CLIMATE SOCIAL SCIENCE SPECIALIST

The University of Washington is seeking a Climate Social Science Specialist to conduct advanced research on climate risks and resilience. This role involves collaboration with research and outreach teams to create project deliverables, reports, and publications. The position emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion, and aims to connect research with community engagement to address environmental challenges. The job is located in Seattle, WA and is not remote.
As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

The Climate Social Science Specialist will be an advanced researcher operating with significant independence on topics of moderate complexity. We anticipate this individual working with a team of research and outreach staff to drive the development of project and program deliverables; to identify opportunities to leverage ongoing work into tools, reports, white papers, case studies, peer-reviewed publications, and other means of sharing lessons learned across communities of practice; and to provide methodological mentorship to earlier career staff.

The Climate Impacts Group is seeking to hire a Climate Social Science Specialist.

The University of Washington Climate Impacts Group (CIG) supports the development of climate resilience by advancing understanding of climate risks & enabling science-based action to manage those risks. Since 1995, the Climate Impacts Group has linked cutting edge scientific research with innovative approaches to community engagement to produce exceptional research products, develop strong relationships among resource managers, planners, and policy makers in the region and build regional capacity for addressing climatic variability and change. The Climate Impacts Group is a member organization of EarthLab.

EarthLab is a visionary institute that pushes boundaries to address our most pressing environmental challenges, with a focus on climate and its intersection with social justice. EarthLab does this by connecting faculty, students, and researchers at the University of Washington to community collaborators in businesses, non-profits, public agencies, Tribal nations, and others to co-produce actionable research that generates solutions and strategies for local and global impact. EarthLab's vision, an equitable, just, and sustainable world where people and planet thrive, supports one of the University's biggest goals. As a Carnegie-classified Community Engagement University, the UW aspires to be the #1 university in the world as measured by impact. EarthLab is inspired by and committed to this challenge.

Diversity Equity and Inclusion:

EarthLab and the Climate Impacts Group acknowledge the systemic racism that exists in the environmental sector and within environmentalism. We believe every member on our team enriches our diversity by bringing a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions. We are seeking candidates who are committed to creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive work environment where all voices are considered and valued.

Climate Social Science Specialist, Climate Impacts Group

The Climate Social Science Specialist will be an advanced researcher operating with significant independence on topics of moderate complexity. We anticipate this individual working with a team of research and outreach staff to drive the development of project and program deliverables; to identify opportunities to leverage ongoing work into tools, reports, white papers, case studies, peer-reviewed publications, and other means of sharing lessons learned across communities of practice; and to provide methodological mentorship to earlier career staff.

There is significant ongoing equitable climate adaptation activity taking place at CIG, but not enough of that activity is captured and shared in a way that improves our team's overall impact. The Climate Social Science Specialist will focus on identifying opportunities in CIG's ongoing work to scale that work and increase impact. This position will assist CIG's principal investigators on existing projects. This will include active participation in some projects, but also putting in additional effort beyond completing the projects themselves to ensure the work is available to share with peer communities or to decision makers. We anticipate this position initially working on projects that are part of the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative, which centers the resilience needs of frontline communities in a research and engagement program.

Social science methodological expertise and knowledge of climate resilience related literature is required for this position, as is a willingness to learn new methodologies and additional literatures as needed. Methodologies could include literature reviews and syntheses, document and discourse analysis, photovoice, surveys, interviews, document coding, Q methodology, etc.

This position may engage with several of the CIG's and NCRC's collaborators and community-based partners, which include community-based and nonprofit organizations, decision and policy makers, and resource managers. Therefore, the ideal candidate will have deep knowledge of and experience with equitable coproduction theory and practice.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Support climate resilience engagement and research (70%)
• Work with CIG and NCRC research leads to identify opportunities for and then to develop a range of outputs including community-oriented reports, issue briefs, case studies, white papers, online tools and resources, peer-reviewed publications, as well as unconventional, innovative or creative outputs;
• Engage in social science research on CIG and NCRC equitable climate adaptation efforts using a range of methodologies, potentially including literature reviews and syntheses, document and discourse analysis, surveys, interviews, Q method, or others;
• Apply and expand knowledge on equitable co-production methods and approaches to advance climate resilience with frontline communities;
• Support in the writing of grant proposals to secure funding for carrying out related community engagement and applied research and resilience projects.
• Support NCRC program evaluation, develop and implement evaluation tools and protocols, and synthesize evaluation findings.
• Develop science communication products (e.g., accessible reports, web content, annotated bibliographies, briefing papers, and fact sheets) for diverse audiences including state agencies and local governments.
• Mentor earlier career staff in social science research methodologies as needed to improve CIG and NCRC research efforts and overall impact.

Project Management, Engagement, and Communications (30%)
• Provide logistical and organizational support for workshops, meetings, and other external engagement activities.
• Provide project management support for projects focused on climate resilience planning and implementation.
• Represent CIG and conduct outreach on climate impacts and adaptation science for diverse audiences, including the production and delivery of presentations on climate impacts and adaptation practices relevant in the Northwest.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor's degree in a social science field and four years of relevant experience, OR Equivalent combination of education/experience.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
• Experience applying qualitative and/or quantitative social science research methods to real world issues to enhance knowledge generation and sharing.
• Proven ability to learn new social science research methods and new literatures as needed in support of research project and program needs.
• Experience developing outputs such as white papers, peer-reviewed publications, synthesis reports, and annotated bibliographies, or other innovative or creative outputs
• Experience communicating science findings and assessment to diverse academic and non-academic audiences, including community groups, nonprofits, resource managers, and local, state, and federal agencies, and policy makers.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including synthesizing scientific literature and other sources of knowledge orally and in writing.
• Familiarity with climate science and climate change impacts.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Masters or Ph.D. in social science field
• Experience mentoring people in social science research methods.
• Familiarity with theory/practice of effective methods for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research;
• Familiarity with theory/practice of climate and environmental justice
• Track record of peer reviewed publications

Additional Application Instructions:

At EarthLab, we focus on equity and justice in all that we do. Please submit a 1-page cover letter in the assessment portion of the application. Please include your experience, lived or professional, in the area of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

Application Process: The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select "Apply to this position". Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you log into your "My Jobs" page. If you choose to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.

Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, the University of Washington will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.

The University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at [redacted] or [redacted].

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.