Community Engagement Specialist

The University of Virginia's Coastal Research Center (CRC), a marine field station located in Oyster, VA, is seeking a dynamic and organized Community & Stakeholder Engagement Specialist. This 32 hour/week position will support and develop events and initiatives that engage station users, regional communities, and connections between the two. The Community Specialist will work closely with station leadership and research partners to design, execute, and evaluate an objective-driven suite of engagement initiatives. Acting as a translator between scholarly work and local needs, the Specialist will cultivate relationships across all regional sectors—including the general public, local government, K-12 education, and interest groups. The ideal candidate is skilled at organizing, communicating, and connecting people and ideas; they have a passion for building inclusive communities, facilitating knowledge sharing, and creating experiences that foster learning and collective action. Core Responsibilities Program Management & Execution: Lead the end-to-end planning, scheduling, logistics, and personnel coordination for a variety of station events, including vendor management and purchasing. Exemplary programming includes annual station orientations, annual community events, collaborative workshops, and focused community partnerships. Research Translation & Regional Integration: Identify and support local connections with ongoing research, enhancing the real-world application of scientific insights and the relevance of the station’s work to the region. Community & Stakeholder Engagement: Build and sustain trust-based relationships across diverse local sectors (public, government, schools, and non-profits) to foster regional collaboration and coastal resilience. Communications & Creative Design: Support regular station communications, including the preparation of newsletters and press releases. Produce engagement materials such as posters, educational handouts, and digital content. Program Evaluation & Innovation: Assess the impact of current programming and actively shape the future of the station’s engagement strategy, maintaining a focus on integrative, innovative, and interdisciplinary engagement and learning approaches. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: Education: Bachelors Degree required. Experience: 3+ years of relevant professional experience required. Licensure: None. Preferred Qualifications & Competencies: Proven Convener: Holds a graduate degree or equivalent professional leadership experience. Relationship-Driven Communication: Demonstrated ability to build coalitions and trust across sectors - government, nonprofit, education, and faith or civic communities. Experienced in communicating clearly, coordinating across groups, and working effectively with diverse local and scientific communities to prioritize relationship building. Creative Aptitude: Experience with—a strong interest in learning—graphic design software such as Canva or Adobe Illustrator to produce professional outreach materials. Programmatic Skills: Understand or be willing to learn fundamentals of audience engagement, community building, and effective learning. Experience designing, managing, and evaluating community-facing programs, including budget and vendor oversight. Organizational Excellence: Strong skills in managing planning documentation, timelines, and event logistics. Adaptability & Resilience: Proven flexibility in navigating variable operational environments, including changing weather conditions and scheduling adjustments typical of a coastal field station. A valid driver’s license. Ability to maintain a regular, reliable physical presence in the Eastern Shore region (Accomack and Northampton counties). The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to making a final offer of employment. This position will not sponsor Visas. Salary is $57,000-$62,000 annually based on 32 hours/week. This position may become a fulltime 40/hour week position in the future. This position is restricted, one year term limited with renewal/extension pending funding availability. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs. The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA's commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment. #J-18808-Ljbffr