Research Director

Department

Energy & Environment Research

About the Department

The University of Chicago Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth is a groundbreaking effort uniting faculty from across the University to advance society’s understanding of our energy and climate future. The Institute combines faculty insights in energy markets and policy, climate systems engineering, and energy technologies to produce world-changing ideas while also investing in the next generation of energy and climate thinkers, leaders, and innovators through novel educational programs.

The University of Chicago Energy and Environment Lab (E&E Lab) partners with agencies at the federal, state and local level to identify, rigorously evaluate, and help scale programs and policies that reduce pollution and improve environmental outcomes, while ensuring access to reliable and affordable energy. The E&E Lab applies rigorous evaluation and modeling methods, including natural and field experiments, randomized controlled trials, behavioral economics, and machine learning, to help policymakers identify and generate evidence on innovative approaches and policy solutions to their most pressing environmental and energy challenges.

Job Summary

The University of Chicago Energy and Environment Lab (E&E Lab) is seeking a Research Director to provide technical and intellectual leadership to the E&E Lab, and develop and support environmental policy research projects. The Director will be part of the Lab’s leadership team, and will work closely with the Executive Director and Pritzker Faculty Director Michael Greenstone, as well as collaborate with other faculty members to provide direction for a portfolio of applied research projects and ensure the rigor and quality of the Lab's work.

Responsibilities

• Works collaboratively with faculty members, practitioners and policy makers to develop and implement applied research projects.
• Serves as technical lead on a portfolio of applied research projects focused on energy and environmental issues, including projects incorporating tools from randomized controlled trials, natural experiments and machine learning.
• Manages and mentors research and project staff, providing technical direction and ensuring the rigor and quality of all work.
• Develops new partnerships, projects and initiatives.
• Helps draft research proposals, publications, and presentations.
• Disseminates research findings to research and practitioner/policymaker audiences.
• Serves as a member of the E&E Lab’s senior leadership team.
• Provides expertise to researchers and research support staff. Oversees activities related to data collection and analysis.
• Improves financial, personnel, planning, compliance and other administrative aspects of research project. Collaborates with other researchers on long-range plans for research projects. Leads, investigates, modifies and applies new procedures, techniques or applications of technology. Establishes goals and operating procedures, practices, and guidelines.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s degree in economics or another relevant field.

Experience:

• At least ten years of full-time academic or research experience.
• Managing research teams and developing research project portfolios.
• Working with interdisciplinary teams and engaging with policymaker stakeholders.
• Establishing and executing a research agenda and seeing projects through to publication.

Technical Skills or Knowledge: 

• Knowledge of grammar, punctuation, spelling and style.
• Proficient in MS Office Suite.
• Knowledge of University systems is a plus.
• Expertise in econometrics, microeconomics research methods and all aspects of research design.
• Topical expertise in energy and environmental economics, including deep knowledge of the field literature.
• Substantial experience in machine learning/predictive analytics and randomized controlled trials.

Preferred Competencies

• Interest in finding and testing innovative solutions to environmental problems.
• Capability to understand complex research and identify the best way to communicate said research to a variety of different