Natural Capital Postdoctoral Fellow

Overview

As the Global Science Research Fellow, you will work with Nature-based Solutions Measurement and Evaluation Team (NbS M&E Team) and country teams to evaluate nature’s contributions to people that are associated with our conservation strategies and management. You will use a variety of qualitative and quantitative assessment tools to evaluate the co-benefits of each project, taking care to capture the stated benefits defined by the local community while assessing the utility of remotely sensed data and modeling tools to adequately capture the delivery of benefits over the life of the project.

The Global Science Research Fellow plays a key role in the Natural Capital Project partnership, an effort to map, measure, and value nature's contributions to people using a diverse portfolio of modeling tools. You will leverage the deep knowledge of the partnership to design and implement a research program across the Bezos Environmental Fund project sites. You will collaborate with university partners and report to the WWF Global Biodiversity Lead Scientist.

Key Responsibilities

• Provides executive-level research and analysis support
• Conducts and supports colleagues in conducting innovative research, including modeling and data analysis, to synthesize data in a way that delivers practice- and policy-relevant information on nature’s contributions to people at relevant scales
• Stays abreast of relevant scientific literature and shares important findings with team
• Develops compelling written and visual information to convey key results
• Helps to identify opportunities and emerging science issues
• Supports high quality distribution of research and analysis across the NbS M&E Team, though learning and knowledge management channels
• Supports development of proposals and reports
• Coordinates with academic partners in the Natural Capital Project and scientists across the WWF network
• Performs other duties as assigned

Skills and Abilities

• A PhD in a discipline in environmental science or related field earned awarded within the last 5 years
• Considerable research and analytical experience, preferable in an environmental discipline
• Knowledge and understanding of relevant, current research methods in natural capital modeling, mapping and synthesis
• Experience in science communications and proposal writing
• Strong leadership, project management skills, and excellent organizational skills.
• Excellent verbal, written, visual and interpersonal communications skills in English
• Competency in using code written in python and GIS software
• Ability to work collaboratively in a decentralized network with a culturally diverse and international team
• Ability to travel internationally for work in the field as needed

Responsibilities

• Provides executive-level research and analysis support

• Conducts innovative research and synthesizes data in a way that delivers practice- and policy-relevant information on nature contributions to people at relevant scales

• Stays abreast of relevant scientific literature and shares important findings with team

• Conducts and supports colleagues in conducting research, analyses and synthesis, providing compelling written and visual information to convey key results

• Serves as a radar function to identify opportunities and emerging science issues

• Supports high quality distribution of research and analysis across the NbS M&E Team, though learning and knowledge management channels

• Supports development of proposals and reports

• Performs other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• 4-6 years research experience + PhD strongly preferred

• Considerable research and analytical experience, preferable in an environmental discipline

• Knowledge and understanding of relevant, current research methods in natural capital modeling, mapping and synthesis

• Experience in science communications and proposal writing

• Strong leadership, project management skills, and excellent organizational skills.

• Excellent verbal, written, visual and interpersonal communications skills in English

• Ability to work collaboratively in a decentralized network with a culturally diverse and international team

• Ability to travel internationally for work in the field as needed

• Identifies and aligns with the core values of the WWF organization: Courage, Integrity, Respect & Collaboration

  • Demonstrates courage by speaking up even when it is difficult, or unpopular.
  • Builds trust with colleagues by acting with integrity, owning mistakes, and holding oneself accountable.
  • Welcomes other points of view and ideas, recognizing and embracing different and contrary perspectives with kindness, curiosity, and encouragement.
  • Makes conscious efforts to promote cooperative practices, behaviors, and ways of working across many groups and individuals.

WWF is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and requires all US-based staff to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.  WWF will consider requests for accommodation from the vaccine requirement based on disability, medical contraindication, sincerely held religious belief, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

To Apply:

• Submit cover letter and resume through our Careers Page**,  Requisition #22149**
• Due to the high volume of applications we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone

As an EOE/AA employer, WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status. WWF values diversity and inclusion and welcomes diverse candidates to apply.