Location: Remote or hybrid if based in Kjipuktuk / Halifax, Nova Scotia
Timeframe: April 4, 2022 to October 31, 2022, with the possibility of renewal
Status: Full time (35hrs/week)
Compensation: $23/hr., plus 4% vacation pay, benefits not included
Background
MEOPAR’s Communities of Practice (CoPs) provide a grassroots, practitioner-based framework to share and exchange knowledge, identify and tackle common issues, conduct outreach, and initiate national efforts. They are vital to disseminating findings and enriching research through interactions among researchers, practitioners, policy-makers, and community members and groups. They’re also an ideal forum for informing MEOPAR researchers about leading-edge developments, and identifying gaps and opportunities for new research and collaborations.
On December 5, 2017, the United Nations declared 2021 to 2030 as the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. On a mission for ‘transformative ocean science solutions for sustainable development, connecting people and our ocean’, the Decade provides a common framework to ensure that ocean science can fully support individual countries’ efforts to achieve the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The framework is outlined in the Decade Implementation Plan, which can be found online here. The Decade is a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to create a new foundation, across the science-policy interface, to strengthen management of our ocean and coastlines for future generations. The Decade requires engagement with scientists, governments, academics, policy makers, business, industry, indigenous communities, and civil society to stimulate new ideas, solutions, partnerships, and activities. The ocean knows no borders, and the Decade aims to strengthen international cooperation for developing research and innovative technologies to connect ocean science with the needs of society. Visit the UN Decade website for further details.
The goal of this United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development Community of Practice will provide broad-based organizational structure to support working together to “generate the global ocean science”, acting as a resource to ensure that the entire Canadian marine research community participates in relevant communications, consultations and initiatives. By ensuring broad networking, the mobilization and impact of Canadian researchers, organizations and projects in existing and new UN Decade activities will be enhanced. The objectives of this CoP are to provide the resources required to self-organize, establish leadership, recruit and attract membership and initiate activities.
Responsibilities
Job Overview: MEOPAR is seeking a highly-motivated individual interested in building capacity and mobilizing knowledge and action around the UN Decade of Ocean Sciences (80%), while supporting MEOPAR’s established CoPs (20%). This role will directly respond to the scientific communities’ need for better communication and organization of Ocean Decade related actions and activities, and help mobilize Canadian led initiatives through research and action. This position will require ongoing research and networking to stay up to date on the latest news and information relating to the UN Decade of Ocean Sciences; the specific contributions of the research assistant are listed below.
Responsibilities and Duties:
- Conduct a research gap analysis and literature reviews, surveying UN Ocean Decade related events, activities, and opportunities, and sharing the information with the CoP and broader community by creating and maintaining a data base;
- Prepare a best practice guide based on a systemic review of lessons learnt from large scale collaborative projects related to the decade using quantitative and qualitative methods;
- Contribute to writing articles and news pieces for publication in academic journals and other peer-reviewed news outlets;
- Manage email communications and record meeting minutes as needed by the Steering Committee and CoP members, and ensure prompt dissemination of information;
- Develop and implement a communications strategy for the Ocean Decade Community of Practice including, but not limited to implement and manage the newsletter and mailing lists, initiate a webpage on MEOPAR’s website and social media channels (e.g. Twitter, Slack, Facebook), and create informational material for social media using best science communication tactics in both English and French;
- Plan and deliver community events, like the previously delivered Town Hall;
- Build partnerships and recruit members to amplify our reach;
- Research grants and bursaries, contribute to proposal writing;
- Assisting with progress reports on CoP actions and results, and additional tasks determined on an as-needed basis by the CoP’s Steering Committee;
- Conduct research around MEOPAR’s Communities of Practice to mobilize knowledge between the CoPs and expand their reach;
- Support MEOPAR’s existing CoP’s as determined by MEOPAR’s Administrative Centre.
Qualifications
An ideal candidate will have a combination of the following:
- Completed post-secondary degree in a related field with strong working knowledge of the Canadian ocean sector;
- Bilingual in English and French, including written language as all communications materials will need to be produced in English and French;
- Significant experience in science communications and research;
- Must have strong organizational and time management skills;
- Must be highly motivated, independent, and hard-working;
- Experience working with WordPress and graphic design skills are considered assets;
- Event planning and facilitation and grant application experience are considered assets;
- Must be a Canadian citizen or legally entitled to work in Canada.
