Research Scientist/Engineer 3 - Climate Impacts Group

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

13d•Hybrid

About The Position

The UW Climate Impacts Group has an outstanding opportunity for a Research Scientist 3 to join its growing team. Reporting to a senior scientist, the Climate Impacts Group Research Scientist 3 will independently lead tasks within and support management of moderately sized applied climate resilience and water management projects. This position will play a critical role in advancing climate resilience for the Pacific Northwest and requires advanced analytical skills using spatial and quantitative analysis methods and mixed methods research approaches, as well as a highly collaborative mindset. This is a research position with no teaching requirements and no path to university tenure. This position is focused on applied research which may come at the expense of published research. This is a hybrid eligible position with expectations to work in person at the UW Seattle campus at least two days per week, with additional on-site requirements for meetings and events. Our current in-office days are Mondays and Wednesdays. A telework agreement is completed annually with your supervisor.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, hydrology or engineering, natural resources, planning, geography, public policy, economics, or a related field
A minimum of 4 years of experience managing climate resilience and/or water management projects
Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration
Familiarity with water resources management, watershed planning, environmental management, or related fields, including familiarity with climate impacts on water systems and adaptation strategies
Experience collaborating with state and local government agencies, utilities, Tribes, watershed organizations, community-based organizations, and/or practitioners
Strong analytical skills, including familiarity with mixed-methods approaches and the application of spatial and quantitative analysis methods to analyze, integrate, and communicate complex social and/or environmental data using R, Python, GIS, or related tools
Superior writing and oral communication skills, including demonstrated ability to communicate complex scientific information clearly and concisely for technical and non-technical audiences

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree and/or experience working on applied water resources projects involving water supply, watershed management, stormwater, nature based solutions, water quality, water reuse, or related topics
Experience developing climate change impacts and adaptation guidance and/or decision-support tools
Experience working with environmental, climate, hydrologic, or other complex datasets
Experience with applied social science research methods such as interviews, case studies, literature reviews, policy evaluation, and/or related qualitative and quantitative approaches
Experience with co-production and use-inspired research
Experience facilitating meetings and collaboration among researchers, practitioners, decision makers
Knowledge of climate adaptation planning and implementation in the Pacific Northwest
Attention to detail and demonstrated commitment to technical accuracy and reproducibility
Demonstrated ability to work effectively and build strong collaborative relationships within interdisciplinary teams (spanning physical science, engineering, policy and social science), and within hybrid and geographically distributed teams

Responsibilities

Independently lead tasks and support management of moderately sized applied climate resilience and water management projects
Evaluate the benefits, tradeoffs, uncertainties, and implementation considerations of water management and/or climate adaptation strategies to support evidence-based planning and decision making
Apply spatial and quantitative analysis methods to analyze, integrate, and communicate complex social and environmental data using R, Python, GIS, or related tools
Apply mixed-methods research approaches to holistically evaluate complex environmental management and climate resilience challenges (e.g., semi-structured interviews, surveys, literature reviews, policy analysis, case studies, spatial analysis)
Lead or co-lead project-specific research activities, such as literature reviews, contextual analyses, needs assessments, monitoring and evaluation strategies, and development of technical guidance, as part of larger projects
Develop and manage timelines and coordinate on assigned project tasks while contributing to broader project management activities
Co-design and facilitate workshops, interviews, advisory committee meetings, and other engagement activities with project partners
Supervise and mentor junior staff, interns, and/or graduate student workers
Contribute to maintaining high-quality project deliverables through effective coordination, documentation, and communication with internal and external collaborators
Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with Pacific Northwest water managers and utilities, local government agencies, Tribes, non-profit organizations, and research collaborators to advance climate adaptation planning and implementation
Develop technical guidance, decision support resources, reports, visualizations, and presentations for practitioner, scientific, and public audiences
Represent the Climate Impacts Group through participation in project advisory groups, collaborative initiatives, and professional meetings
Respond to emerging partner needs and contribute to identifying opportunities for future applied research and decision-support resources
Collaborate with Climate Impacts Group research scientists and principal investigators to support development of competitive proposals for externally funded research and applied projects
Contribute technical expertise to support proposal development efforts, including scoping and drafting relevant sections, coordination with project collaborators, and related activities
Help identify emerging research opportunities and cultivate relationships with external collaborators
Support special projects, strategic initiatives and timely responses to partner and UW needs