of clients whose knowledge and expertise varies

• Strategic Program Leadership and Active Research: Provide the overarching vision, implementation, and supervision of ASC's statewide outreach and engagement portfolio. If applicable, maintain an active program of independent or collaborative scholarly research, including securing external grants and publishing peer-reviewed findings. Align the center's outreach and engagement capabilities with emerging freshwater challenges, state and federal program goals, and regional partnership networks.

• Assists with planning, implementation, and management of strategic initiatives for a center or program

• Serves as a consultant to project directors and provides technical expertise to research and operational personnel

• Determines unit personnel needs and the unit personnel resource allocation plan

• At least 5 years of professional experience in program or project management within research, extension, outreach, or a related field

• At least 3 years of experience supervising, mentoring, and developing personnel, with demonstrated ability to lead teams toward shared goals

• Experience managing budgets, grants, or complex projects with multiple stakeholders

• Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Experience engaging with community members on a shared interest or project

• 8-10 years of progressively responsible experience in extension, outreach, or applied research programs

• Demonstrated success integrating research, education, and outreach to achieve measurable impacts

• Experience securing and managing external funding, including federal grants (e.g., NOAA, USGS, or similar)

• Experience working in coastal, freshwater, or Great Lakes systems and communities

• Experience with strategic planning, program evaluation, and reporting

• Demonstrated success building partnerships across academic, governmental, Tribal, nonprofit, and community organizations

• Experience with the full spectrum of community engaged research, from translating scientific or technical information for non-technical audiences, to working alongside community members on community driven projects where community agency, autonomy, and self-determination are valued and centered.

• Familiarity with Sea Grant, Water Resources Institutes, or similar statewide or national programs

• Master's degree (required) in environmental science, natural resources, social science, public administration, or a related field

• PhD (preferred) in environmental science, natural resources, social science, public affairs, or a related field

Please click on the "Apply" button to begin the application process.

Applicants will be required to upload the following materials:

1) A curriculum vitae (it can exceed 2 pages)

2) A cover letter describing your outreach and engagement, research, supervisory, budgetary, and leadership experience (2 page maximum)

3) A description of a major project, initiative, or program you have led or to which you have significantly contributed. Please describe your role, your goals, and obstacles you encountered and how they were overcome, as well as any impacts you achieved. (2 page maximum)

Important: The application has only one attachment field. Upload all required documents in that field, either as a single combined file (PDF preferred) or as multiple files in the same upload area.

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

Tracy Hanke, tracy.hanke@aqua.wisc.edu,(608) 262-7618

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

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The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

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