Research Associate, Postdoctoral Fellow - Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) Actionable Science

Location:
Seattle, WA
Open Date:
Aug 1, 2018
Description:

Position Details

The College of the Environment invites applications for a Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) Actionable Science Postdoctoral Fellow (Research Associate). This is a full-time (100% FTE), 12-month term appointment [with a potential for extension up to three years based on performance and continued funding]. The NW CASC is one of eight regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers dedicated to delivering science that helps wildlife, water, land, and people adapt to a changing climate. Established by the Department of the Interior (DOI) in 2010 and administered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), this federal-university partnership is hosted by the University of Washington’s College of the Environment as part of a multi-university consortium, including Boise State University, University of Montana, Washington State University, and Western Washington University. Research supported by the NW CASC provides objective scientific information and strategies that Northwest managers of land, water, wildlife, and cultural resources can use to anticipate, monitor, and adapt to climate change. Key stakeholders of the NW CASC are the Department of Interior bureaus (especially USGS, National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation) and Northwest tribes.

The College of the Environment promotes diversity and inclusivity among our students, faculty, staff, and public. Thus, we are strongly seeking candidates whose experiences have prepared them to fulfill our commitment to inclusion and have given them the confidence to fully engage audiences from a wide spectrum of backgrounds. The University of Washington (UW) is located in the greater Seattle metropolitan area, with a dynamic, multicultural community of 3.7 million people and a range of ecosystems from mountains to ocean. The UW serves a diverse population of 80,000 students, faculty and staff, including 25% first-generation college students, over 25% Pell Grant students, and faculty from over 70 countries. The UW is a recipient of a National Science Foundation ADVANCE Institutional Transformation Award to increase the advancement of women faculty in science, engineering, and math (see http://advance.washington.edu/).

Working closely with the University Director and Deputy Director of the NW CASC at the University of Washington, the Actionable Science Fellow will play a leading role in the NW CASC’s efforts to foster co-production of decision-relevant science across the Northwest. Specifically, the NW CASC Actionable Science Fellow will advance transdisciplinary research that addresses complex socio-ecological problems by: 1) facilitating actionable science efforts, science co-production, and communication activities by NW CASC fellows (i.e., graduate student and postdoctoral researchers funded by the NW CASC) at all consortium universities; leading an annual graduate seminar on the theory and practice of actionable science; and promoting synergistic opportunities among fellows’ projects and other regional research and management activities; 2) supporting NW CASC regional science dialogue and information-sharing activities, such as actionable science webinars and the annual Science/Practice Deep-Dive Workshop (including designing an agenda that supports engagement of diverse participants and assisting in development of workshop products, e.g., white papers, research agendas); and 3) working with NW CASC principal investigators, evaluating the efficacy of these activities in promoting actionable climate science development and uptake and regional communities of practice. Evaluation insights will be used to adjust NW CASC co-production activities over time, and to develop peer-reviewed publications. All UW faculty engage in teaching, research, and service.

The position requires a Ph.D. or foreign equivalent in an area of natural or social science related to climate change (e.g., earth science, atmospheric science, biology, forestry, hydrology, human geography, anthropology, political science), with demonstrated experience conducting research, assessment, and stakeholder engagement related to climate change impacts and/or adaptation. The position requires demonstrated experience in the co-creation of knowledge, co-definition of research problems, and successfully linking science and decision-making. In addition, the position requires demonstrated success in teaching and mentoring, engagement with diverse Department of Interior stakeholders, a commitment to enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion within the Fellows’ program and superior writing and oral communication skills.

Salary will be dependent on qualifications and experience.

Job Duties:

• Play a leading role in implementing and assessing the NW CASC’s Fellows’ program, including planning and facilitating regular cohort meetings (e.g., monthly fellows’ research webinar) and in-person NW CASC meetings, developing and delivering training modules and promoting synergistic opportunities among consortium science projects and other regional research and management activities.
• Plan and implement the annual Science/Practice Deep-Dive Workshop, a multi-day workshop exploring the state of the science and the state of the practice in order to develop an actionable science agenda for a priority regional climate adaptation issue (e.g., designing an agenda that supports participant engagement and assisting in development of workshop products).
• Direct other NW CASC regional science dialogue and information-sharing activities, such as actionable science webinars.
• In conjunction with NW CASC principal investigators, evaluate the effectiveness of the NW CASC’s efforts to build actionable science capacity and regional communities of practice.
• Contribute to reports and author peer-reviewed publications based on the work done in this position.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Requirements:

• Doctoral degree or foreign equivalent in an area of natural or social science related to climate change (e.g., Earth Science, Atmospheric Science, Biology, Forestry, Hydrology, Geography, Anthropology, Political Science, Ethnic Studies, American Indian / Indigenous Studies)
• One to three years’ experience working at the interface of climate science and decision-making
• Familiarity with climate change issues and contexts
• At least one year of experience teaching and/or mentoring
• Project coordination experience, with proven attention to detail
• Excellent writing and editing skills
• Energetic, self-starter
• Commitment to a collaborative, diverse and inclusive team environment

Equivalent education/experience may substitute for minimum requirements.

Desired Skills:

• Science communication training/experience
• Familiarity with the state of knowledge of climate impacts in the Northwest, and with adaptation efforts underway by Northwest tribes and public and private sector organizations
• Experience with efforts where knowledge is co-produced by researchers and practitioners through close collaboration
• Skills and demonstrated experience as a boundary spanner, working across disciplines, sectors, and levels of governance
• Skills and demonstrated experience in convening and facilitation

Culture of the NW CASC at UW:

Qualities and attributes that are part of our culture and highly valued include:

• Taking leadership and initiative
• Being willing to pitch in as needed to ensure success of team
• Being timely and professional in all interactions
• Treating others with dignity and respect
• Holding sensitive information in confidence
• Maintaining a sense of humor
• Seeking continuous improvement

Application Instructions:

Application Instructions

Applicants should apply via Interfolio at https://apply.interfolio.com/52841 and should submit a statement of experience and interest, including a description of your preparation for fulfilling the UW/College of the Environment commitment to inclusion, and a current curriculum vitae. Preference will be given to applications received by September 5, 2018.