Senior Research Associate, Energy

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days per month in the office. You will be based in our WRI Africa Office in Addis Ababa, Nairobi or Kigali.

About the Program:

WRI collaborates with policymakers, cities, companies, utilities, regulators, and development institutions to secure a clean energy future for everyone and address energy and human development needs. We deploy data tools to promote energy transition pathways and stimulate demand and finance to expand access in order to promote integrated and inclusive energy planning and support the transition toward a clean, resilient, and equitable energy system. We partner with development institutions, funders, and governments to extend affordable, reliable, and sustainable electricity to underserved areas. Within this context, the Clean Energy Transition program at WRI Africa has adopted two interlinked strategies: targeted country-specific research to provide decision-makers with the tools and evidence necessary to articulate informed perspectives on just transition pathways and convene the African Energy Dialogues (AED), a platform designed to foster evidence-based, inclusive dialogue on issues related to energy transition in Africa.

Job Highlight:

Africa’s role in the global energy transition is unique as the least electrified yet fastest-growing continent, critically in need of resilience investments. To achieve ambitious goals and commitments for Africa, robust evidence-based positions and leadership from the continent are essential, requiring knowledge brokering with key stakeholders.

Reporting to the Director of the Energy Program, you will lead our research and engagement with partner organizations for analytical work and will be responsible for designing and overseeing analyses that address some of the most complex and challenging questions for Africa’s power sector and identifying what is needed to deliver universal energy access and support economic development. You will have a background in energy modelling or a related field and a solid grasp of energy science and experience in managing sub-grant partners and in-house analytical teams to ensure high-quality output. You can leverage advanced analytical tools to deliver greater clarity and inform decision-makers. You have expertise in integrating geospatial mapping tools with various modelling techniques and has experience working at the nexus of energy with other sectors (e.g. food, water, agriculture), are committed to promoting solutions tailored to specific contextual conditions; and have experience in building highly collaborative working relationships with multidisciplinary research teams. You will work closely with different teams and programs including the global Clean Energy Transition Team, the African Energy Dialogues platform team, the Energy Access Explorer team, and other colleagues within the WRI Africa and Washington DC office.

What will you do:

Research and Analytical Program Management (60%):

• Structure the energy transition analytical program for Africa, developing appropriate methodologies and approaches
• Manage and supervise external sub-grant partners and an in-house analytical team to ensure high-quality output
• Oversee, in collaboration with WRI’s analytical partners, the development of well documented, ideally open-source models that reflect the intricacies of energy challenges in Africa, providing insights into country-tailored energy transition opportunities and pathways
• Synthesize analytical insights from model results to bring clarity and structure to complex and disparate energy transition topics to enhance decision-making for program partners, government institutions, policymakers, and industries
• Collaborate with WRI’s EAE team to link capacity expansion modelling with geospatial tools (e.g. EAE, OnSSET, OnStove or similar)
• Work closely with the African Energy Dialogues platform to ensure engagements are informed by the most available evidence and ongoing research activities
• Keep abreast of global and continental policies and regulations impacting energy, with a particular focus on energy transition, climate, and sustainability

Communication & Stakeholder Engagement (40%):

• Produce knowledge products - workshop materials, policy briefs, technical papers, long-form reports, and other relevant materials in collaboration with research partners, WRI programs, as well as public and private institutions
• Leverage existing or establish new partnerships with local academic institutions to engage in capacity building activities
• Work with the WRI communications team and partners to develop communication assets suitable for a broader audience, leveraging the team’s analysis and insights
• Coordinate with targeted key data and research institutions or government agencies and manage the work and outputs of sub-granted local partners
• Contribute to research and fundraising proposals and the fundraising process
• Ensure sound donor stewardship, good grant management, and timely communication and reporting.

What will you need:

• Education: You have completed a master’s degree in in engineering, physics, energy systems, or a related field
• Experience: You have 7+ years of relevant, full-time work experience, including experience related to energy planning (in academia, research industry, public sector, or international organisations)
• You have experience working at the science-policy interface
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience in energy systems modelling as well as with integrating geospatial mapping tools with various modelling techniques
• Technical knowledge and working experience with computer programming languages such as Python and R
• A track record of academic publishing is desirable
• Demonstrated understanding of key issues impacting the global energy industry, Africa’s role in the global energy transition, the energy and developmental challenges in Africa, and how low-carbon energy technologies can play a role in a global sustainable energy system
• Experience working in and building multi-disciplinary research teams and the ability to engage and communicate with different stakeholders, including policymakers
• Ability to translate and inform policy and industry actors at the nexus of policymaking and energy modelling, leveraging advanced analytical tools
• Experience working at the nexus of energy with other sectors (e.g. food, water, agriculture)
• Languages: Written and spoken proficiency in English.

Potential Salary:

Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume with a cover letter by 29 July 2024.

You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

What we offer:

• A competitive salary
• Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US
• The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission driven organization with access to varied learning and training opportunities.
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work
• The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI
• Commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours
• Generous leave days that increase with tenure

About Us:

Founded in 1982, World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.

Our mission and values:

WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence and Respect.

Our culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment; we embrace all diversity and encourage women, the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. Recognizing our strong commitment to gender equality, WRI has also been awarded EDGE certification.

Our team in Human Resources carefully reviews all applications.