"Associate Research Scholar"

Job Details

Associate Research Scholar

The Sabin Center seeks a Renewable Energy Legal Defense Initiative (RELDI) fellow to be hired at the Associate Research Scholar level.

Launched in 2019, RELDI works with local residents, community groups, and public interest organizations that support bringing wind and solar projects to their communities. RELDI provides thought leadership and independent research on legal barriers to the energy transition, with a particular focus on barriers posed by local opposition to utility-scale renewable energy facility, transmission, and storage siting. RELDI also leverages the Sabin Center’s expertise and research capacity to support public participation in administrative proceedings and litigation to defend the siting of proposed renewable energy projects, to support renewable energy policies that are being attacked, and to oppose local laws and ordinances that ban or unduly inhibit the development of renewable energy.

Responsibilities

The Sabin Center seeks an Associate Research Scholar to take on a leadership role in the Renewable Energy Legal Defense Initiative (RELDI). The incumbent will work with the Center’s Faculty Director and Executive Director, and with current RELDI staff, to provide thought leadership, applied research, peer learning, and other outputs that will assist advocates and researchers seeking to strategically engage with the planning for and siting of utility- and community-scale renewable energy facilities and related infrastructure. Successful performance will require generating original research and communicating research findings clearly and through a variety of media and formats to a range of audiences in a manner that maximizes impact.

In particular, the incumbent will:

• Conduct independent research and write about issues related to siting utility- and community-scale renewable energy projects, including those in communities that may not have equal access to clean energy;
• Contribute to the conceptualization, management, and implementation of online resources for researchers, advocates, and others working to advance renewable energy projects;
• Work with the Sabin Center’s Faculty Director, Executive Director, RELDI staff, and others inside and outside the Columbia community to convene, coordinate, and synthesize a diverse range of research and communications activities related to siting battles and the energy transition;
• Identify, track, and engage in relevant regulatory proceedings, including by drafting comment letters and other documents;
• Develop presentations and trainings for a variety of audiences and help organize conferences, seminars, workshops, and other events;
• Conduct outreach geared toward alignment with complementary activities in and among other climate, clean energy, and environmental and energy justice advocacy organizations operating at the national, state, and local levels; and
• Help develop a plan for RELDI’s long-term growth and sustainability.

This is a one-year position, with the possibility of renewal contingent on funding.

You can learn more about the Sabin Center here.

Qualifications (Minimum)

• J.D. or LL.M. from an ABA-accredited law school.
• 4–7+ years of professional legal experience with a government agency (including through a clerkship), NGO, law firm, financial institution, or law school center.
• Strong academic qualifications and a demonstrated interest in climate justice and equity, and/or in environmental, natural resources, or energy law and policy, will be expected.

To apply for this position, please go to: https://apply.interfolio.com/176822

We strongly encourage candidates to submit materials by November 30, 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Salary Range: $85,000–$115,000 a year.

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Columbia University is an equal opportunity employer / disability / veteran.