Research Scientist/Engineer 3 - Climate Impacts Group

About the role

The UW Climate Impacts Group has an outstanding opportunity for a Research Scientist 3 to join its growing team. Reporting to a senior scientist, the Climate Impacts Group Research Scientist 3 will independently lead tasks within and support management of moderately sized applied climate resilience and water management projects. This position will play a critical role in advancing climate resilience for the Pacific Northwest and requires advanced analytical skills using spatial and quantitative analysis methods and mixed methods research approaches, as well as a highly collaborative mindset. This is a research position with no teaching requirements and no path to university tenure. This position is focused on applied research which may come at the expense of published research. This is a hybrid eligible position with expectations to work in person at the UW Seattle campus at least two days per week, with additional on-site requirements for meetings and events. Our current in-office days are Mondays and Wednesdays. A telework agreement is completed annually with your supervisor.

Responsibilities

• Independently lead tasks and support management of moderately sized applied climate resilience and water management projects;
• Evaluate the benefits, tradeoffs, uncertainties, and implementation considerations of water management and/or climate adaptation strategies to support evidence-based planning and decision making;
• Apply spatial and quantitative analysis methods to analyze, integrate, and communicate complex social and environmental data using R, Python, GIS, or related tools;
• Apply mixed-methods research approaches to holistically evaluate complex environmental management and climate resilience challenges (e.g., semi-structured interviews, surveys, literature reviews, policy analysis, case studies, spatial analysis);
• Lead or co-lead project-specific research activities, such as literature reviews, contextual analyses, needs assessments, monitoring and evaluation strategies, and development of technical guidance, as part of larger projects;
• Develop and manage timelines and coordinate on assigned project tasks while contributing to broader project management activities;
• Co-design and facilitate workshops, interviews, advisory committee meetings, and other engagement activities with project partners;
• Supervise and mentor junior staff, interns, and/or graduate student workers;
• Contribute to maintaining high-quality project deliverables through effective coordination, documentation, and communication with internal and external collaborators;
• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with Pacific Northwest water managers and utilities, local government agencies, Tribes, non-profit organizations, and research collaborators to advance climate adaptation planning and implementation;
• Develop technical guidance, decision support resources, reports, visualizations, and presentations for practitioner, scientific, and public audiences;
• Represent the Climate Impacts Group through participation in project advisory groups, collaborative initiatives, and professional meetings;
• Respond to emerging partner needs and contribute to identifying opportunities for future applied research and decision-support resources;
• Collaborate with Climate Impacts Group research scientists and principal investigators to support development of competitive proposals for externally funded research and applied projects;
• Contribute technical expertise to support proposal development efforts, including scoping and drafting relevant sections, coordination with project collaborators, and related activities;
• Help identify emerging research opportunities and cultivate relationships with external collaborators;
• Support special projects, strategic initiatives and timely responses to partner and UW needs.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, hydrology or engineering, natural resources, planning, geography, public policy, economics, or a related field
• A minimum of 4 years of experience managing climate resilience and/or water management projects
• Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration

Qualifications

• Familiarity with water resources management, watershed planning, environmental