Climate Change Research Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job Description

The Agency You’ll Join:
The New York City Mayor’s Office is responsible for overseeing city services throughout the five boroughs, coordinating public agencies and departments, and managing public property. The administration is leading the fight in making the city more affordable, reducing inequality, improving public safety, ensuring delivery of efficient and effective services, and working to make New York City’s economy stronger. We value leadership, transparency, fairness, and efficiency as we actively seek diverse talents from various sectors to join our team
The Team You’ll Work With:
The Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) is a team of architects, lawyers, data and climate scientists, engineers, policy advisors, geologists, and city planners working to create a city where our 8.8 million New Yorkers can live, work, learn, and play in healthy, resilient, and sustainable neighborhoods. MOCEJ integrates sustainability, resiliency, and environmental justice into one coordinated approach across several climate and environmental offices, all working to make our buildings efficient and resilient; our infrastructure climate-ready; our streets, open spaces, and public realm active, safe, and healthy; and our energy clean and resilient. All New Yorkers deserve safe, healthy, resilient, and sustainable environments, even as the climate changes.
MOCEJ is committed to improving environmental quality for all, prioritizing front-line communities, seeking to redress current and past injustices and inequities while creating economic opportunities for all. Through science-based analysis, policy and program development, and capacity building, MOCEJ leads the City’s efforts to ensure that New York City is minimizing its contributions to climate change, preparing to adapt and protect New Yorkers from extreme weather and multiple climate hazards, and giving every New Yorker a meaningful voice in our city’s future.
The Problems You’ll Solve:
On the team led by the Deputy Executive Director for Planning, Adaptation and Environmental Justice, the Climate Science Advisor oversees climate science research and analysis at MOCEJ, including the development of data analytics tools to drive decision-making and detection of climate risks related to torrential rain, coastal flooding, extreme heat, and other climate threats. The Climate Science Advisor will work closely with MOCEJ staff on monitoring and updating climate and environmental data that informs various data products, such as the Environmental Justice NYC (EJNYC) report and mapping tool, energy use and affordability, and methodologies that track emissions and other air quality issues.
The responsibilities of the Climate Science Advisor include the following:
- Lead climate data analytics to drive decision-making and inform climate policy for MOCEJ, partners in government, and external stakeholders.
- Develop and manage innovative products and services that visualize data, concepts, and other actionable information, as well as build internal capacity to use scientific evidence in ongoing policymaking, planning, and operations. Support exploration and advancement of new data products, such as digital twins, scenario modeling platforms, and decision-support tools in line with emerging climate science.
- Convene the New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC), which comprises academic and research partners appointed to develop novel climate science research. In partnership with the NPCC Co-Chairs, the Climate Science Advisor will align the panel’s efforts with City policy and decision-making, strengthen engagement and participation in climate assessments, and clearly communicate climate science and risks to agency partners, advocates, researchers, and the public. The Climate Science Advisor will provide support to ensure the NPCC on workplans, deliverables, budget, consultant management, and will ensure alignment of the NPCC’s scientific outputs with MOCEJ’s strategy and policy priorities.
- Manage the office’s data tools and products to identify and analyze geographic, racial, and socioeconomic disparities of climate risks and environmental justice impacts, including the Environmental Justice NYC report indicators and mapping tool and the Greenhouse Gas Inventory. This work will include tasks such as updates and methodological refinements to environmental justice risk indicators, including integration of cost burden, affordability implications, cumulative climate risk metrics, and other environmental justice considerations to better inform equitable adaptation policy and investment strategies.
- Work with staff across the office to conduct new climate research projects that support MOCEJ’s policy goals, lead procurement for research in partnership with MOCEJ policy teams, and support key partners in developing proposals and cultivating new research projects; manage grant funding for climate research implementation. Past examples include engaging DDC’s Town+Gown program to develop and manage research scopes, as well as coordinating with non-profit partners on RainproofNYC.
- Implement systems for monitoring and tracking relevant scientific and technical assessments, findings, and related press and responses, including leading engagement with academic researchers and other key stakeholders, and report on such efforts regularly to senior leadership
- Convene and manage diverse stakeholders to create a research agenda and develop data-driven policy for climate policy in NYC, including facilitating interagency working groups, engaging science and research institutions to create research agendas and develop data-driven policies, and engaging funders, including federal agencies, philanthropists, and foundations, to secure resources to carry out climate science initiatives.
- Supervise and manage research fellows and interns as needed.
About You:
- You have experience in data analytics, including analyzing and synthesizing complex data and subject matter to produce descriptive statistics, charts and graphs, infographics, and data-rich maps.
- You are fluent in GIS, JavaScript, Tableu, statistical, and/or data visualization software is critical. Experience conducting interviews and analyzing qualitative data is a plus.
- You have a strong grasp of issues relating to climate change in a large urban setting. An understanding of climate issues facing New York City is a plus.
- You are familiar with participatory research, citizen science, and co-production of knowledge.
- You have demonstrated experience managing multiple contracts and coordinating priority research.
- You can work with professionals from a variety of disciplines in the physical and social sciences, across a range of policy fields, and in different organizational settings.
- You have experience leading and executing data and policy convenings, including agenda development, facilitation, follow-up, and evaluation.
- You have experience setting clear objectives and timelines, balancing and adjusting to external factors and competing priorities, and inspiring individuals and teams to achieve outcomes and complete products.
- You can participate in collaborative processes playing both supporting and leading roles, as needed, and be able to both listen and contribute when needed.
- You can communicate complex ideas and translate highly technical information to diverse audiences in writing and meeting settings, and you are comfortable with public speaking.
- You have a willingness to travel in the 5 boroughs and work after hours or on weekends, as required.
Salary:
The City of New York Office of the Mayor’s compensation package includes a market-competitive salary, equity for all full-time roles, and exceptional benefits. Our cash compensation range for this role is $109,565 – $120,000. Final offers may vary from the amount listed based on candidate experience and expertise, and other factors.
CITY RESEARCH SCIENTIST - 21744

Qualifications

1. For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.
To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have:
1. A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or
2. A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or
3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in "2" above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in "1" and "2" above.
NOTE:
Probationary Period
Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.