Research Officer (Climate Adaptation Finance)

The London School of Economics is hiring a Research Officer for the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. The role involves contributing to the ATTENUATE project, focusing on climate adaptation finance. Responsibilities include conducting research, collaborating with stakeholders, and publishing findings. Candidates should have a PhD in a related field and experience in qualitative research methods. The position offers hybrid working options.
The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment (GRI) is at the forefront of research on climate change adaptation finance. We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Research Officer to join our team and contribute to an interdisciplinary and strategically important project: ATTENUATE (creATing The Enabling coNditions for Uk climAte adapTation invEstment). This is a new NERC-funded project launching in March 2025, that focuses on identifying and responding to the multiple economic, structural and behavioural barriers to unlocking finance for adaptation and embedding it within the activities of multi-level UK governments and agencies.
The postholder will work closely with the Head of Climate Adaptation and Resilience, Dr Candice Howarth and other team members including Dr Kate Gannon and Dr Sara Mehryar, to play a central role in delivering high-quality research that addresses critical challenges in unlocking and enhancing adaptation and disaster risk finance. This will include conducting rigorous and comprehensive evidence reviews, designing and implementing research activities, including qualitative interviews, and synthesising insights to support the development of practical and innovative frameworks and strategies. They will collaborate closely with project partners and stakeholders, including high-profile government agencies, to ensure research outputs have demonstrable impact and are aligned with stakeholder priorities and real-world challenges.
Beyond research, the postholder will be involved in contributing to project activities, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, and contributing to policy-relevant outputs. The post holder will occasionally represent the ATTENUATE project at national events and conferences and engage with stakeholders to foster collaboration and influence decision-making. They will also help support the research culture at the Grantham Research Institute, including supporting the work of research assistants and contributing to the wider academic community.

Candidates should have a PhD in sustainable finance, climate change adaptation, economics, environmental policy, human geography or closely related discipline. They should have experience in analysing and researching financial systems in the context of climate change adaptation, just resilience, just transition, or disaster risk reduction. They should have post-graduate level training experience in qualitative methods, with experience conducting interviews, workshops and focus groups, including with experts and senior stakeholders. They should have experience analysing qualitative research data.

We offer an occupational pension scheme, generous annual leave, hybrid working, and excellent training and development opportunities.