Rice University
PAE-1: Sustainability Coordination

The Office of Sustainability works to identify and pursue opportunities that will improve Rice's sustainability. This includes a wide array of initiatives, from green construction to curricula, and engages university leaders at all levels, including administrators, faculty, staff, and students. The Office of Sustainability also employs EcoReps for each of the residential colleges.

"Director of Sustainability The Director is charged with implementing the university’s sustainability policy and mitigating the university’s environmental impact. The Director will help to establish Rice as a recognized leader in integrating sustainability into all aspects of the university. In accomplishing this, the Director will operate within the administrative and academic areas of the university, and report directly to the Associate Vice President of Facilities Engineering and Planning. Acting with considerable latitude and independence of action, the Director shall: • Identify and steward sustainability initiatives on behalf of the university and act as a resource for other university departments wishing to pursue sustainability initiatives that maximize the environmental and financial performance of the university. • Work directly with project managers, engineers, and the university architect to infuse sustainability principles into new construction, renovations, standards, plans, and studies; and with energy managers, maintenance managers and craftspeople, grounds personnel, and custodians to integrate sustainability into energy management, operations, maintenance, groundskeeping, solid waste removal, and cleaning practices. • Develop and maintain tools, metrics, and indicators for assessing progress towards sustainability goals. • Coordinate, support, and lead utility conservation and recycling initiatives. • Assist administrators with the development of policies related to sustainability, and specifically serve as an advisor to the Vice President of Administration and the Board’s Building and Grounds Subcommittee on issues of sustainability. • Interface with Deans of the University’s Schools to integrate sustainability into curricula and building operations. • Support and work with students, faculty, and staff interested in doing academic work or projects with a focus on campus sustainability issues or that use the campus as a laboratory for learning about sustainability. • Partner with the Center for the Study of Environment and Society (CSES) to host environmental colloquia, oversee the environmental studies program and related courses, and support student environmental projects and initiatives. • Advise, meet with, and be a resource for individual students and student groups engaging in sustainability issues and projects. • Establish and maintain an effective communications strategy, including a website, an electronic newsletter, news articles, case studies, and a range of other vehicles, with the objective of raising internal and external awareness of and support for campus sustainability efforts and related activities. • Keep abreast of best practices in sustainability, especially at other institutions of higher education, and participate in conferences and related events to identify new ideas and practices as well as communicate Rice’s sustainability efforts. • Endeavor to identify the best resources for sustainability information and maintain a library of sustainability literature for use of the University • Establish effective linkages with faculty, staff, students, departments, centers, clubs, and other organizations across the campus, and help to coordinate their efforts to advance campus sustainability initiatives and related educational opportunities. • Build effective partnerships and relationships with other institutions, especially in the Houston area. • Identify and pursue grant and resource development opportunities to support sustainability initiatives. • Supervise interns, assistants, dorm eco-reps, volunteers, and additional staff as the program grows. The Director will hold a bachelor’s degree in architecture, urban or environmental planning, environmental science, environmental engineering, or a related field, and will have some experience in sustainability or environmental technology. A master’s degree, at least five years of experience in sustainability or environmental technology, and past employment in higher education are preferred."