EFCampus Graduate Student Project Lead Application

The Environmental Frontiers Initiative, housed in the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation, seeks a Graduate Student Project Lead to oversee research efforts under EFCampus, which brings together students, faculty and the UChicago Office of Sustainability Planning to conduct research that advances sustainability practices on campus. EFCampus held its inaugural projects in 2020, analyzing utility data for labs, LEED buildings and water consumption and building evidence in support of targeted conservation measures. This is a great opportunity for someone interested in bridging sustainability research and operational planning, and includes direct access to the University’s sustainability efforts and institutional leads. The position will be approximately 5 hours/week beginning in Spring Quarter 2022, shifting to a full-time role for 10 weeks of Summer 2022. The role is paid $20/hour, and there is also potential to extend this role into the Fall/Winter quarters for interested students. Applicants must be enrolled in a UChicago graduate program in Summer 2022 to be eligible to apply.

 

Job Summary

The Graduate Student Project Lead will oversee two to three EFCampus projects, including supervising teams of 3-5 undergraduate RAs conducting analysis. Current EFCampus projects include: 1) Lab User Engagement on Energy Savings, 2) Water Reduction Planning and 3) Campus Tree Ecosystem Services Benefits Analysis. Working in close collaboration with faculty and staff stakeholders, the Graduate Student Lead will be responsible for scoping the next phases of project work, defining milestones and deliverables, and conceiving of programmatic strategy. The Grad Student Lead will serve as the central coordinator across all EFCampus stakeholders, namely the undergraduate students, faculty members, and representatives from the Office of Facilities Services. In supervising the undergraduate RA teams, you will be responsible for providing regularly scheduled guidance on the students’ work, responding to their inquiries, ensuring they meet identified milestones and deadlines, and reviewing their work products for quality and completeness.
 
Eligibility
  • Must be enrolled in a University of Chicago graduate degree program during Summer 2022
  • Preference for students with a demonstrated focus on environmental science, energy policy, sustainability research, conservation measures, or urban scholarship
  • A minimum of 3-5 years of professional experience in conducting research projects, program management, sustainability planning, and/or engineering
  • Experience working with senior leaders or executives in a complex environment preferred
Preferred Qualifications
  • Exceptional time and project management and organizational skills including the ability to meet external and internal deadlines
  • Demonstrates the skill and willingness to take initiative and to proactively anticipate project needs
  • Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities, and manage resources accordingly
  • A working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Familiarity with data visualization platforms like Tableau a plus.
  • Significant experience in quantitative methods and/or computational analysis preferred
  • Demonstrated ability to influence people to meet goals and deadlines, work collaboratively with senior leadership, scholars, student workers, and other stakeholders

 

About Environmental Frontiers

Environmental Frontiers focuses on issues at the intersection of environmental sustainability and urban development, enabling research and curricular opportunities that provide UChicago students a scientific and practical understanding of sustainable urban development. EFCampus is the campus-based component of Environmental Frontiers, positioning students to use campus data as a case study for understanding a path to a more sustainable future, on campus and beyond. EFCampus provides undergraduate students opportunities to advance research and applied projects that explore campus sustainability, with an eye toward transferable knowledge to inform strategies in neighborhoods and whole urban areas. Environmental Frontiers is a partnership between the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation, the Program on the Global Environment (PGE), the Center for Robust Decision-making on Climate and Energy Policy (RDCEP), and the Offices of Facilities Services and Campus Planning + Sustainability at the University of Chicago.

 

Applications are due by 11:59pm on February 20, 2022. 

For questions, please contact Diana Petty, dpetty@uchicago.edu.

Please complete the below form to apply:

EFCampus Grad Lead Application
Note that you must be enrolled in a UChicago degree program in Summer 2022 to be eligible for this opportunity.
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