Research Associate - Water Policy Center

PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA•San Francisco, CA

48d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) is recruiting a research associate with a strong interest in water policy research for its Water Policy Center. The research associate will contribute to policy research focusing on ensuring clean and reliable water supplies, building healthy and resilient ecosystems, and preparing for droughts, floods, and wildfires, with a primary focus on ecosystem health. This role involves delivering objective, non-partisan research under the guidance of senior colleagues, providing foundational analytical support to PPIC research projects, and gaining exposure to California water policy.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in environmental science, engineering, or policy, or in a related field that includes training in quantitative and qualitative analysis, or equivalent experience.
Experience conducting relevant research and working with large data sets.
Demonstrated interest in applied policy research in topics relevant to PPIC’s research objectives.
Knowledge of R, Python, or another statistical software program.
Knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 and ability to learn other software programs.
Attention to detail and accuracy.
Strong organizational skills to manage complex tasks and instructions, ability to prioritize work effectively, and adjust to multiple demands.
Able to develop clear and concise verbal communications with colleagues across the institute.
Strong writing skills, including communicating technical concepts to nontechnical audiences.
Adept at building relationships and working collaboratively with diverse groups of colleagues across the institute.
Able to effectively manage key internal and external relationships.
A commitment to delivering high quality output in a timely manner to enhance the success of the team and the institute.
Able to act with integrity, responsibility, and dependability.
Able to take initiative, maintain focus, and work independently to manage multiple deliverables and timelines.
A problem-solver who is proactive, motivated, and well-organized with keen attention to detail.

Nice To Haves

Technical background in the ecology of California’s fresh, brackish, or estuarine ecosystems and their biota.
Familiarity with California water and/or environmental policy.
Experience with spatial data analysis (e.g., GIS).
Experience with data visualization tools.
Familiarity with Adobe Illustrator or similar design software.

Responsibilities

Assemble, manipulate, code, and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data with an emphasis on accuracy.
Conduct statistical analysis with some guidance from senior research colleagues using both Excel and statistical software (ideally R and/or Python).
Consult the research literature, perform searches, prepare bibliographies and source documentation.
Help plan and coordinate meetings, workshops, and events with external stakeholders and research partners.
Collect policy and budget information and stay informed on developments in the policy environment.
Track progress and prioritize activities to meet key deadlines.
Draft sections of written research publications, and draft and/or update short products for a PPIC audience, in collaboration with or with guidance from senior research colleagues.
Deliver research presentations to external audiences, typically short and related to specific research projects.
Participate in outreach and engagement, in collaboration with senior research colleagues.
Provide support for funding proposals and grant reporting.
Participate in other institute events and activities, with guidance from senior colleagues.