Aquaculture Research and Relations Director

University of North Carolina Wilmington • Full-time • Wilmington, North Carolina, United States • USD $113.85k - USD $131.28k / year • 1w ago

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

PLEASE NOTE: This posting will close at 11:59PM (Eastern time) on the posted closing date. To receive full consideration, please be sure you have fully completed the entire application before you apply for this position. Applications must be submitted through the online application system to be considered.

Posting Details

This position is designated as Exempt from the Human Resources Act (EHRA).

Posting Details

Benefits of Working at UNCW

Want to become a soaring UNCW Seahawk and work at one of the best universities on the East Coast? Want to put your toes in the sand after a day of work? The University of North Carolina Wilmington offers a wonderfully vibrant university community along with a beautiful location just miles from the beach.

Employees of UNCW are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other programs, resources, policies, and practices that help to support a work/life balance. Our programs have been designed to provide a variety of choices to best fit your needs and the needs of your family. Full time employees are eligible for dental, vision and health insurance plans. Health insurance benefit plans eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.

Full time employees are also eligible for the tuition waiver program which covers the cost of tuition and fees for up to three (3) undergraduate or graduate courses per academic year at UNCW or any other university within the UNC System. In addition, UNCW covers the cost of tuition and fees for one UNCW course each summer session.

As a full time employee, UNCW also offers a free membership to the Campus Recreation Center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, meditation and yoga sessions, voluntary supplemental insurance coverages, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays, 24 hours of paid community service leave time, paid vacation and sick leave accrual and family medical leave after 12 months of continuous service.

We also offer an abundance of training and development programs through our Dare to Learn Academy, and the employee assistance program, many of which are offered free of charge.

Hiring Range

$113,851- $131,284

Working Title

Aquaculture Research and Relations Director

External Link to Posting

https://jobs.uncw.edu/postings/37772

Vacancy Number

E1453

Position Number

2175

Location of Workplace

CMS Myrtle Grove

Home Department

Center for Marine Science - 30600

Division

Academic Affairs - 30 Division

Brief Summary of Work for this Position

This position’s primary duty is to elevate CMS’s aquaculture enterprise in terms of position, reputation, products, and opportunities. They will help oversee efforts of both shellfish and finfish aquaculture facilities as well as the algal resource collection. Emphasis will be placed on research activities and building relationships both within and outside of UNCW.

This position will assist in identifying strategic opportunities and help gather and organize information from federal, state, local, private and corporate entities. Coordination of research related to aquaculture will include helping 1) helping set the strategic direction of the facilities, 2) organize, write and direct proposals and grants, and 3) help augment the use of aquaculture facilities by a broader cross-section of faculty. They will also have extension-related duties to promote opportunities with local communities, farmers, and relevant commercial enterprises. This position will also include other duties pertinent to aquaculture.

Successful candidate will lead UNCW’s Aquaculture Program. Specific responsibilities include:

Build nationally and internationally recognized program
Present research findings and publish research results
Secure extramural funding to support staff, upgrade/replace equipment, expand/innovate research activities
Augment the use of aquaculture facilities by a broader cross-section of faculty
Coordinate collaborative research with other investigators and commercial entities
Conduct public outreach activities to promote aquaculture research in North Carolina
Maintain and enhance facilities and research infrastructure
Hire/supervise students, interns, and staff conducting experimental studies
Engage local, state and federal agencies to develop aquaculture opportunities for UNCW
Teach upper-level graduate seminar in aquaculture, biotechnology, and/or translational research
Responsibilities may include opportunities to teach courses in specialty

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Ph.D in aquaculture-related fields and five years of related experience, OR a Master’s degree with equivalent combination of training and experience may be substituted on an exceptional basis. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Ph.D degree in Aquaculture
Diverse portfolio of successful extramural grantsmanship as lead PI (e.g., funding from federal, state, foundation, industry sponsors)
Experience with governmental agencies
Experience with engaging external entities
Experience with translational research
Strong communication skills
Strong team building skills

Required Certifications or Licensures

None

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

The University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Center for Marine Science (CMS) is recognized both nationally and internationally for conducting research that contributes to the understanding of environmental processes and problems. CMS strives to engage communities to address societal issues and promote use-inspired innovations.

Through research, education and outreach, the Center strives to increase knowledge about coastal and marine sciences and cultivate community engagement in coastal resilience. This includes a variety of fields such as physical oceanography; marine and coastal biology; marine, atmospheric and natural products chemistry; marine geology; aquaculture; environmental sciences, marine policy, human health, and sociology. Currently there are more than 100 active research programs supported by CMS and over 140 scientists, staff and students broadly associated with the unit. The teaching and research facility located on the Intracoastal Waterway in southeastern North Carolina features state of the art core facilities in spectrometry and spectroscopy, light stable isotopes, biotechnology, DNA and water quality analysis as well as running seawater systems, a coastal workboat fleet and a wide range of oceanographic equipment that are available to all CMS researchers. It also includes the State of North Carolina Shellfish Research Hatchery, a finfish hatchery, and an Algal Resource Collection (ARC). CMS supports educational programs related to marine science, including the Applied Coastal and Ocean Science Ph.D. program and MS Marine Science degree as well as courses and students from various marine-science related academic departments across the breadth of UNCW. It also supports several outreach entities, including NC Sea Grant, the NC National Estuarine Research Reserve, and Marine Quest, among others.

College/School Information

University Information

The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world-class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking.

A public institution with nearly 18,000 students, UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to-BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation’s only bachelor’s degree program focused on coastal engineering.

The university’s efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of “Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity” institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969.

EEO Statement

UNCW does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his or her race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents – except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs.

Eligibility for Employment

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Number of Openings

Single Incumbent

Special Notes to Applicants

PLEASENOTE: This posting will close at 11:59PM (Eastern time) on the posted closing date. To receive full consideration, please be sure you have fully completed the entire application before you apply for this position. Applications must be submitted through the online application system to be considered.

Months Per Year

12 Months

FTE

1.0 FTE (40 hours per week)

Type of Position

Permanent

Anticipated Ending Date if Time-Limited Positions

Job Posting Date

11/11/2025

Posting Close Date

01/20/2026