Community Research Liaison - UIC Science

Overview

UIC Science is seeking a Community Research Liaison (CRL). Join a cohort of Community Research Leads in coastal communities in Alaska and Canada.  Help your community identify, plan and act on local priorities in response to permafrost thaw and coastal erosion. Receive training and professional development in climate change monitoring and research tasks. Keep the community informed of research findings and opportunities. Coordinate with visiting scientists and science educators. Join the UIC Science Team and become a science advocate and climate champion in Kali!

Responsibilities

Essential Functions:   

• Serve as a liaison between outside researchers, the Community Advisory Board, NVPL Tribal Office, Tribal Council, and Kali School.
• Lead or assist in community-based monitoring or other tasks. Examples include documenting daily or extreme weather events, taking photos, measuring snow depth, and documenting storm damage or other landscape changes.
• Travel to attend annual retreats in Fairbanks or Anchorage, visioning trips to other coastal communities, and optional trainings in Utqiaġvik or around the state.
• Work with researchers to plan a community visioning workshop. As part of the workshop, help develop a research plan that outlines the research and environmental monitoring activities that the community would like to see carried out.
• Attend monthly calls with CRLs from other communities and meet regularly with the Point Lay’s Community Advisory Board to help set goals and receive guidance on tasks.
• Work with a UAF partner to compile a spreadsheet of past research in Kali and build a library of research and planning reports for community members to access.
• Help facilitate online meetings of the Point Lay Regional Advisory Group three times a year, and act as point of communication for outside research projects looking for local assistants.
• Keep the community informed of project activities, research results through social media, VHF radio, and in person communications.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED (internships available for high school students).
• Well organized and reliable.
• Able to use a computer for email, word processing, and basic spreadsheets.
• Familiar with using the Internet and social media platforms such as Facebook.
• Capable of working independently and collaborating as part of a team.
• Can communicate professionally and respond to calls and emails promptly.
• Willing and able to participate in Zoom meetings (a computer and data plan will be provided).
• Available to travel for annual meetings and optional trainings or events.
• Interested in working alongside scientists and learning how to monitor environmental changes.
• Committed to helping Kali plan for a resilient future.
• A background check will be required as part of the hiring process.