Ghana DISES Research Specialist

Apply Now

How to Apply

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position. We welcome applicants with disabilities and support individuals in requesting accommodations.

Who We Are

At the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), we are at the forefront of building a more sustainable and just world for all by transforming the impact of higher education and reimagining the future. We are advancing action through innovation, research, education and engagement in society, and developing leaders who are empowered to halt the climate crisis and create an environmentally sound future for generations to come.

To learn more about SEAS and our values, please visit our website at https://seas.umich.edu/about/seas-values.

Job Summary

The full Job Description for this position can be found here.

This Research Area Specialist position supports the NSF-DISES project titled Investigating mercury biogeochemical cycling via mixed-methods in complex artisanal gold mining landscapes and implications for community health. You will provide entry-level research and project support for an interdisciplinary study of artisanal and small-scale gold mining and mercury pollution in Ghana. There is an education component of this project and this position will help develop and implement a school-based videography program through which students examine human environment relationships and communicate about their lives in the context of environmental change. You will engage in literature review, educational activity development, coordination with schools and research partners in Ghana and Michigan, and provide support for field implementation and a cross-cultural online film exchange. You will also support organization of project materials and data, and provide assistance with manuscripts.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa application.

Note: This position will be a one-year (full-time) term limited appointment with the possibility of renewal.

Responsibilities*

Literature Review and Videography Program Development

• Review research and practical examples related to participatory video, digital storytelling, visual research methods, media literacy, and school-based learning about environmental and community issues.
• Help turn findings into an engaging videography program for Ghanaian schools by developing learning objectives, activities, student prompts, filming guidance, expected products, and simple evaluation tools.
• Support project planning by creating timelines for school recruitment, teacher preparation, filming, editing, film exchange, and evaluation.
• Help organize permissions and project documentation, including consent materials, media-handling guidance, citations, meeting notes, activity versions, decisions, and progress updates.

Onsite Fieldwork and Research Support

• Travel to Ghana with the research team to support educators, students, and local partners as they carry out school-based videography activities.
• Prepare equipment, instructional materials, schedules, consent documents, and supplies, and help coordinate communication across schools and project partners.
• Support workshops covering storytelling, interviewing, filming, sound, editing, ethical media practices, and respectful community representation.
• Document implementation and securely organize project materials, including field notes, attendance records, video files, transcripts, and de-identified research records; participate in team debriefs and suggest practical improvements.

Michigan Ghana Partnership Support

• Help coordinate an online film festival or exchange connecting participating schools in Ghana and Michigan.
• Identify potential Michigan school partners, track outreach, prepare informational materials, schedule meetings, and document teachers' curricular and technical needs.
• Provide basic support to teachers and students with planning, filming, editing, captioning, and creating accessible digital media.
• Confirm required permissions before media is shared, support privacy and culturally respectful communication practices, and gather feedback and participation information for the project team.

Manuscript Support

• Support manuscripts based on existing thesis data by conducting literature searches, summarizing findings, and organizing datasets and research materials.
• Complete supervised research tasks such as data cleaning, coding support, transcription review, citation checking, quality assurance, and preparation of tables, figures, maps, and appendices.
• Draft and revise manuscript sections with guidance from senior researchers, incorporate coauthor feedback, and format submission materials to meet journal requirements.
• Maintain citation libraries, version histories, contributor records, deadlines, and submission checklists, while also supporting conference abstracts, posters, presentations, research briefs, and team meetings.

Required Qualifications*

• Master's degree in environmental justice. Bachelor's degree and equivalent experience is acceptable for this position.
• History of work and/or research experience in Ghana
• Experience in Environmental Education
• Experience preparing environmental geography manuscripts for publication
• Must be able to occasionally travel internationally to complete fieldwork assignments

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

Applications will be reviewed as received throughout the posting period and continue until the position is filled.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.