Career Center

Position Overview
The Institute of Child Development is searching for a Project Specialist. This position will serve as ICDâ™s Department Facilities Representative to the university, coordinate projects and events for the department, support committee work, and maintain shared testing spaces in Campbell Hall and Child Development Laboratory School (CDLS), which includes 31 testing rooms and 18 control rooms, in addition to other shared testing and classroom observational spaces. The ideal candidate will have experience working with audio/visual testing equipment used for behavioral research testing. We seek someone with exceptional interpersonal skills to effectively work with a diverse group of individuals with various technical skill levels. Additionally, the ideal candidate will enjoy working with teachers and young children and embody the department and CDLS missions while ensuring a safe, clean, and welcoming environment for all families, faculty/staff, and students.

A key responsibility of this position is to actively support and advance the Universityâ™s commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. This position will play a supporting role in fulfilling the Institute of Child Developmentâ™s commitment to anti-racism by maintaining a building environment that is welcoming and creates an inclusive culture for Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color.

The Project Specialist will report to the departmentâ™s chief of staff. The director of the Child Development Laboratory School (CDLS) will also direct work to, and oversee, this position. This position is based on campus and will split time between Campbell Hall and the CDLS Building, both of which are located on the Twin Cities East Bank Campus. Although rare, some evening and weekend work may be required during special events. All UMN employees are expected to follow applicable public health and safety procedures.

This position is represented by the AFSCME Union, Local 3800. The hours are M-F 8:00 - 4:30, or as arranged with your supervisor. The work location is on the Minneapolis campus. The minimum starting pay for this position is $23.14 per hour.

Job Responsibilities

Project Coordination - Events (25%)

• Coordinate meetings, presentations, events and other special projects across the department.
• Coordinate faculty recruitment visits, visiting faculty and scholar visits, including travel arrangements.
• Coordinate departmental events such as coffee hour, MN Symposium, U of MN ICD Party at SRCD, Faculty Retreat, ICD Graduation Party; make
  decisions on catering, venue, specialized equipment and/or room features.
• Support the departmentâ™s Social Committee, which hosts 3 events per year.
• Assist department leadership with special events by facilitating rentals, event setup/teardown, and catering needs, as appropriate.
• Assist with fundraising events for CDLS, including space rentals and catering needs, as appropriate.
   

Project Coordination - Committees and Special Initiatives (10%)

• Coordinate a committee related to shared research testing spaces and building safety.
• Working with the Chief of Staff, maintain and communicate out a yearly Building Emergency Plan for Campbell Hall and the CDLS building.
• Assist CDLS director with special projects, as needed, such as inventorying supplies, toys, curriculum materials, etc.
   

Shared Research Coordination - (25%)

• Troubleshoot shared audio/visual testing equipment, facilitate training for new users, and submit technology work order requests, as needed.
• Develop and maintain a shared testing room scheduling system.
• Manage the approval process for requesting exclusive use of testing spaces and issue memorandums of understanding to occupants.
• Monitor use of family waiting rooms, lactation rooms, laundry room, data processing/freezer room, storage rooms, and special research rooms, such as the MRI simulation room and shielded testing room.
• Monitor punch-code lock batteries and troubleshoot as necessary.
• Support CDLSâ™s shared testing rooms by monitoring A/V recording equipment, and submit technology work order requests, as needed.
   

General Building Coordination (20%)

• Serve as Department Facility Representative (DFR) Primary: liaison between University Services and the department; ensures communications from U Services are forwarded to all department members; communicates with CEHD Resource Responsibility Center Facility Lead (RRC-FL).
• Respond to lockout/building emergency contacts, which can occur on evenings and weekends.
• Attend CEHD facilities meetings hosted by the RRC-FL; attend Facility Management East Bank Advisory Meetings.
• Work closely with CDLS director to monitor safety, and requesting repairs as necessary, of indoor and outdoor spaces to comply with DHS requirements for early learning care sites.
• Oversee technology in department scheduled classrooms, CDLS research rooms and classrooms, conference rooms, and public spaces, such as wall mounted monitors, and submit technology work order requests, as needed.
• Establish strong working relationships with custodial staff and facilities management staff, meet with facilities management leadership as needed to maintain safe and clean buildings.
   

Department Administrative Support (20%)

• Assist Chief of Staff with the annual performance appraisal process and submissions for promotion.
• Take detailed notes and disseminate from monthly Faculty meetings, department retreats, and executive team meetings, as needed.
• Assist Chief of Staff in supplying information to UMN Inventory Services and maintaining locations of capital equipment.
• Support the Communications Director with department flyers, announcements, etc., as needed.
• Maintain department listservs.
• Support Student Services Director with course scheduling and assignment of department classrooms.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma/GED and five years of related experience to include project management.
• At least 1 year experience troubleshooting technology.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with people from a variety of communities, backgrounds, and identities.
• Strong attention to detail, exceptional analytical skills, and ability to work independently.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associates or bachelors degree in audio visual technology, or similar.
• At least 1 year experience in event planning.
• At least 2 years experience working in a research center or academic department with an active research agenda.
• Experience with managing shared testing spaces, including data collection processing rooms and -80 freezers for sample storage.
   

About University of Minnesota Twin Cities

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