Project Manager - Climate Impact Lab - JR11398

Department

Energy Policy Institute at Chicago (EPIC)

About the Department

The Becker Friedman Institute for Economics (BFI) works with the Chicago Economics community to turn its evidence-based research into real-world impact. BFI takes a unique approach to bridging the divide between academic researchers and decision-makers in the business community and government by translating and packaging the rigorous work of the Chicago Economics community into accessible formats, and proactively sharing those findings with relevant decision-makers and thought leaders around the globe. BFI is a collaborative platform serving the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics, the Harris School of Public Policy, and the Law School. For more information visit https://bfi.uchicago.edu.

Job Summary

The Climate Impact Lab seeks a curious, personable, and organized individual to play a project management role in a full-time capacity through the 2021-22 academic year. This unique role offers an unprecedented opportunity to be at the center of a multi-disciplinary team doing cutting-edge, policy-centric research.

The Climate Impact Lab is a unique collaboration of more than 30 climate scientists, economists, computational experts, researchers, analysts, and students building the world's most comprehensive body of research quantifying the impacts of climate change sector-by-sector, community-by-community around the globe. This research will allow decision-makers in the public and private sectors to understand the risks climate change presents and mitigate those risks through smarter investments and public policy. The research will also produce the world's first empirically-derived estimate of the social cost of carbon - the cost to society from each ton of carbon dioxide emitted. This figure can serve as the basis for energy and climate policies.

The project manager would interact with researchers from some of the nation's leading research institutions, including the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago, Rhodium Group, Rutgers University, and the University of California, Berkeley. For someone with an interest in the teamwork and coordination required of collaborative research production at the intersection of climate science, economics, and environmental policy, few roles offer as intimate and hands-on an experience.

Responsibilities

Develops and maintains a project timeline towards key goals, and works with researchers across institutions to manage, coordinate, and deliver.
Ensures research discussions result in clear action plans including consensus on priorities, options to explore, next decision point, etc.
Assesses and tracks shared computing and research assistant resources to enrich team's understanding of tradeoffs and maintain active insight on constraints.
Works independently and with senior communications managers to develop and disseminate research and communication materials for government, private sector, and media stakeholders.
Leads the drafting and coordination of inputs to federal grant applications with members of the team.
Coordinates and supports sector leads, organizing meetings and collaborations to share innovations and pro-actively address challenges.
Attends Director calls to receive direction, communicate progress, and assist in cross-team communication and coordination as needed.
Develops and maintains a documentation system for cross-team changes to code and analyze, and pitch in with coding, preferably in Stata, R, or Python, and analysis as needed.
Overall, supplies a sense of timing and coordination to manage and accelerate progress given the complex interdependencies of the effort.
Leads miscellaneous projects that will provide research and policy information to relevant government and private sector stakeholders.
Solves complex problems relating to the administration of projects, including planning new procedures, adapting existing procedures to the needs of the project, and making significant contributions to methodology.
Guides data collection, evaluation and analysis. Designs and manages databases. Writes reports, articles and manuscripts.
Presents research findings at meetings and conferences, as well as to funding agencies. Conducts literature reviews. Develop and maintain liaisons and effective working relations with groups and individuals, agencies, and the public to encourage cooperative management strategies or to develop information and interpret findings.
Supports data collection and analytical needs of research projects. Conducts literature reviews and helps write reports and manuscripts. Ensures project compliance with different policies, procedures, directives, and mandates.
Takes responsibility for the following laboratory duties: recognizing abnormal results and varying conditions or procedures to correct problems; setting up and performing experiments. Analyze the meaning, significance, causes, and effects of the subject.
Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

Master's degree in economics, public policy, statistics, computer science, or a closely related field.
Coursework in statistics, economics and econometrics.

Experience:

A minimum of four years of relevant full-time research experience.
Skillful managing data and conducting econometric analysis; machine learning a plus.
Proficiency in at least one of the following languages: R, Stata, SAS, SQL, R, Python or Matlab.
Background working with large and complex datasets.
Working knowledge on field experiments / randomized controlled trials.

Preferred Competencies

Excellent analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Proven organizational skills and high attention to detail, with a strong focus on results.
Balance multiple tasks and prioritize effectively to meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced working environment.
Design and execute a work plan with minimal supervision, including delegating tasks to other staff.
Maturity, adaptability, and flexibility.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including communicating with technical and non-technical audiences.
Proven ability to work both independently, in a self-directed manner, and as part of a team.
Knowledge of topics in energy and energy regulation, policy, and/or the environment.
Passion for evidence-based decision making.

Application Documents

Resume/CV (required)
Cover Letter (required)
Three Professional References Contact Information (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUSTbe uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Research

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Frequency

Monthly

Scheduled
Weekly Hours

37.5

Benefits Eligible

Yes

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Posting Statement

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We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

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