The major responsibilities of this position will include the collection and integration of biological and socioeconomic data for Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) mapping projects. These tasks include extensive interaction with clients, stakeholders, and scientists knowledgeable about coastal resources in a region; acquiring, analyzing, and processing spatial datasets into a database structure; and managing product reviews with data providers. Other duties involve summarizing resources at risk, field support for oil spill response, and collaboration on other projects as needed. Some travel will be necessary.

The ideal candidate will have strong organizational and communication skills and experience acquiring, managing, and manipulating spatial datasets. Qualifications include master’s degree and 2-3 years of post-graduate experience working on projects in coastal systems. An applicant with strong quantitative skills and experience working on projects with a team is desired. Some experience with GIS is desired. We are interested in hiring someone with experience in ecosystem modeling, marine spatial planning, or benthic ecology; however, we will consider qualified applicants from other backgrounds.

RPI is acknowledged as a specialized group of scientists who excel at multi-disciplinary studies dealing with coastal and marine resources. We provide scientific and technical support for oil spill response, planning, and restoration, as well as offshore renewable energy and sand resources, watershed restoration, and baseline studies. We have been in business since 1977 and work throughout the U.S. and internationally, so there may be opportunities for travel/work overseas. We are a small business composed of talented people who often serve different roles on different projects. As such, the ideal candidate will be independent and capable of multi-tasking. We strive to ensure that our employees are satisfied with their work and have a chance to grow within their field of expertise. Publishing is also very important to us, so we encourage our staff to present at conferences and submit papers to peer-reviewed journals.

Please visit our website at www.researchplanning.com to find out more about RPI, our staff, our recent projects, and clients. More information on ESI maps can be found at http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/esi.

Please send a current CV and a writing sample to:

Dr. Jacqueline Michel

Research Planning, Inc.

1121 Park Street, Columbia, SC 29201

jmichel@researchplanning.com