Senior Integrated Assessment Modeling Scientist (m/f/d)

The climate needs bright minds. The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) addresses crucial scientific questions in the fields of global change, climate impacts and sustainable development. It is one of the world's leading research institutions in its field and offers natural and social scientists from around the world an inspiring environment for excellent interdisciplinary research.

PIK’s Research Department III Transformation pathways is offering a position as

Senior Integrated Assessment Modeling Scientist (m/f/d)

(Position number: 45-2024 Researcher New Pathways)

in the field of international climate policy modelling and climate change mitigation pathway analysis starting on 01.01.2025.

The position is funded for two years until 31.12.2026, with the option to extend it should additional funding be secured. Remuneration is in accordance with the German public tariff scheme (TV-L Brandenburg), salary group E 13. This is a full-time position with a weekly working time of 40 hours per week. Appointment is conditional on approval by the funding agency. The position can be filled on a part-time basis. 

The focus of your work will be the coordination of the synthesis modelling work in a newly acquired EU Horizon Project (NEWPATHWAYS) on Paris Agreement-aligned transformation pathways and their use to inform the international climate policy process. NEWPATHWAYS will start in January 2025 and be conducted by an international research consortium including national and global modelling teams from four continents. As part of your work, you will be a member of the coordination board of NEWPATHWAYS, conduct pathbreaking studies on the implications of overshoot, feasibility and equity considerations in pathway modeling using PIK’s own integrated assessment modeling framework, and be a key contributor to the team on international climate policy analysis in the integrated assessment modelling (IAM) working group of the department.  

Key responsibilities

• Coordination of the research synthesis of the NEWPATHWAYS project, including the role of work package leader, membership of the project’s coordination board, close collaboration with the project’s principal investigator Prof. Dr. Elmar Kriegler, the coordination of integrated assessment modeling comparisons, and dissemination of project results to international climate policy makers. 
• Development and analysis of climate change mitigation pathways with PIK’s own integrated assessment modelling framework PIAM – with the coupled energy-economy model REMIND and land use transition model MAgPIE at its core - to inform strategic research questions for achieving ambitious global climate action including considerations of equity, efficiency, feasibility, political economy and overshoot.   
• Contribution to international climate policy analysis as part of a team in the department’s IAM working group. This can include setting research directions and supervising junior researchers in this area.  
• Development of policy briefs and communication tools for key findings of scenario and international climate policy analysis with PIAM and within the NEWPATHWAYS project, including interactive web portals.  
• Participation in stakeholder dialogues and outreach activities with international climate policy makers.
• Observation of the international climate policy process and associated activities, e.g. relating to the global stocktake. 

Requirements

• Post-graduate degree (PhD/Dr) in economics, political science, ecology, geography, physics, engineering, operations research, environmental sciences or a related field 
• Excellent analytical skills and interest in theoretical and applied modeling
• Demonstrated experience in publishing and presenting scientific work
• Programming experience, knowledge of R and/or GAMS are assets
• Experience with climate policy analysis and knowledge of international climate policy processes are assets

We expect

• the ability to work independently and on your own initiative
• structured and goal-oriented thinking
• capacity to familiarise yourself quickly with new topics
• creativity and openness to new approaches
• reliability and a high level of motivation
• a high level of competence in oral and written English
• willingness to travel for work (project meetings, workshops etc.) 
• capacity for teamwork and organizational talent

We offer

• the ability to work independently and on your own initiative
• structured and goal-oriented thinking
• capacity to familiarise yourself quickly with new topics
• creativity and openness to new approaches
• reliability and a high level of motivation
• a high level of competence in oral and written English
• willingness to travel for work (project meetings, workshops etc.) 
• capacity for teamwork and organizational talent

PIK values equality and diversity. We encourage applications without photo. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of ethnic and social origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, care responsibilities, or age. PIK seeks to increase the share of women in scientific positions, and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply. In cases of equal qualification and within the given legal scope, women will be given preference. PIK also encourages applications by parents returning from parental leave.

Please apply by 07.10.2024 directly using our application form below this job advertisement on our website.

Application documents should comprise a letter of motivation, CV, relevant certificates and transcripts, as well as an indication of references. 

If you hold an international higher education qualification, please also submit the Statement of Comparability from the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) with your application. In the case that you do not yet have a ZAB Statement of Comparability for your qualification, please be aware that you may need to request this if your application is successful. You can find further information on this website: https://www.kmk.org/zab/central-office-for-foreign-education.html

For further information or to discuss the position, please contact Dr. Nico Bauer or Prof. Dr. Elmar Kriegler.