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Climate Policy Fellow - California-China Climate Institute - School of Law

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Position description

Position: Climate Policy Fellow
Location: Berkeley, CA
Salary Range: $61,800 - $64,900
Start Date: Anticipated August 1, 2020
This is a 100% time, two-year term position, with the possibility of renewal.

Overview: The California-China Climate Institute is seeking to hire two Research Fellows focused on Climate Policy, one Climate Policy Fellow and one International Climate Policy Fellow.

UC Berkeley's California-China Climate Institute (CCCI) is led by former California Governor Jerry Brown in partnership with Xie Zhenhua, China’s Special Representative for Climate Change Affairs. The Institute receives guidance and support from expert policy and operations staff, business, academic and climate advisory committees and a governing board of top university and government officials. The Institute also works closely with other UC campuses, departments and leaders. Launched in September 2019, this groundbreaking initiative was established to spur further climate action through joint research, training and dialogue in California and China, with the goal of informing national policy makers and promoting the implementation of climate solutions at all levels.

The fellows will work with CCCI on climate change policy issues in California, China and beyond. The focus will be on long-term climate goal-setting, and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience, and projects may also cover multi-state and international topics. Specific research areas will depend on the fellows' background and interests, but will likely include: carbon neutrality, carbon pricing, electric vehicle deployment, industrial decarbonization, and nature-based climate solutions. The fellows will collaborate with project partners at other academic institutions, in state government, from the business and nonprofit communities, and other stakeholders.

For more information on CCCI, see https://ccci.berkeley.edu/.

Primary Responsibilities:

The Fellows' primary responsibilities include:
‒ Conducting research on climate policy in California and beyond, under the direction and in collaboration with faculty, staff, and students and colleagues at other institutions;
‒ Drafting white papers, social media posts, op-eds, and reports for policy-focused audiences, under the direction of faculty and staff;
‒ Assisting Institute faculty and staff with select grant-writing efforts;
‒ Assisting Institute faculty and staff in organizing and running meetings, workshops, and other convenings with California and international climate policy leaders, policymakers, and academics;
‒ Speaking at events to business, policy-making, and academic communities, and on an ad hoc basis to the media about research initiatives;
‒ Assisting with other aspects of workshop, research, and report production as assigned; and
‒ Assisting with other miscellaneous program tasks.
‒ The fellows must be willing to travel occasionally within California and sometimes out of state.
‒ Duties will be adjusted as applicable in response to campus guidelines relating to COVID-19

Basic Qualifications:
‒ Candidate must hold an advanced degree at the time of application

Preferred Qualifications:
Climate Policy Fellow
‒ Advanced degree in a field closely related to climate policy
‒ At least 3 years of experience in a policy-focused environment, including but not limited to study in an advanced academic program or Law Program;
‒ Experience and knowledge at the intersection of economics, science, business, and policy and the ability to work with people from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds and policy perspectives

International Climate Policy Fellow
‒ Advanced degree in a field closely related to international climate policy
‒ At least 3 years of experience in an international policy-focused environment, including but not limited to study in an advanced academic program or Law Program;
‒ Background in energy and land use law, economics, and/or finance is desirable;
‒ Experiences with climate policy in China, EU, and other countries is desirable;

For Both Positions
‒ Excellent research, analytical, and writing skills;
‒ Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate clearly, listen actively, interact with a variety of audiences, and share knowledge and information effectively;
‒ Excellent organizational skills;
‒ Self-starter able to prioritize and function both independently and collaboratively;
‒ Demonstrated ability to finish projects and deliver on commitments;
‒ Willingness to plunge into unfamiliar disciplines;
‒ Willingness to take risks by exploring and testing new ideas;
‒ A passion for making the world better.

Application Procedure:
Please visit the following link to apply: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/apply/JPF02612.

This position is open until filled.

If you have questions about the position, please contact academicpositions@law.berkeley.edu.

The University offers excellent health and retirement benefits which can be viewed online at http://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu.

Letters of reference, copies of scholarly transcripts, and other materials may be requested of top candidates.
All letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and
California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a dossier service or career center, to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality (http://https://apo.berkeley.edu/ucb-confidentiality-policy) prior to submitting their letters.

Berkeley Law is interested in candidates who will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity in higher education through their teaching or research. Qualified women and members of underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct.

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Cover Letter

  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Writing Sample - Please provide a writing sample (such as a policy brief, comment letter, white paper, or equivalent of no more than 10 pages).

Reference requirements
  • 3 required (contact information only)