Project Manager - Offshore Wind

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. The first round of review will be based on applications received by Monday, October 28, 2024 at 8 am (Pacific Time).

Download the full job announcement

The Schatz Energy Research Center at Cal Poly Humboldt is seeking an experienced professional to join our team as a project manager. This full-time position will provide management for projects within our offshore wind portfolio, including managing project activities associated with the Pacific Offshore Wind Consortium (POWC). 

The Schatz Center is a leader in research and policy analysis related to offshore wind development on the U.S. West Coast. Over the past five years, with funding from state and federal agencies, our team and partners have published thirty reports on a variety of topics including the wind resource and its potential for renewable energy generation, grid integration and transmission requirements, economic viability, port and coastal infrastructure needs, economic development potential, regional environmental effects, community benefits and concerns, policy, regulation, permitting, and others. Our recently launched Pacific Offshore Wind Consortium (POWC) involves collaboration with partners at Oregon State University and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Our leadership role in POWC positions our team to play a key role in the science, education, and community and Tribal engagement that are needed in relation to the potential for offshore wind development on the West Coast. 

This position is expected to start in early January and is based at the Schatz Center, in Arcata, CA. The exact start date is negotiable. Our team members have the flexibility to either work onsite full-time or alternate between remote work and onsite work, with a minimum of 40% of their time spent at the Schatz Center. During the initial onboarding period, the selected candidate could telecommute, but ultimately will need to live within commuting distance of the Schatz Center. Applications are welcome from all who are legally eligible to work in the U.S.

Compensation and advancement

This is a full time (40 hours/week), benefit-eligible position with a minimum term of one year. Employee continuation is anticipated, contingent on funding, workload, and performance.

The monthly salary range is between $6,202 and $7,539, depending on skills and experience. Cost of living adjustments are made annually. 

Advancement in step may occur at a frequency of at least every two years. Step raises outside this interval may also be granted for employee achievements such as professional licensure or completing a graduate degree. Advancement in category is based on criteria including experience, a strong performance record, and an increase in responsibility. 

Affirmative action & equal opportunity

The Schatz Center operates under the Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation (CPHSPF), an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected status. More information about SPF’s Equal Employment Opportunity hiring can be found at: https://research.humboldt.edu/employment/hiring.

Who we are and what we do

Since 1989, the Schatz Center has been a leader in applied research and project development for clean and renewable energy. Our current portfolio includes offshore wind research and engagement, microgrid development, sustainable transportation design, carbon life cycle analysis, solar product testing, and planning and policy for clean energy access around the globe.

We are located on the campus of Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata, California. Arcata’s 800-acre community forest and 11 miles of trails begin one block away — and we are within biking distance of California’s second largest inland bay and the Pacific Ocean. 

As residents of a rural coastal community, we are keenly aware of our social and environmental responsibilities. We are committed to increasing energy access and resilience for communities worldwide — and do so through clean and renewable design that reduces climate change and restores environmental and human health.

Our organizational commitments

Our vision

We envision a healthy planet with thriving, equitable, resilient communities powered by clean energy.

Our purpose

Our team is committed to addressing climate change and improving human and ecosystem health through work that supports clean energy, climate-resilience, equity, and justice. Our work includes:

• Research and development – we do applied research focused on energy and environmental issues.
• Technology deployment – we design, integrate, build, test, and operate innovative, renewable, and resilient energy systems that are responsive to social and environmental needs.
• Collaboration – we work with public and private partners including Tribal Nations, communities, agencies, academic institutions, foundations, and industry to exchange knowledge and implement innovative solutions locally and internationally.
• Education and Training – we support learning that provides practical, hands-on experience for current and future practitioners and leaders.

Our values

• Kindness: Treating people and the planet with care and respect through acts of inclusion, helpfulness, generosity, and encouragement.
• Integrity: Approaching one another and our interdisciplinary research with curiosity, open-mindedness, transparency, and humility.
• Equity, diversity, and inclusion: Providing a nourishing and rewarding environment for Center staff, students, and partners. Respecting the differences of our colleagues and actively seeking to identify and remove barriers to ensure opportunities to thrive.
• Justice: Working to advance racial justice, gender equality and women’s empowerment, LGBTQIA+ rights, economic equality, and environmental justice.
• Teamwork and collaboration: Supporting internal and external community building and engagement to create inclusive and innovative solutions. Sharing knowledge with and learning from our colleagues, collaborators, community partners, and the public to advance understanding.
• Effectiveness: Using our technical, scientific, and policy expertise to do good work that makes a difference.

How to apply

Visit our job opening post and view the full job announcement for the core responsibilities and a list of required knowledge, skills, and abilities. 

Applicants must submit the following via email to schatzenergy@humboldt.edu:

1. A formal letter of application (cover letter), attention: Schatz Center Hiring Committee. In your letter, a) explain why you are interested to work with us in advancing clean energy and b) describe how your background prepares you to be an effective project manager.
2. A resume: A maximum of 3 pages is preferred, however we encourage you to include all relevant and transferable experience and skills you wish us to consider. For guidance, view our Criteria for Prior Education and Experience. Please include timebase (hours per week or month) information for experience and/or training.
3. Contact information for 3 professional references.
4. A Cal Poly Humboldt SPF Employee Information Form for Applicants:  Fill in Submission Email/Contact as follows: Name = Schatz Energy Research Center, Email = schatzenergy@humboldt.edu

Please include in your email how you learned about this vacancy. 

Additional materials may be required from candidates invited to interview.

The first round of review will be based on materials that have been submitted by 8 am Pacific Time (US) on Monday, October 28, 2024. The position will be open until filled. 

Questions and inquiries

• For assistance with the application process, please submit an Accommodation Request Form, or contact the campus ADA Coordinator at (707) 826-3626 or confidential fax at (707) 826-3625. For more information regarding accommodation, you may also visit the Cal Poly Humboldt Campus Disability Resource Center. Individuals in need of a telecommunications relay service may contact the California Relay Service at (877) 735-2929 TTY.  
• Learn more about our employment opportunities…
• For additional information, please email schatzenergy@humboldt.edu or call (707) 826-4345.