Assistant Director, Fieldwork Operations

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Director of International and Field Research, this position provides expert operational support for complex domestic and international fieldwork, including research conducted in high-risk, remote, and limited-infrastructure settings environments. Working in close collaboration with the Director of International and Field Research, this role serves as a divisional resource supporting units within the Science Division, as well as other academic divisions as needed, on fieldwork planning, researcher support, risk mitigation, policy interpretation, compliance coordination, and process improvement to enable safe, compliant, and effective research activities. The Assistant Director role plays a key part in implementing divisional approaches to field-based research and educational activities, while ensuring alignment with institutional policies.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Advise on fieldwork operations and researcher support

• Provide operational guidance for complex fieldwork across Science Division units, and other academic divisions as needed, including projects in high-risk, remote, and limited-communication environments; supports researchers in navigating institutional processes and fieldwork requirements before, during, and after travel or deployment

• Advise and assist students, faculty and other researchers, as well as departmental research administrators with coordination of compliant transportation of research materials, including deployment of scientific equipment abroad or in the field, shipping of biological samples, chemicals, or other hazardous materials to/from domestic and international laboratories and field sites

• Advise and support students, researchers, and department research administrators in planning or setting up efficient and compliant mechanisms to fund and pay for fieldwork activities or other related fieldwork operations

• Develop practical solutions to fieldwork challenges under time-sensitive or ambiguous conditions, balancing researcher needs, operational realities, and institutional requirements

• Advise on responses to fieldwork operations adverse incidents and participate in post-incident reviews to identify lessons learned and recommend changes to practices, tools, or training, in coordination with relevant divisional leadership and departmental partners

Serve as divisional fieldwork operations subject-matter resource

• Serve as a divisional resource for Science Division units, and other academic divisions as needed, on international research and fieldwork operations

• Assist in interpreting institutional policies and regulatory requirements, and translating them into clear, practical guidance for diverse field settings (e.g., remote wilderness, marine, rural, and urban environments)

• Identify recurring questions, training needs, and gaps in fieldwork practices; and contribute to developing guidance, tools, and resources to support consistent fieldwork practices and strengthen divisional capacity for supporting complex research operations

Support fieldwork safety, research compliance, policy alignment, and risk mitigation

• Interpret and apply University, School, state, federal, sponsor, and international requirements related to research operations and fieldwork activities; help research teams identify applicable regulatory and compliance requirements (e.g., permits, research approvals, data protections) and incorporate them into fieldwork and international research plans

• Advise and guide students, faculty and other researchers on matters related to fieldwork or research permits, import/export permits, and other agreements - county-specific/local, USDA, PICs, MATs, MTAs, Nagoya protocols, etc.

• Monitor policy changes affecting research operations and fieldwork; analyze implications, recommend process or practice improvements, and escalate high-risk, sensitive, or precedent-setting issues to appropriate leadership and University offices as needed

• Advise Science Division units, and other academic divisions as needed, on risk mitigation strategies for field-based research, including researcher safety, emergency communication, travel guidance, local context, and operational continuity

Coordinate cross-unit partnerships and represent fieldwork needs

• Coordinate with Science Division units, other academic divisions as needed, and central University and FAS offices involved in research operations, global support, travel, research and academic compliance, procurement-adjacent processes, and sponsored research administration

• Highlight operational barriers, policy implications, and compliance challenges related to conducting research in complex field environments

• Build strong working relationships with faculty, administrators, central offices, vendors, consultants, and external partners, and participate in fieldwork-related meetings, special projects, and operational initiatives as a subject-matter contributor

Improve fieldwork processes, systems, and training

• Identify operational challenges across Science Division units, and other academic divisions as needed, and recommend process improvements to strengthen research fieldwork support, improve service delivery, reduce risk, and support faculty research priorities

• Document and communicate operational policies, procedures, guidance, and training for fieldwork-related activities.

• Assist in developing and delivering training, lunch and learn seminars, workshops, and online resources on fieldwork safety and best practices, risk management, and research compliance expectations

• Conduct outreach to academic departments within the science division, and other academic divisions as needed, to raise awareness of available advice and resources for fieldwork and international research