Campus Sustainability and Innovation Early Career Associate: Scope 3 Emissions and Project Management

Job Summary

The Office of Campus Sustainability and Innovation (OCSI) is seeking a collaborative, organized, and forward-thinking Sustainability Fellow for a two-year appointment. This role bridges technical climate action with operational innovation and is divided into three core pillars: leading the development of our Scope 3 emissions program, collaborating on project management and operational workflows, and executing a flexible project portfolio tailored to the fellow's unique strengths.

This is a two-year term position, and comes with employment benefits of the University of Michigan. This position is hybrid with expectations of working on campus 2-3 days/week, with flexibility.
 

Responsibilities*

Scope 3 Emissions Program Development (50%)

• Goal Implementation: Support the strategic rollout and execution of the University of Michigan's Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals (e.g., business travel, food, capital projects, purchased goods, and culture change).
• Data Development & Reporting: Support analysts and partners in the collection, analysis, and quality control of complex Scope 3 data sets. Coordinate with internal departments (Procurement, food providers, AEC, etc.) and external vendors to refine emissions factors and improve data maturity.
• Community Engagement: Oversee the development of an engagement plan to educate and involve the U-M community in reducing Scope 3 emissions. Support engagement activities, such as conducting workshops, presentations, and tabling.
• Point of Contact: Serve as the primary point of contact for all Scope 3 inquiries and as the liaison for external communities of practice and reporting frameworks.

PM Support & Workflow Optimization (40%)

• Collaborative Project Management: Work alongside OCSI project managers to support general project management needs (such as agenda development, note-taking, action item tracking, and stakeholder engagement) and ensure cross-functional campus sustainability initiatives are delivered effectively.
• Workflow Optimization: Partner with the PM team to evaluate current OCSI operational processes and design efficient, scalable workflows to improve team collaboration, tracking, and reporting.
• AI Integration: Identify, test, and implement ethical AI tools and automation strategies (e.g., data analysis, drafting communications, project dashboards) to maximize office productivity and streamline PM workflows.

Special & Emerging Projects (10%)

• Interest-Driven Initiatives: Scope and execute self-directed or emerging projects based on the fellow's specific skills, professional growth goals, and institutional sustainability needs.
• Incubation: Act as a flexible resource for OCSI to pilot creative solutions or explore new sustainability ideas as they arise over the 2-year term.
   

Required Qualifications*

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and translate complex data for diverse audiences.
• Recent graduate: 2025 or later.
• Bachelor's degree in environmental, sustainability, data science, business, engineering, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of Scope 3 emissions, including GHG accounting principles and reduction approaches.
• Community engagement skills and awareness of behavior change best practices.
• Familiarity with project management methodologies.
• Tech-savvy with a demonstrated curiosity or experience in utilizing AI and project management tools to improve productivity.

Desired Qualifications*

The ideal candidate will possess a blend of analytical fluency, stakeholder engagement skills, and a knack for building innovative, durable solutions to amplify organizational impacts.

• A methodical collaborator: You thrive in cross-functional environments, bringing structure and organization to complex team projects.
• A versatile communicator: You can seamlessly pivot from an analytical deep-dive with technical teams to a strategic alignment meeting with executives.
• A pragmatic technologist: You look for smart, automated solutions to streamline work, ensuring new tools genuinely empower the team rather than complicating their day-to-day work.
   

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.

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.