Location: University of Victoria campus, Victoria, BC
FTE: Three-year term, full-time, non-renewable
Salary: Commensurate with qualifications
Start Date: 01 October 2018 (or as soon as possible)
Application Deadline: 31 August 2018

POSITION DESCRIPTION:
The Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) new Researcher in Residence position offers an exceptional opportunity to be at the nexus of climate solutions research and engagement focusing on climate solutions in the built environment. We are a multi-university institute encompassing the
four major research-intensive universities in BC: University of Victoria, University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, University of Northern British Columbia. Our mandate is to produce leading climate solutions research that is actively used by decision-makers to develop effective mitigation and adaptation policies and actions. PICS has a global remit, but a focus on BC.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Researcher in Residence will mobilize knowledge between research and decision-makers to maximize the utility of climate solutions developed under the Institute’s new Research Engagement Program. The Researcher will act as the primary interface to government, industry and other partners who are seeking to implement climate change solutions. The successful candidate will be a conduit through which those parties can engage with the academic community.

This is a three-year, non-renewable full-time contract position with a focus on the builtenvironment. The Institute currently supports a multi-year, multi-institutional project on this subject. The incumbent will be expected to support this work as well as other projects and extend their reach into the non-academic community. This is the first of three positions that will focus on different climate change solutions areas in the new Researcher in Residence program.

The position is based at the University of Victoria, and requires travel within BC, and occasionally within Canada and internationally.

SPECIFIC DUTIES:

• Facilitate and establish strong engagement between climate solution decision-makers and the research community.
• Lead the development of publishable survey or synthesis reports related to the built environment that will serve the broader academic community.
• Become the go-to person on climate solutions in the built environment so that external partner can rely on the Institute to provide relevant information when needed or provide a link to experts who can provide such information.
• Work proactively with the communication team to create original content and pull content from researchers to communicate the latest thinking about climate solutions to a broad audience
• Work with event managers to develop a suite of interactive and dynamic seminars and meetings that will engage researchers and partners with relevant and challenging ideas
• Participate in relevant workshops, conferences, industry organizations, standards councils, government solicitations etc. relevant to the built environment. Provide briefing to researchers and partners.
• Assist in hiring and mentoring additional Researchers in Residence
• Assist with the management of the Institute’s new research funding program that will be launched fall 2018.
• Prepare and deliver public-facing talks, seminars and workshops etc. to maximize impact of research results.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• PhD (preferred) or Master’s Degree in a field related to climate change adaptation and mitigation for the built environment.
• Experience working at the interface between researchers and decision-makers (e.g., government, private sector), in program implementation or policy development is an asset.
• Dynamic, people and results-oriented with a passion for implementing climate change solutions.
• Demonstrated experience communicating climate solutions to academic and non-academic audiences.
• Demonstrated leadership and project management skills
• Demonstrated ability to develop written communications describing difficult scientific concepts to a general audience.
• Ability to initiate and execute plans to ensure smooth financial operations of research activities within multi-partner projects
• Strong analytic capability
• Ability to travel (generally 1-3 days/trip) within BC, but also Canada and internationally as needed.

To apply: send a CV and cover letter describing your interest in and qualifications for the position to pics[at]uvic.ca by August 31, 2018. Start date 1 October 2018 or as soon as possible.