Research Scientist

Global Footprint Network promotes a sustainable economy by advancing the Ecological Footprint, a tool that makes sustainability measurable. Together with our partners, we coordinate research, develop methodological standards, and provide decision makers with robust resource accounts to help the human economy operate within the Earth's ecological limits.

Position Overview:

Global Footprint Network is seeking to hire a Research Scientist to support the continuous improvement of the National Footprint Accounts - which serve as the basis of Ecological Footprint analyses worldwide - and to apply the accounts in projects with governments, businesses and other organizations. Opportunities will exist for presenting on the Ecological Footprint method and on the outcome of specific research projects.

The Research Scientist will be based in Oakland and work closely with members of the National Footprint Accounts team, project managers, and others working to help maintain and improve the accounts and to apply the Ecological Footprint. Application activities will require retrieving and analyzing data, generating graphs, contributing to and writing of reports and papers, some of which may be submitted for publication in scientific journals.

Additionally, the Research Scientist will work closely with Global Footprint Network's team members in Europe assisting them on Footprint applications through data, graphs and maps generation as well as report writing. Because of the time difference with Europe, in order to secure overlap with European office hours, the Research Scientist will need to cover the 7 am to 9 am PST time slot daily, possibly starting at 6 am PST once or twice per week. The morning hours can also be performed from home if adequate internet connection is available.

The Research Scientist will report to the Director of Research & Standards and the Director for Europe.

Responsibilites:

Specific responsibilities in this performance profile include:

National Accounts (~30%)

• Reviewing specific areas of scientific research, and incorporating findings into National Footprint Accounts calculation to improve the accuracy and relevance of the metric.
• Collaborating with research partners such as government agencies, academic institutions, and NGOs to validate and improve the data in the accounts and the calculation methodology, and to develop needed scientific information not otherwise available.
• Contributing to programming of the National Footprint Accounts, and to supporting and applying quality assurance procedures.

Applications (~70%, 50 % of which dedicated to the Europe team)

• Developing and refining approaches for applying the Ecological Footprint in a wide variety of contexts.
• Contributing to projects focusing on application of the Ecological Footprint by generating graphs and maps, retrieving data and by analyzing trends.
• Contributing to and writing of reports and other documentation that serve as project deliverables
• Providing summaries and interpretations of Footprint data for Global Footprint Network internal use, as well as for clients, partners, and the general public.
• Act as the primary contact point in the Oakland Research team for Global Footprint Network team members in Europe.
• Supporting the communications department in its use of Footprint concepts and data.

Qualifications:

The successful candidate will have the following minimum qualifications, skills and experience:

Education

• Minimum of a Master's degree or at least 2 years equivalent research experience in a relevant field, such as environmental science, environmental or natural resource management, statistics or ecological economics.

Experience

• Ability to analyze and manipulate large data sets in Excel and MySQL. Proficiency in Excel VBA, MATLAB and Flash is desirable.
• Ability to work well in a highly interactive team environment and across different time zones.
• Well-organized, self-motivated, and able to meet project deadlines.
• Skilled in both written and oral communication.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work with individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures.
• Excitement about being part of a small but growing organization whose influence on global movement toward sustainability is rapidly expanding.
• Expertise with fish ecology or fisheries assessments a strong plus.
• Fluency in European languages other than English a plus.
• Working knowledge of LCA and I/O methodologies a plus.
• Interest in global resource issues and sustainability practice.

Travel

• This position is based in Oakland, CA (USA) and requires frequent interactions with Global Footprint Network's team members in Geneva (Switzerland).
• Occasional travels may also be undertaken to attend meetings, conferences, events, and for project scoping and development.

Compensation: Global Footprint Network offers a benefits package and competitive salary that is commensurate with experience. Health insurance, 403(b) and other benefits are provided. This is a full-time position located at Global Footprint Network's offices in Oakland, CA. Our collegial, open-plan office is located in an attractive neighborhood with good transit access. Our daily communal lunches are light-hearted and often delicious.

To Apply:

Please utilize the email address below to submit your resume and statement of career goals. The subject line MUST include the term "Research Scientist."

Note: Application deadline is September 25 at 5pm PST.

~ Global Footprint Network is committed to diversity in the workplace. For more information about Global Footprint Network and the Ecological Footprint visit our website. ~