CareerSpot

About the job
The Center for Sustainable Building Research seeks a motivated individual for a professional research fellow position with significant experience and knowledge base in the areas of sustainable, regenerative, and resilient design across ecological areas – energy, water, materials, indoor environmental quality and waste. The researcher will work independently on two projects. For the first project, this person will be responsible for supporting CSBRs work on environmentally preferable materials in the construction industry. Responsibilities on the second project will include: researching aspects of the Building, Benchmarks, and Beyond (B3) green building rating system such for primarily Materials and Waste, but also Site/Water, Energy, Indoor Environmental Quality and
Process/Performance. The research fellow will work with the Principal Investigator (PI) and other members of the team to transform research into green building tools. Materials research is a particular focus in the next few years. In addition, the research fellow will support the B3 team in the ongoing operation of the program that works with state-funded projects to achieve the sustainability requirements. The position will require the management of work by graduate researchers and project
subcontractors.

A successful candidate for the position must be able to work independently as they will be responsible for leading work including oversight of graduate assistants and project subcontractors, determining best practices and resources needed to successfully complete the work. This person will have a working understanding of sustainability as it applies to the area of commercial and residential construction; strong communication skills (writing and verbal), an attention to detail and a proactive approach to information gathering. In addition, they will have knowledge and experience in the field of architecture and engineering, the assessment of building materials using a variety of tools: LCA, EPDs, HPDs, Green Screen, C2C, Pharos and the Living Building/Product Challenge. We are committed to attracting candidates from historically underrepresented groups knowing that diversity enriches the academic experience and provides a knowledge base for innovation.

This position is for a full-time research appointment. Continuation beyond the initial appointment is contingent upon available funding and satisfactory performance. Salary is commensurate with education and experience. Work location is flexible between home (in the upper midwest) and 3-4 days per month in CSBR’s office at the University of Minnesota .

Responsibilities

Duties will include but are not limited to:

• Sustainable Material Research:
• Responsible for supporting the center's work on sustainable materials.
• Supporting the center's work on the state's Buy Clean initiative.
• Contact and coordinate with teams to gather information on recent projects, and interpret that data
• Schedule and conduct interviews as necessary with project stakeholders
• Analyze performance and cost data when applicable to ensure or improve efficiency and quality
• Develop informational briefs based on established protocols for technologies employed by the building sector for sustainable materials.

B3 and SB2030:

• Responsible for researching aspects of the Building, Benchmarks, and Beyond (B3) green building rating system such as Site/Water, Energy, Materials/Waste, Indoor Environmental Quality and Process/Performance
• Work with the Principal Investigator (PI) and other members of the team to transform research into green building tools
• Support of the operations of the B3 green building program
• Research on Materials/Waste guidelines, project performance and future research directions
• Research into sustainable indicators of materials
• Develop metrics and guidelines for the B3 program based upon research
• Effectively collaborate with the B3 and CSBR team
• Manage the work of research assistants and project subcontractors to meet timelines

Job Details

Position Title: Research Fellow
UMN Classification: Researcher 5 (9742R5)
Reports to: Director of the Center for Sustainable Research
Pay Range: $70,000 to $90,000

Required Qualifications

• Master of Architecture or master’s degree in a related field such as Construction Management, Engineering etc.
• Four years of experience in architecture, engineering or a related field with team management responsibilities
• Knowledge of sustainability as it relates to building practice
• Knowledge of environmental building design and construction
• Knowledge of energy use in buildings
• Knowledge of environmental material requirements for building products (LCA, EPDs, HPDs etc.)
• Ability to read basic building plans and specifications
• Excellent skills in written and verbal communications
• Ability to work productively, professionally, and collaboratively with various constituents from diverse
• backgrounds
• Demonstrated proficiency in the following software, Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and LCA Analysis (Tally, Athena, or other software).

Preferred Qualifications

• Working knowledge of B3 and SB2030
• Working knowledge of LEED the Living Building Challenge and other green building rating tools
• Working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Sketchup, and Google Workspaces.
• Attention to cultural diversity in research and the proven ability to support the University’s
• commitment to equity and diversity