"Research Scientist"

Job Details

Johns Hopkins, founded in 1876, is America's first research university and home to nine world-class academic divisions working together as one university.

Salary: $90,000 - $110,000

Description

The Net Zero Industrial Policy Lab (NZIPL) at Johns Hopkins University is hiring a research scientist to serve as the technical lead for the industrial base project. The industrial base research scientist will conduct research on countries economic opportunities in the green energy transition.

The lab is embarking on a multi-year project to support the development of smart green industrial policies in multiple countries. In this ongoing industrial base project, we will extend our Clean Industrial Competitiveness Explorer (CICE) model to map the global industrial base for clean energy technology and assess each countries’ capacity to produce the natural resources and technologies needed to build a net zero world economy. This modeling methodology will produce a picture of each country’s current capacities and future capabilities. This provides a rigorous, highly detailed analytical base for the formulation of foreign, trade, industrial, and supply chain policy.

This position requires someone who combines strong modeling background with the policy knowledge to support NZIPL's substantive work in green industrial policy, climate geopolitics, and technology competitiveness.

This is a remote position with flexible hours on a two-year contract renewable upon mutual agreement and available funding.

The Net Zero Industrial Policy Lab conducts rigorous, policy-relevant research on how countries can use industrial policy to accelerate decarbonization while building economic competitiveness. Our work spans clean energy supply chains, climate geopolitics, trade policy, and technology development, with a focus on providing actionable analysis to policymakers all over the world. The Lab has 11 senior staff engaged in research, policy analysis, and engagement with governments and multilateral organizations. Learn more at www.netzeropolicylab.com.

Key Responsibilities

Research (75%)

• Conduct data collection and modelling to create supply chain representations of current and emerging net-zero technological chains and map representations onto trade and production data
• Liaise with engineering experts to deeply understand and model global clean energy supply chains and emerging net zero technologies.
• Mapping current collaborative efforts to advance industrial policy and clean energy supply chains across international policy domains (trade, finance, security, and development) and developing analytical frameworks to understand and explain this dynamic landscape.
• Co-author peer-reviewed academic papers, policy briefs, and analytic reports.
• Co-author grants and funding proposals.

Engagement (20%)

• Participate in meetings with lab partners and country officials to explain and disseminate research.
• Prepare slide decks and other briefing materials as needed.
• Design and staff research workshops, seminars, and convenings (both virtual and in-person).

Professionalization and Administration (5%)

• Attend conferences to present your research and gain new knowledge
• Take courses to build necessary skills.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in engineering, or technology and policy, or political science and 2-3 years of relevant professional experience.
• Policy-relevant experience (government, think tanks, advocacy organizations, policy-focused research, or similar environments) with demonstrated ability to engage with substantive policy content.
• Proven ability to manage complex research and operational workflows independently.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with climate policy, industrial policy, trade policy, or related substantive areas.
• Experience working in academic research settings or with university administration.
• Prior grant management or sponsored research administration experience.
• Knowledge of project management tools and methodologies.
• Experience coordinating multi-institutional or international collaborations.

Application Instructions

Please submit a CV, a cover letter explaining your interest in the role and relevant experience, and 3 letters of recommendation.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.