Director, Research Development and Senior Research Scientist (Chicago)

Director, Research Development and Senior Research Scientist

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Director, Research Development and Senior Research Scientist

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Join to apply for the Director, Research Development and Senior Research Scientist role at University of Chicago

Department

Climate Systems Engineering Research Initiatives

Department

Climate Systems Engineering Research Initiatives

About The Department

The Climate Systems Engineering initiative (CSEi) is a new University-wide research initiative anchored in the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth. This initiative addresses the science, technology, and public policy of technologies that can reduce or reverse the harms from accumulated greenhouse gasses, including open-systems carbon removal, solar geoengineering, and local interventions to slow the melting of glaciers. CSEi conducts research across fields such as engineering, physical and biological sciences, and the social sciences, as well as humanistic approaches to behavioral science and ethics. The initiative brings together a multi-disciplinary and highly collaborative group of faculty and researchers and will leverage the global network and presence of the University of Chicago with key partnerships across the world.

Job Summary

The Climate Systems Engineering initiative seeks a highly experienced Director of Research Development and Senior Research Scientist to provide technical and intellectual leadership to the suite of CSEi research activities across its focal areas of open-systems carbon removal, sunlight reflection methods and local interventions to prevent glacial melting. The Research Director will be part of CSEis leadership team, and will work closely with the Executive Director and founding Faculty Director David Keith, as well as collaborate with other faculty members to provide direction for, and ensure the rigor and quality of, CSEis portfolio of research projects. Reporting to the Executive Director, this position leads a team of engineers and researchers to deliver on CSEis research priorities and maximize collective impact. The role will also conduct applied research related to CSEi focal areas and its own area of expertise, working to write articles, reports and manuscripts, and presenting research findings at meetings and/or conferences.

Responsibilities

• Manages CSEi-funded research projects at UChicago by developing relationships and communication strategies to encourage proposal submission; structuring proposal review; monitoring project budgets; engaging in frequent substantive coordination between CSEi leadership and researchers with the goal of improving applied research outputs with midcourse adjustment of research plans; assisting researchers in managing complex external contracts; supporting researchers in raising external funding; developing synergies among projects and helping researchers to develop external collaborations. Most current projects listed here:
• Directs engineering and technical support activities to develop and maintain tools and methods needed to further CSEi research. Manages engineers and research staff and is accountable for their performance and results, developing plans for the team, guided by resource availability and CSEi objectives.
• Provides mentoring and support for students interested in applied research in climate systems engineering.
• Supports CSEi faculty and leadership in developing long-term funding relationships.
• Collaborates with the communications team to disseminate research findings for public audiences and to reports to donors.
• Builds collaborations with Argonne National Lab, including helping Argonne raise funds for climate engineering work.
• Builds collaborations with the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, around projects such as developing an engineering management curriculum.
• Improves the environment for applied research at UChicago.
• Works with external stakeholders in the climate engineering world to advance the field.
• Ensures compliance of research activities with institutional, state, and federal regulatory policies, procedures, directives and mandates.
• Performs research in area of expertise. Writes grant applications, articles, reports and manuscripts. Presents research findings at meetings and/or conference.
• Performs collaborative research with CSEi scholars to perform and communicate applied research, with an eye towards applied policy analysis and jointly authored papers.
• Develops long-range plans for research projects and oversees the development of research projects. Ensures research projects progress according to plan.
• Manages grant/funding applications. Establishes, monitors, and controls project budgets.
• Manages, investigates, modifies and applies new procedures, techniques or applications of technology. Oversees the establishment of goals and operating procedures, practices, and guidelines. Develops research in area of expertise. Writes articles, reports and manuscripts. Presents research findings at meetings and/or conference.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Education:

Minimum Qualifications

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:

Preferred Qualification

Education:

• PhD in climate science, engineering, or a related field.

Experience:

• Knowledge and skills developed through 15+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Technical Skills Or Knowledge:

• Proficient in Microsoft Windows Suite, including Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel.
• Excellent computer skills including fluency in Google Suites.
• Deep knowledge of climate and engineering, modeling, risk assessment, and/or climate intervention technologies, such as carbon removal, SRM, and glacial interventions.
• Strong understanding of climate governance and the policy landscape surrounding climate intervention technologies.

Preferred Competencies

• Proven ability to lead complex, interdisciplinary research programs at the intersection of climate science, engineering, policy, and governance.
• Formulate long-term research strategies aligned with institutional and societal priorities in climate systems and emerging technologies.
• Demonstrated success in building and managing research programs, including supervising multidisciplinary teams, mentoring students, overseeing budgets, and setting clear goals and deliverables.
• Capacity to navigate uncertainty and drive innovation in a rapidly evolving scientific and policy landscape.
• Outstanding written, verbal, and visual communication skills, with an ability to synthesize complex technical topics for academic, policy, and public audiences.
• Facilitate collaboration across engineering, natural and social sciences, and humanities.
• Demonstrated sensitivity to the ethical, legal, and social implications of emerging climate technologies.
• Experience with and a commitment to stakeholder engagement in a research setting, especially regarding outdoor experiments.
• Track record of securing and managing research grants from public and/or private sources, identify new funding opportunities, and cultivate partnerships to advance the mission of CSEi.
• Strong commitment to scientific rigor, transparency, and reproducibility, and to the high standards of academic and professional ethics.

Working Conditions

• In-person, office-based role on Hyde Park campus.
• Eligible for a partially remote work schedule.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)
• Three Professional References Contact Information (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Research

Role Impact

People Manager

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Range

$153,000.00 - $198,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the Universitys good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of