Research Support Coordinator Michigan State University Dept. of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center Research Assistant III
Required: Masters degree in biological science, chemistry, or a related area of engineering; one to three years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in an academic, industrial or research environment providing administrative support including developing proposals, organizing research projects, summarizing research activities, and developing presentations; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Desired: Excellent organizational skills as well as outstanding written and oral communications skills. Experience in research design and/or project management. Occasional travel will be required.
Basic Function: Provides support on scientific matters for the members of the Great Lake Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) management team, including the two thrust area leaders located as MSU as well as the scientific director and the scientific program manager. Attends management team meetings and meetings of research thrusts 2 (plant biomass processing) and 4 (environmental sustainability). Establishes lines of communication among the thrust area leaders, project leaders within thrusts 2 and 4, the scientific director and the scientific program manager. With the thrust leaders, identifies and prioritizes research tasks including organizing meetings and workshops; summarizing research activities; organizing reviews of research projects; assembling reports; developing proposals; and preparing presentation materials. Coordinates research support activities with the UW-Madison counterpart who provides support for thrusts 1 and 3.
The DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) is housed at the University of Wisconsin and partners with Michigan State University along with other academic, private sector and national laboratories. The GLBRC is one of 3 Department of Energy Bioenergy Research Centers (BRC) to conduct fundamental, genomics-based research on microbial and plant systems required to realize the national need for low-cost biofuels.
The long-term goals of the GLBRC are to improve: characteristics of biomass plants (Thrust 1), procedures for processing plant biomass (Thrust 2), biological or chemical processes to convert biomass into liquid fuels (Thrust 3), and economic and environmental sustainability of the biomass to biofuel pipeline (Thrust 4). Efforts in these four main research areas are supported by coordinated facilities that provide enabling technologies as well as computational support to handle data acquisition and analysis.
Off Date: Position funded through November 30, 2010 with possible extension upon funding.
For a complete job description and to apply, please visit www.jobs.msu.edu, posting # 3601.
MSU is committed to achieving excellence through cultural diversity. The university actively encourages applications and/or nominations of women, persons of color, veterans and persons with disabilities.
MSU is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.
