Center for Marine Science - Postdoctoral Scholar

Center for Marine Science - Postdoctoral Scholar

Vacancy Number: PD-0031

Position Number: PD0008

Location of Workplace: CMS Myrtle Grove

Brief Summary of Work for this Position:

The Center for Marine Science invites applications for Postdoctoral Scholars with the ability to research in one or more of the following Sciences departments and disciplines: Marine Science, Geography, Environmental Sciences, Public Policy, Planning, Sociology, Engineering, Or Related Field.

A nascent Coastal Community Flood Resilience Initiative at UNC Wilmington is recruiting a postdoctoral researcher. The successful candidate will work in an interdisciplinary context with Drs. Phil Bresnahan, Meredith Hovis, and Lynn Leonard primarily on a philanthropically funded network-building effort, and will support the development of (1) a regional coastal community flood resilience needs assessment and (2) a proposed solutions implementation plan. We anticipate that this role will require a balance of approximately 50% program management (network-building, stakeholder engagement and outreach, workshop coordination, and development of the needs assessment and implementation plan) and 50% research in the context of this program.

About the project: The UNC Wilmington Coastal Community Flood Resilience Initiative is undertaking several interrelated grant-funded projects focused on improving resilience to flooding in our region of Southeastern North Carolina and surrounding areas. Through a recently funded grant, we have begun building a network of practitioners, leaders, and decision-makers within local for- and nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and state/federal agencies. We are simultaneously working to strengthen internal collaborations among the many researchers and university departments actively working on these complex challenges. Critical outcomes and outputs of the initiative will be: (1) a more cohesive network of university, public, and private sector leaders and a shared governance model; (2) an analysis of ongoing and recent flood resilience initiatives and assessment of outstanding needs; (3) proposed solutions to be implemented for future improvements in coastal community flood resilience.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct and manage collaborative research on coastal community flood resilience gaps and solutions in Southeastern North Carolina.
• Lead program management tasks as we begin building a consortium of coastal flood resilience practitioners, leaders, and decision-makers, conduct a needs assessment, and develop a proposed solutions implementation plan.
• Collaborate with graduate students, support their research development, and contribute to a feedback group focused on climate adaptation and disaster science.
• Coordinate with consortium partners, including organizing group sessions and occasional one-on-one meetings.
• Help to design, attend, participate in, and moderate workshops and leadership meetings and related events in collaboration with faculty and an external consultant.
• Support the development of a framework for network resource sharing and communication with the network to support collaboration priorities.
• Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present at national conferences (with financial and mentoring support) to advance career goals and engage in professional development.

Ideal start date is Summer 2026. The initial appointment will be for a period of one year, with an excellent possibility of renewal for one or more additional years.