Watershed Education Program and Research Assistant — NOW OPEN

Project: Lake Champlain Sea Grant, based at the University of Vermont (UVM), Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, is seeking an individual to support watershed and lake science education program planning and implementation, and to engage in research to understand behavior change that results from extension and outreach programming. Through a 20-hour/week teaching assistantship, this position will provide the individual with the opportunity to assist in all aspects of watershed education program planning, organization, delivery, data management, and evaluation. The research component of the position will allow the selected individual to co-design, implement, analyze, synthesize, and present original research that advances our understanding of extension and outreach programming.

There is one MS position available. It includes an annual stipend of at least $35,000 and tuition support for two years. The position will begin in June 2026.

Qualifications: B.S. in water resources, natural resources, biology, science communications, elementary education, or related field, and strong interest in pursuing a career focused on public outreach related to water resources. Applicants should express how their experiences and career interests align with the goals of the Lake Champlain Sea Grant. Applicants should be able to work independently and also cooperatively to contribute to program development, organizational logistics, and youth and teacher education in indoor and outdoor settings. Applicants should have a strong work ethic, excellent organizational skills, and willingness to travel within the Lake Champlain basin of Vermont and New York to educate youth and teachers. Programming activities may take place outside of normal working hours, including nights and weekends. Field activities including in-stream and on-lake sample collection, may require exposure to weather, rough waters, traversing rough/steep stream access points, and getting wet and/or muddy. Applicants should have a valid driver’s license and ability to become qualified to drive university vehicles.

Application: Submit a cover letter and resume or CV to seagrant [at] uvm.edu by December 1, 2025. Interviews of a select pool of applicants are expected to take place in December 2025. In addition, assistantship selection is dependent upon acceptance to the UVM graduate school, and all associated application materials must be submitted to UVM by January 1, 2026.