RESEARCH SCIENTIST/ENGINEER 3 - CLIMATE CHANGE

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RESEARCH SCIENTIST/ENGINEER 3 - CLIMATE CHANGE

Benefits: As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website.

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

The Washington State Climate Office (WASCO) and the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group seek a full-time research scientist to expand the Office’s capabilities for co-producing high-quality information about climate change, climate change impacts, and its relevance to our local, state, and tribal partners.

Candidates who are passionate about our organizational mission and our co-production model are a must. We are seeking a candidate with the technical background needed to engage in applied research, synthesis, and analysis, along with demonstrated experience in successful communications and engagement. The candidate would be expected to independently lead specific projects or tasks, author/co-author papers and white papers, help identify and scope new project ideas, collaborate independently with external partners, and provide mentoring and supervision for staff and students on specific tasks or projects.

We are looking for a candidate who has a background in climate science or a related environmental field; who is familiar with the science and data related to past, current, and future climate; and can effectively communicate this information to a wide range of audiences. Most importantly, we are looking for a critical thinker who can work independently, rapidly expand into and understand new topic areas, and effectively engage with our partners in a variety of contexts. This is a full-time research position with no teaching expectations and no path to University tenure.

ABOUT US

Based at the University of Washington, WASCO works to support access to, and understanding of, information about the past, current, and future climate of Washington State. Officially established in 2003, the Office works to build regional capacity to use and apply climate information, advances innovative approaches to communication and engagement on climate science, and pursues impactful applied research topics of interest to our collaborators across the state.

The Washington State Climate Office is housed within the Climate Impacts Group on the UW Seattle campus. CIG supports the development of climate resilience by advancing understanding of climate risks & enabling science-based action to manage those risks. Since 1995, the Climate Impacts Group has linked cutting edge scientific research with innovative approaches to community engagement to produce exceptional applied research products; develop strong relationships among resource managers, policy makers and communities in the region; and build regional capacity for addressing climatic variability and change.

WASCO and CIG are member organizations of EarthLab, a visionary institute that pushes boundaries to address our most pressing environmental challenges, with a focus on climate and its intersection with social justice. EarthLab does this by connecting faculty, students and researchers at the University of Washington to community collaborators in businesses, non-profits, public agencies, Tribal nations and others to co-produce actionable research that generates solutions and strategies for local and global impact.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The research scientist will independently lead and manage specific research projects or tasks; help identify and scope new proposals; develop, support, and maintain communications efforts; and assist with the administration and smooth functioning of the Office. This person will be responsible for analyzing and interpreting climate impacts data, synthesizing relevant science, and documenting results in both the grey and peer-reviewed literature.

Research (60%)

1. Independently lead specific projects or research tasks, including scoping, planning, evaluating and selecting methods, analysis, and reporting.
2. Manipulate, analyze, and interpret data to support WASCO research.
3. Identify, review, and synthesize relevant research on climate and impacts.
4. Collaborate with academic researchers and external partners, through science synthesis, applied research, technical assistance, and other relevant activities.
5. Support proposal development by evaluating technical feasibility and helping to scope efforts.
6. Author or co-author reports, papers, presentations, new proposals, etc.

Communications and Engagement (30%)

1. Lead collaborations with new and existing external partners.
2. Develop and/or supervise the development of communication products (e.g., accessible reports, web content, annotated bibliographies, and fact sheets) for diverse audiences such as local, state, federal and tribal government staff, natural resource managers, water agencies, NGOs, and policy makers.
3. Develop and/or supervise the development of data visualizations and tools in support of WASCO projects and communications.
4. Deliver presentations for select WASCO audiences.
5. Assist in evaluating and prioritizing WASCO collaborations and engagement.
6. Support existing and new collaborations by contributing to engagement efforts.

Program Coordination (10%)

1. Independently manage specific projects and tasks, including planning, coordination, and logistics.
2. Help identify and develop new funding sources, and contribute to proposal development.
3. Assist in responding to data, media, and other requests.
4. Maintain open lines of communication with regular collaborators, including Climate Impacts Group staff.
5. Mentor and supervise staff and students on specific projects or tasks.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor's degree in climate science or a related field and four years of relevant experience.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Experience independently managing moderate-sized projects.
2. Experience synthesizing scientific literature and data.
3. Experience with scientific data analysis and associated software (e.g. python, R).
4. Evidence of strong oral and written communication skills in engaging with diverse audiences.
5. Demonstrated ability to problem-solve and quickly adapt to new challenges (e.g., new topic areas, analysis methods, software tools).
6. Attention to detail and insistence on technical accuracy.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

1. Master’s degree or the equivalent in knowledge and experience in climate science or a related field.
2. Familiar with Washington state's climate-related resources, issues and interested parties.
3. Experience with applied climate science or impacts research.
4. Experience with co-production and use-inspired research.
5. Strategic and critical thinker; an energetic self-starter.
6. Demonstrated effectiveness as a collaborator.

Application Process:

The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you log into your “My Jobs” page.

Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, the University of Washington will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or