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The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Irvine, invites applications for the position of Research Program Coordinator for the recently funded GeophysicistAI project.

The Geophysicist.AI converges with researchers from five University of California (UC) campuses(UCI, UCSD, UCR, UCSC, and UCB) and two Department of Energy (DOE) national labs, namely Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos labs. The project aims to develop an AI ecosystem to address the long-standing challenges of harnessing geothermal energy from deep crystalline rocks. This initiative seeks to create a collaborative environment that converges scientists with geoscience, environmental engineering, mathematics, and computer science backgrounds. The research program coordinator is tasked with:

1. Program Coordination & Event Management: Lead the organization of key program activities, including kickoff events, summer/winter schools, annual meetings, and monthly group meetings, ensuring effective planning, scheduling, and execution.
2. Administrative & Operational Support: Provide direct support to the Co-Directors by scheduling meetings, managing correspondence, coordinating travel and reimbursements, and helping maintain alignment across the leadership team. Apply organizational policies to resolve operational issues and ensure smooth daily operations.
3. Communication & Stakeholder Engagement: Facilitate internal and external communications by managing platforms such as the program website, shared calendar, email, and Slack; track participation of graduate students and postdocs; and ensure timely follow-ups on action items.
4. Meeting & Documentation Support: Prepare agendas, distribute materials, take detailed minutes, and follow up on action items to ensure progress across multidisciplinary teams.
5. Content Creation & Digital Tools Management: Create simple visual content for presentations and reports; support data gathering efforts; and utilize collaboration tools (e.g., Google Workspace, Slack, Zoom, Teams). Familiarity with design tools like Illustrator, PowerPoint, and Canva is a plus.
6. Creation of Geophysics Database for training Large Language Models (LLMs): Collecting geophysics- and geochemistry-related literature in collaboration with domain expert PIs across the collaboration network.
7. Assistance with Proposal development: Helping the PIs with the development of proposals to seek extramural funding, including identification of support resources and Liaison representation with other agencies and institutions in the public and private sectors.
   

The Research Program Coordinator works directly with the GeophysicistAI leadership team, Professors MJ Qomi, and Russ Detwiler, and works in coordination with faculty, postdocs, students, and DOE lab staff to support programs, events, and activities. The Research Program Coordinator will serve as a central administrator for the project, acting within the policies and procedures of the UC, UCI campus, and the School. The Research Program Coordinator will also be responsible for creative thinking in all areas of work and contributing to the innovative and inclusive collaboration environment. This is a fully in-person position that can accommodate occasional remote work.

Qualifications
Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
• Bachelor’s level education in Geoscience, Environmental Science and Engineering, Natural Resource Management, Ecology, Hydrology, Environmental Policy, or a related field, and two years of professional experience. Or a Master’s level education in a related field.
• Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to efficiently manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Experience coordinating logistics for meetings, workshops, or other events with both internal and external partners.
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Experience using Microsoft Office Suite and virtual collaboration tools including Google Suite, Dropbox, Zoom, and Slack.

Applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, publications, and contact information for three references. Apply by submitting your application to our online RECRUIT system at: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF10063

The initial appointment is for one year at 50% effort, renewable subject to performance and availability of adequate funding.

Screening of applicants will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC anti-discrimination policy.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment.
  

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.