Senior Researcher, Equity and Climate Solutions

Slipstream develops and promotes the next generation of solutions that move us farther, faster toward a clean energy economy. You are the key to the success of our organization by demonstrating our values, engaging in our mission, and creating results that will accelerate climate solutions for all.

We partner with governments, philanthropies, and utilities to discover, test, and scale new solutions that save - and decarbonize - energy. We collaborate with communities of color, rural communities, and Tribal Nations to address historic inequities in the health and economic benefits of clean energy. We're optimistic, ambitious about our impact, and on a journey to become increasingly inclusive and equitable in our work. 

We welcome candidates from diverse backgrounds and value the individual experiences each person brings to our growing team.  While our physical offices are in Madison, WI, and Chicago, IL, we have remote staff in many other states and welcome candidates living on Tribal Nations and the unceded land of the continental U.S. 

Overview:

The Senior Researcher - Equity and Climate Solutions is a leader and collaborator on Slipstream’s mission to accelerate climate solutions for everyone. Specifically, the researcher will work to improve the understanding of inequities in the deployment of clean energy and carbon reduction solutions. They have experience building coalitions, engaging in community listening, actively learning about the communities in which they work, and implementing innovative and disruptive strategies that benefit everyone in response to the climate emergency, with a specific focus on historically marginalized communities. The person in this role will explore disparities in affordability, energy generation, consumption, and climate resilience.

Through social science research and outreach, they provide Slipstream, our partners, and policymakers recommendations for building and evaluating equitable and scalable climate-resilient programs. They should be capable of developing an external presence related to equitable climate solutions, be prepared to engage with thought leaders and stakeholders while amplifying the voices of those within historically marginalized communities, and convey Slipstream’s mission.

We're Looking for Someone Who Can:

• Prioritize and execute strategic partnership activities to advance strategies; secure external funding to advance strategies.
• Develop and implement research or innovation strategies for Slipstream in areas of expertise (especially social science).
• Build coalitions and partnerships with influencers and decision-makers while improving visibility for the team, Slipstream, and its mission; monitor market, social and industry conditions specific to research; act as a liaison and champion of Slipstream initiatives within the industry.
• Publish results in high-quality journals or other significant media and develop policy briefs on behalf of the organization.
• Manage and provide quality assurance for projects and deliverables with respect to time, budget, issue resolution, staff direction, present outcomes internally, regionally, and nationally.
• Collaborate with teams across Slipstream as a subject matter expert and contribute to proposal content of research, program delivery, and other departments to advance the mission of Slipstream.

We Need Someone Who Has:

• Excellent written communication and presentation skills
• Expertise in quantitative, social, and humanities research methods
• Deep understanding of current energy justice, climate justice, or environmental justice issues facing communities and people
• Experience with data science and statistical methods
• Experience working with and building coalitions with diverse communities
• Publication record commensurate with high-quality research
• Advanced degree or equivalent relevant experience in a work or community setting
• Basic understanding of climate change science or energy industry, highly desirable
• 7-10 years of work, academic, or community-related experience and a willingness to learn
• A track record of securing funding for research, either as a project lead or principal investigator