Research Assistant/Associate – Adaptation monitoring and modeling

Research Assistant/Associate – Adaptation monitoring and modeling

Falmouth, Massachusetts or Remote         Link to Apply: https://bit.ly/3zzTvvh

Mission:

Woodwell Climate Research Center (Woodwell) conducts science for solutions at the nexus of climate, people, and nature. We partner with leaders and communities for just meaningful impact to address the climate crisis. 

Summary/Objective:

We seek a Research Assistant/Research Associate to lead technical analyses to support adaptation decision making for communities impacted by permafrost thaw in Alaska. The candidate will work closely with the project lead, community liaisons and partnering communities to assess current and future impacts of permafrost thaw and other environmental impacts in order to inform community-led adaptation decisions that may include protecting in place, managed retreat, or relocation. This position requires skills for processing and analyzing geospatial datasets and assessing future landscape change using remote sensing, expert observation, and modeling tools (e.g., Alaska Thermokarst Model). The selected candidate will work within a highly collaborative team of Arctic modelers, scientists, policy experts, and communications specialists for the Permafrost Pathways project.

Responsibilities: 

• Process and compile high spatial resolution geospatial data to detect land cover trends (permafrost thaw, erosion, flooding) and assess climate risks for ten partnering communities in Alaska
• Integrate on-the-ground observations and geospatial data to predict future landscape impacts due to permafrost thaw, erosion and flooding at relevant temporal and spatial resolution (e.g., 30m using the Alaska Thermokarst Model) 
• Respond to evolving community needs for monitoring and modeling the current and future impacts of climate change to support adaptation decision making
• Work with community liaison, project partners, and geospatial and communications team to present results to partnering communities 
• Lead data analysis, interpretation, and manuscript preparation

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• M.S. in earth system sciences, geography, environmental sciences, micrometeorology or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience processing and visualizing both geospatial data sets and site-level environmental data
• Understanding of and experience working in permafrost systems.
• Advanced computational and programming skills (e.g., R, Python, Google Earth Engine).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and in a highly collaborative environment.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in sciences.
• Experience and/or interest in research collaboration and co-production with Arctic Indigenous scientists, knowledge-holders, and residents.

Application review will begin on December 15, 2022.

Desired Start Date: February 1, 2023

Fixed-term: Three years

Classification and Compensation: This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position, the annual salary range is $60,000 – $75,000 dependent on qualifications/experience. Woodwell offers a generous benefits package and work life balance.

Location: Falmouth, Massachusetts (remote work location is feasible).

Application Instructions: To apply, please send your cover letter addressing your experience and qualifications in relation to the responsibilities of this position, curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references as a single PDF to our career’s portal. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Please type RAA22

on all correspondence. 

Please visit Woodwell’s website to learn more about Woodwell’s work.

Located on a 10-acre campus near the village of Woods Hole, the Woodwell Climate Research Center

(Woodwell) is a private, non-profit research center. Woodwell is a leading source of climate science that drives the urgent action needed to solve climate change. Woodwell has 100+ staff members and is excited to welcome new employees to this work.  

Woodwell is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, mental, or physical disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, familial status, veteran status, or genetic information. Woodwell is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for all individuals in employment practices, services, programs, and activities.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Woodwell

WE NEED ALL VOICES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change is the greatest challenge of our lifetimes. Woodwell Climate Research Center (Woodwell) understands that the climate crisis—from causes to consequences—is inextricably linked with persistent social injustice. Effectively addressing either requires addressing both. The climate crisis demands that we bring to bear all of the knowledge, expertise, innovation, and creativity that we can collectively muster, and those who have been marginalized and disproportionately impacted must be heard.

The work Woodwell does—the questions we ask, the ways we seek answers, and the strategies we put forward—is stronger when shaped by a diversity of knowledge, perspectives, and experiences. We strive to welcome, respect, and amplify differing voices. We value individuals as they are, with all their differences in race, age, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, language, and mental and physical abilities.

Woodwell acknowledges that our organization, and the scientific community more broadly, have a long way to go in living up to these ideals. We approach the work of improving our organization with the same ambition and commitment to systemic change that we bring to addressing climate change.

We will inevitably make mistakes, but we will continue to listen, learn, and do this critical work. We understand that this work requires an ongoing commitment from each and every one of us. We are actively engaged in building and sustaining an equitable and inclusive culture within our organization, and in fostering greater diversity in climate science.