Researcher (Ownership)

Global Energy Monitor•Covina, CA

20h•$40•Remote

About The Position

Global Energy Monitor is seeking two experienced Researchers who will work as part of GEM’s research team, contributing to trackers, datasets, and projects as needed. This role will work as part of GEM’s Global Energy Ownership Tracker, which is collecting and improving GEM’s data on ownership of combustion power plants, mines (for coal and iron), steel plants, and oil and gas pipelines. As with all of GEM’s data, this data is made freely available to anyone, and is used for identifying the companies and other entities that own projects that are responsible for a large portion of greenhouse gas emissions. This ownership data is also used by Climate TRACE, a non-profit coalition of organizations building a timely, open, and accessible inventory of every significant source of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. The Global Energy Ownership Tracker compiles and standardizes ownership information for energy assets by tracing each project’s ownership chain from the direct owner through intermediate entities to ultimate parents, including corporations, investment firms, and governments. The methodology is designed to improve transparency across GEM’s datasets by capturing both controlling and minority ownership stakes, and by linking ownership records to other GEM trackers through consistent entity IDs and cross-dataset standards. This makes it easier to analyze who ultimately controls energy infrastructure, compare ownership patterns across sectors, and support climate accountability research and policy work. According to the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC), we have less than a decade to make massive and unprecedented changes in the global economy to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. To meet that challenge, Global Energy Monitor is creating trackers and other tools to provide detailed information on energy facilities, sponsors, and financing. Global Energy Monitor (GEM) is a network of researchers developing information for the worldwide climate and clean energy movement. Since the organization’s founding in 2007, GEM’s research has become an essential tool for activists, journalists, policymakers, and scientists. GEM’s data and reports are used and cited by organizations ranging from Greenpeace to The Wall Street Journal. GEM’s information is used by Bloomberg Terminals, the International Energy Agency, the IPCC, Climate Analytics, Carbon Tracker Initiative, and hundreds of others. Preference will be given to those living in the United States, however, GEM may be able to hire employees worldwide in countries where our PEO ( Deel ) operates, except in countries classified as Level 3 or 4 on the U.S. Department of State’s website. GEM does not have a central office; instead, GEM works with employees to create suitable home offices catered to the needs of their role.

Requirements

At least one year of experience in energy/environmental/heavy industry decarbonization research.
Fluency in English.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of environmental and social impacts of energy and/or heavy industry, governmental and business institutional structures, and the global political context of energy/heavy industry.
Understanding of industry and energy transition issues and/or relevant technical background.
Strong research skills, including attention to detail, scrupulous adherence to documented fact, and resourcefulness in using online search tools.
Analytical skills, including experience in summarizing and presenting data.
Professional writing skills.
Knowledge of wiki formatting.
Track record of working to advance social and environmental justice.
Multilingual fluency.

Responsibilities

Gathering, validating, and maintaining data in shared databases.
Creating, formatting, and updating wiki pages on energy projects on the GEM.wiki platform.
Tracking and summarizing reported environmental and social impacts of energy projects.
Collaborating with other GEM staff members across different project areas.
Supporting report development and analyses, as well as presentations based on GEM’s data.
Using software and computers, such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and operating systems.
Miscellaneous support for other GEM projects as needed.

Benefits

100% paid health, vision, and dental insurance for employees & contribution towards dependent coverage
Long-term disability and worker’s compensation insurance
Voluntary life insurance available
Employee Assistance Program
Retirement plan with a 5% employer match & access to a financial advisor specializing in socially responsible investing
4 weeks paid vacation, plus 18 holidays, 15 sick leave days, and other leave
Remote work stipend
Home office set up assistance and sponsorship
Ergonomics consultation & equipment reimbursement
Paid 12-week sabbatical leave after five years
14 weeks of paid parental leave
14 weeks of paid medical and/or gender-affirming care leave