Smart Prosperity Institute (SPI) is hiring new Senior Research Associates (RA) in Economic and Environmental Policy. SPI is Canada’s leading green economy research institute and think tank, based at the University of Ottawa. SPI turns world-class research into high impact policy change for clean growth and innovation.

Our Senior Research Associates will work with SPI’s research team, its global network of academic experts, and its civil society and business leaders group on a range of environment-economy research issues, such as: regional economic development, green labour and skills policies, the intersection of housing, clean growth and climate action, equity and justice issues within environmental policy, and advancing clean growth in Canada’s agricultural sector. In addition to research, the RA will be involved in SPI’s events, communications and policy change work.

Title: Senior Research Associate.

Location: Smart Prosperity Institute, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (this job can be done from Ottawa or remotely)

Start date: As soon as possible

Salary band: NR-7 ($72,698 to $90,872 annually)
 

Position Purpose

This position collaborates on research projects of varying complexity, under general supervision, that will inform decision makers on the development of practical, inclusive, and equitable policies and market-based solutions for a stronger, cleaner economy.

The ideal candidate will support the advancement of SPI’s work to create and translate the knowledge base to inform the integration of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) considerations in research at the forefront of environmental and economic policy development.

There are open Senior Research Associate positions on a number of teams, including:

• Green Jobs and Skills;

• Equity and Justice;

• Housing;

• Agriculture and Land-use

• Conservation Policy and Finance.

Description of each policy team:

Green Jobs and Skills

The Green jobs and Skills team conducts place-based research and analyses to answer three questions: What are Canada’s labour needs to meet its climate targets, drive clean growth, and adapt to climate impacts? What skills will this workforce require? And, how can policies, programs and practices be designed equitably to ensure inclusive access to the economic opportunities a transition will create? The team’s work centres around the human aspects of climate action, and applies an interdisciplinary lens to support an equitable workforce transition, and close Canada’s green skills gap.

Equity and Justice

The Equity and Justice team creates and translates the knowledge base necessary to inform the integration of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) considerations in research at the forefront of environmental and economic policy development. This team works to examine and identify best practices of inclusive policy design to support the transition to net-zero carbon economy that is fair and meets the needs of underserved and equity-seeking communities. The fundamental goal of this team is to advance actionable policy advice for a more sustainable and just future.
 

Housing

Our Housing policy team recognizes that housing supply and affordability have a direct impact on Canada’s ability to address climate change. We need more affordable housing to ensure workers can afford to live near where clean technology companies create jobs, and where we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We need dense housing in cities to avoid sprawl that increases greenhouse gas emissions. And we can use policy to drive innovation in low-carbon building materials to help export Canadian clean technology to the world. Housing policy is critical to our environmental ambitions, supporting an economic recovery, and solving the affordability crisis is necessary to grow the clean economy Canada deserves. Our team researches the policy mechanisms at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels to increase the supply of housing to create family-friendly, climate-friendly communities.

Agriculture

The Agriculture and Land-Use team conducts research and analyses on policies to promote clean and resilient growth across the agricultural sector. This includes research on measures to promote the adoption of existing best management practices in agriculture (i.e., cover cropping, fertilizer management, manure management, and rotational grazing), and how Canada can take advantage of new or emerging opportunities that help improve the sector’s sustainability. Research consists of scoping studies, stakeholder consultation and more in-depth research or modelling exercises on emissions reduction opportunities (or pathways?) Research also addresses policy instruments to reduce the impacts of agricultural production on species at risk. One of the team’s principal aims is to provide practical policy advice to influence Canada’s next Agricultural Policy Framework and other emerging policy frameworks, such as the Green Agricultural Plan. Partners include a wide range of producer and industrial organizations, universities, and civil society, such as Farmers for Climate Solutions.

Conservation Policy and Finance

The conservation policy and finance team investigates new policy approaches and investment tools that incentivize private investment into land conservation and restoration and nature-based solutions to climate change. This could include research into market-based policy tools like offsets and payment for ecosystem services programs; it could also include financing tools like green bonds or blended finance models.
 

Accountabilities as a Senior Research Associate (NR-7)

• Acting as a thought leader and media spokesperson on research topics relevant to your program line to advance the goals of the institute.
• Conducting independent and complex projects on emerging issues, including researching, writing, and producing reports.

• Managing Research Associates, and junior staff.

• Facilitating the content development and execution of workshops.

• Researches, writes, and produces high quality original reports and policy briefs to ensure the institute becomes a highly visible, credible and an effective voice.

• Leads the translation of academic research by the SPI Research Network into reports and policy products that will reach policy makers and inform the development of market-based instruments.

• Responsible for executing independent research projects and presenting findings.

• Develops and manages relationships with funders and leads the writing of funding proposals.

• Performing other related duties, as assigned by the director.