Posted on December 9, 2012

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Kendall Fellowship, Meeting California's Long-Term Clean Energy Goals

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), the leading science-based organization at the center of today’s most exciting and important policy debates, seeks an outstanding candidate for the Kendall Science Fellows program. The Fellow will conduct scenario modeling and assess various options for maximizing opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in California’s electricity sector. Candidates must have a strong background in programming and computational modeling and excellent written and oral communication skills.

Founded in 1969, UCS is an independent, science-based nonprofit working for a healthy planet and safer world. The Kendall Science Fellows Program was established to honor Nobel Prize winning physicist Henry Kendall who was with UCS from our beginnings and was the long-time chair of our board. Kendall was known for his unique ability to shake up the status quo and catalyze new thinking, and UCS looks to Kendall Fellows to do the same. Fellows work on innovative and forward-looking projects that are primarily scientific, technical, or analytic in nature but are applicable to the current policy landscape. Fellows will benefit from the opportunity to learn from the UCS approach to science and policy, and UCS will benefit from the new approaches and expertise of the Kendall Fellows.

Responsibilities

The Kendall Fellow will spend 16 months developing and analyzing scenarios for California’s electricity grid, to identify potential impacts of energy investments and provide data and analyses for future energy decisions. Given the low-carbon energy development potential in states close to California, such analyses would inform future opportunities for California grid operators to coordinate with electricity sector stakeholders in neighboring states.

At the end of the fellowship, the Fellow should be able to answer some or all of the following questions:

• The most appropriate renewable energy deployment scenarios considering a variety of criteria.
• The role of new technology and infrastructure in the future electricity grid.
• How existing energy sources can be better utilized.
• How best to minimize cost and environmental impacts.
• The co-benefits of clean energy.

In fulfilling this role, the Fellow will:

• generate a written report and/or scholarly articles on the fellowship topic.
• communicate findings within UCS and to experts in the field, media, and policymakers.
• serve as a spokesperson for the Kendall Fellows program.

Qualifications and experience

The Kendall Fellow should have the capacity to manipulate computational models. Previous experience with electricity models is a plus. Ideally, the Kendall Fellow would also have an understanding of how the renewable energy sector has matured within western states in the last decade, including the continuing evolution of energy markets (at least in California) and transmission planning.

The Fellow should also have an interest in learning about how to effectively communicate analytical research to policymakers, and have either experience or interest in generating public policy to address energy or environmental issues.

A Ph.D. in a related scientific or engineering field is preferred.

Compensation, Hours and Location: This is a full-time, 16-month position based in UCS’s Berkeley, CA office. The fellowship will begin in January 2013. UCS offers excellent benefits and is an equal opportunity employer continually seeking to diversify its staff.

Application Instructions

To Apply: Please submit a short application, including a statement of interest (up to 2 pages, including relevant background and experience), curriculum vitae, and two references to jobs@ucsusa.org including “Kendall Fellowship” and “California Clean Energy” in the subject line. Email materials in Word or PDF format only. No phone calls please. Deadline: December 31, 2012 or until filled.