Graduate Assistant

Graduate Assistant (Biocultural Initiative – Ahupua'a Accelerator Initiative)

Position Number: 0000GA11

Hiring Unit: Institute for Sustainability & Resilience (ISR)

Location: Manoa Campus

Salary Information: Minimum Step 17 - $31,524 annually; commensurate with qualifications and experience

Monthly Type: 11 months

Part Time/ Full Time: Part Time (20 hours per week)

Full Time Equivalency: 50%

Temporary/ Permanent: Temporary

Vacancies: 2

Other Conditions: To begin on or after August 17, 2026 through May 31, 2027. Renewal dependent upon satisfactory performance, position need, availability of funds, and meeting the eligibility requirements of the assistantship (for details, go to the UHM Graduate Division website). Position is not remote.

Introduction

The UH Manoa Institute for Sustainability and Resilience, in close collaboration with the Ahupua'a Accelerator Initiative of the Hawai'i Conservation Alliance Foundation, seeks one graduate assistant position beginning Fall 2026 to further action-oriented research at the intersection of community and environmental resilience. Graduate assistants will focus on a discrete set of community-centered stewardship and restoration priorities articulated in the 2023 Ahupua'a Action Agenda encompassing overarching topics including:

• Connecting Ma Uka and Ma Kai Restoration Efforts
• Government Partnerships and Collaborations
• Data and Information Management
• Legacy Planning
• Sustainable Finance, Revenue Generation, and Value(s) Add

Graduate assistant support stems from and contributes to the project "Pili Na Moku: 'Aina restoration through community governance to advance climate resilience in the Hawaiian Islands", a growing collaboration between twelve partners spanning state and county government agencies, academia, national and local non-profit organizations, and collectives of Indigenous and local stewards.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Supports the Institute for Sustainability and Resilience Biocultural Initiative, in collaboration with the Ahupua'a Accelerator Initiative of the Hawai'i Conservation Alliance Foundation. The GA will collaboratively work with faculty and staff to meet project objectives.
2. Contributes to the advancement of environmental restoration priorities that are of statewide application and/or are of high relevance to community stewardship practitioners across the archipelago including priorities and needs as articulated in the 2023 Ahupua'a Action Agenda, a compilation of stewardship priorities co-developed with community stewardship practitioners across Hawai'i.
3. Attends team meetings at a regularly scheduled cadence.
4. Participates in opportunities for shared learning and development.
5. Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Full-time graduate student in good academic standing (minimum 3.0 GPA) in a degree or a related field related to Hawaiian studies, Business, Economics, Planning, Resource Management, Ecology, or related Natural or Social Science field at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa.
2. Intermediate to advanced knowledge of place-based, biocultural, and/or community-based stewardship in Hawai'i.
3. Introductory proficiency with Hawaiian language or Hawaiian Pidgin English for species and place names.
4. Demonstrated proficiency with note-taking, video conferencing software, word processing software (desktop and web-based), and general electronic file management.
5. Excellent organization, writing, presentation, and plain language communication skills.
6. Must be able to work independently and as part of a team.
7. Must be self-motivated and highly detail-oriented.

Desirable Qualifications

1. Experience leading and supporting multipartner collaborations including community and cultural practitioners, researchers, resource managers, business and industry representatives, among others.
2. Intermediate to advanced experience with applied research related to place-based, biocultural, and/or community-based stewardship in Hawai'i
3. Experience leading and supporting the authorship of technical reports, administrative summaries, peer reviewed publications, popular media pieces, and other modes of written and verbal information dissemination.
4. Demonstrated experience building rapport and fostering teamwork.
5. Creates a positive and comfortable work environment while effectively communicating with project partners and collaborators across diverse geographic locations, academic disciplines and subject matter expertise.

To Apply

If you have not applied for a position before using NeoGov, you will need to create an account. Click on the "Apply" button on the top right corner of the screen to complete an application and attach required documents.

Applicants must submit the following:

1. Cover letter indicating how you satisfy the minimum and desirable qualifications;
2. Resume or CV ;
3. Names and contact information (telephone number and email addresses) of 3 professional references ;
4. Plain language or visual communication piece sample (public facing communication): related to ahupua'a restoration and biocultural activities; and
5. Copy of unofficial transcript (official transcripts will be required at the time of hire). Academic record/grade summaries will NOT be accepted. Copy of diplomas will NOT be accepted.) Documents issued from an institution outside the United States of America require a course-by-course analysis with an equivalency statement from an agency having membership with the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc., verifying the degree equivalency to that of an accredited institution within the USA. Expense of the evaluation shall be borne by the applicant.

IMPORTANT Note: If multiple applications are received from the same candidate, only the last one will be reviewed. Please DO NOT include any self-identifying photos, REFERENCES TO SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS AND BIRTH DATE on any documents within the application packet. All items become the property of the University of Hawaii and will not be returned. Only complete applications will be passed on to the search committee for consideration. Incomplete or unreadable application materials will not be considered.

Inquiries: Leah Bremer, View phone number on click.appcast.io, View email address on click.appcast.io