Extension Educator IV - Associate Director, Gloucester Marine Station

The University of Massachusetts Amherst Gloucester Marine Station (GMS) is launching a critical development period. With a recently completed strategic plan, significant infrastructure investments, deep community ties, and university support, GMS seeks an Associate Director to support the Director in a blended role of operational management and strategic coordination. The role will assist in developing a suite of high-quality, collaborative, marine and coastal research and extension/public engagement programs, in support of identified ecological, economic, and community resilience objectives.

We seek a collaborative thought leader with an entrepreneurial spirit and significant experience in one of the following areas related to marine station priorities: regional economic development, coastal engineering as it relates to climate resilient design, seafood systems, or business administration. The successful candidate will recognize and act on opportunities to leverage public and private resources to co-invest in high impact initiatives that will create a robust platform for the Station’s growth over the next decade. The Associate Director will report to and work closely with the UMass Amherst Gloucester Marine Station Director. The position is physically located in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Essential Functions

• Serve as the Associate Director and a senior leadership partner to the Director, exercising delegated authority to advance the Marine Station’s strategic priorities and to address emerging issues through shared leadership and independent judgment.
• In close coordination with the Director, provide operational and strategic oversight to ensure quality, coherence, and timeliness across interdisciplinary GMS initiatives, research programs, and applied projects.
• Guide and communicate emerging research opportunities and community-identified needs to interdisciplinary faculty teams, catalyzing new community-driven research concepts, competitive grant development, and expanded student engagement opportunities.
• Translate regional and statewide climate, clean energy, and economic development strategies into actionable, community-informed research and extension/public engagement programs, funding priorities, and applied economic development opportunities aligned with GMS mission and capacity.
• Assist in design of marine and coastal research, data management methodologies, and innovative student learning approaches.
• Lead and support the identification and pursuit of public and private funding to sustain and expand GMS research, demonstration, extension and student engagement activities.
• In coordination with the Director, communicate research priorities and emerging community needs to interdisciplinary faculty teams, supporting the development of competitive proposals, collaborative research concepts, and high-impact student opportunities.
• Contribute substantively to the design and implementation of marine and coastal research and extension programs, including research methodologies, program delivery, data management approaches, and innovative experiential learning models.
• Oversee and advance immersive student internship and applied learning opportunities in collaboration with faculty, staff and external partners, aligning academic, workforce, and community impact.
• Apply advanced research, evaluation, and coalition-building practices to strengthen cross-sector partnerships, program development, assess outcomes, and enhance the effectiveness of GMS initiatives.
• Support the positioning of GMS as a high-quality regional platform for research, demonstration, and extension/public engagement focused on ecological, economic, and community resilience, including marine technology demonstration.
• Represent GMS at professional conferences, public sector meetings, community forums, and university functions, as delegated by the Director.

Programmatic Responsibilities

• Coordinate with researchers (faculty, government), on-the-ground practitioners (municipalities, non-profits), and extension staff and industry partners to advance climate resilience research and application via cultivation of new research & demonstration projects at the GMS.
• Leverage GMS’s North Shore Blue Economy Phase I Findings & Vision Forward, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s Climatetech Strategy, the Essex County Economic & Flood vulnerability study, along with our regional partnership network to advance sustainable socio-economic research and regional economic development opportunities.
• Identify capital to support research & demonstration projects at GMS in response to regional and state needs.
• Work with faculty, staff, and external partners to develop immersive student internship and applied learning opportunities.
• Use leading research methodologies for coalition-building and program development to create change and monitor effectiveness.

Other Functions

• Work collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, equality and inclusiveness.
• Work in partnership with colleagues within the CNS community and across the campus to support the Dean’s strategic priorities.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the mission and goals of the College of Natural Sciences.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in applicable field.
• Over five (5) years relevant professional experience, including three (3) years in roles with personnel management and/or financial management responsibilities.
• Ability to maintain a diverse schedule of local, regional, and statewide activities.
• Ability to work independently to organize multiple tasks and set priorities for action, take initiative, be creative, and operate with self-direction in a fast-paced office environment.
• Ability to set and meet deadlines while maintaining high standards of accuracy and quality.
• Ability to collaborate well to formulate plans and objectives in accordance with overall goals; ability to identify and implement process improvements.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to interact effectively and work productively in establishing and maintaining harmonious working relationships with a diverse population of faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated professional experience leading teams, project management, leading data management and analysis, establishing successful programs.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite (e.g., PowerPoint, Excel, Word).
• Proficient managing online meeting platforms (e.g., Zoom, Teams).

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong ability to work collaboratively with a team and drive individual efforts.
• Strong interpersonal problem-solving and collaboration skills.
• Demonstrated ability to translate and communicate science – written and verbally - to a range of audience types including government, businesses, academia, natural resource managers, and elected officials.
• Knowledge of the northeast U.S. ecology of coastal systems and coastal Massachusetts communities.
• Significant demonstrated experience in one of the following related to Gloucester Marine Station priorities: regional economic development, coastal engineering as it relates to climate resilient design, seafood systems, or business administration.
• Highly organized multi-tasker.
• Confident public speaker.
• Curious and bold strategy builder.

Additional Details

This position is located at the Gloucester Marine Station in Gloucester, MA. This position is located at a working marine research station. The position will need to access a ladder to reach the dock and/or board a boat at times. The facility is on the water, so exposure to wind and weather in a working research environment is expected.

Since 1967, the UMass Amherst Gloucester Marine Station has conducted pioneering, place-based marine and coastal research. For five decades, engaging directly with communities and businesses who rely on these systems for their livelihoods and quality of life, our work has benefited Massachusetts. Now, inspired by recent investment and the resulting success, UMass Amherst GMS begins a bold and exciting new era. Over the past five years, by engaging over 400 regional community members, and partnering with government, nonprofits, and the private sector, we have generated an historic level of growth and success. Four new faculty were hired, adding capacity and interdisciplinary expertise. Securing $3.5M in state and federal research grants has led to 20 new research projects spanning fisheries and seafood systems, marine ecology, blue economy, and climate resilience. Funding from 13 different state, federal, and university programs have enabled 33 undergraduate and graduate students to participate in immersive research and workforce development experiences. A $4.2M investment from the Commonwealth and UMass Amherst fueled priority site improvements in 2025-26 to support foundational infrastructure and resilient, interdisciplinary R&D opportunities – a new dock and crane, outdoor meeting and teaching spaces, and a Living Seawall that demonstrates both how we innovate to add ecological integrity to necessary hard infrastructure and how we are catalyzing student research opportunities.

At UMass Amherst and in CNS, we strive to be a community where every individual feels a sense of belonging, where every individual is included, and where every individual is valued. These values and goals are reflected in the College of Natural Sciences’ Inclusive Excellence framework and in the UMass Amherst’s For the Common Good: 2024–2034 Strategic Plan.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in indoor and/or outdoor environments, and requires frequent lifting, bending, tool use or equipment use. May involve work in confined spaces or at heights.

Work Schedule and Work Arrangement

Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm. Occasional attendance at local evening events or representation of the Gloucester Marine Station on the Amherst campus may require work outside of these hours.

Salary Information

Pay Grade: PSSAP Grade 29 Click here to view the Professional Staff Hiring Ranges.

Special Instructions for Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a resume/CV and cover letter. Reference checks will be conducted at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references.

This position will remain open for the time period required by any applicable collective bargaining agreement and will continue until a suitable candidate pool is identified. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early.