Academic Program Specialist

Academic Program Specialist

The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is located in the heart of downtown L.A. and is the largest private employer in the City of Los Angeles. As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the "Trojan Family," which is comprised of the faculty, staff, and students that make the university a great place to work.

The USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences is seeking an Academic Program Specialist to work in USC Sea Grant. The largest and oldest of the USC schools, USC Dornsife functions as the academic core of the university, offering courses and advancing knowledge across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.

The USC Sea Grant Program at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles is part of the national network of 34 programs in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant Program. Our program is a federal-state-university partnership that integrates research, education, and outreach with a specific focus on the 'Urban Ocean' and solving issues arising out of managing people and natural coastal resources in an intensely urban and developed region.

We seek a highly organized person to support Sea Grant related educational outreach and workforce development activities and special project tasking such as our research funding program and student fellowship programs. This person will advance strategic priorities related to the Federal grant program and the California Coastal Management priorities as outlined in our Strategic Plan. Primary responsibilities of the Academic Program Specialist will be the administration of competitive research and fellowship programs that advance coastal science, workforce development, and science-informed coastal management, and play a central role in coordinating our biennial, peer-reviewed coastal research proposal competition, managing the annual Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship process, and supporting required federal reporting. This position requires strong project management skills, attention to compliance and deadlines, and the ability to work effectively with faculty, students, reviewers, and federal partners.

Manage day-to-day operations of USC Sea Grant specific academic and research programs, including planning, implementation, and tracking of program activities. Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Preferred qualifications:

Bachelor's degree or equivalent and at least 5 years of experience in a field related to marine science or marine policy (e.g., oceanography, climate science, marine and coastal resources, environmental policy or management, coastal engineering, geology, urban planning, economics) Experience managing competitive funding programs, fellowships, or academic research administration strongly preferred. Familiarity with federal grant processes and reporting requirements (NOAA experience a plus). Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously. Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively within team environments while independently managing projects, grant activities, and outreach initiatives across diverse stakeholders and settings. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Proficiency in data management, spreadsheets, and basic administrative systems.

Salary range: The hourly rate range for this position is $30-$ 34. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

This is a grant-funded position.

Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Required Documents and Additional Information:

• Resume and cover letter required (may be uploaded as one file). Please do not submit your application without these documents.
• Job openings are posted for a minimum of (5) five business days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended, so please apply on the same business day if interested.
• To support the well-being of our faculty and staff, USC provides benefits-eligible employees with a broad range of perks to help protect their and their dependents' health, wealth, and future. These benefits are available as part of the overall compensation and total rewards package. You can learn more about USC's comprehensive benefits here.

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree. Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education Minimum Experience: 2 years. Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum experience Minimum Field of Expertise: Experience in higher education and/or customer service. Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills for interacting with both domestic and international stakeholders. Demonstrated attention to detail. Proven ability to plan, implement, and coordinate program logistics. Demonstrated database/data entry experience. Proven project management and problem solving skills, able to handle multiple timelines, changing priorities, and fluctuating workloads.

USC 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, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at View phone number on click.appcast.io, or by email at View email address on click.appcast.io. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

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