The Center for Global Sustainability (CGS) works to catalyze more effective action on climate and sustainability challenges by integrating collaborative engagement across diverse communities with our ability to generate high-quality analysis. Our deep team of scholar-practitioners has significant and diverse experience in implementing real policy and decision-making at the highest levels, and simultaneously in leading research in their field. CGS works to build global capacity for analysis to support climate ambition, to understand cleaner energy technology pathways, to enhance resilience to climate change, and to support new approaches to energy and climate finance.
Available Positions
Organization's Summary Statement:
The Center for Global Sustainability (CGS) at the University of Maryland (UMD) is hiring up to three Postdoctoral Research Associates to support climate and sustainability research. This full-time, two-year position requires strong research, project management, writing, and communication skills, with a focus on linking analysis and policy. The associate will collaborate with CGS faculty, researchers, and partners to develop innovative approaches for achieving ambitious climate and sustainability goals at various levels. Research may involve quantitative modeling (e.g., GCAM), empirical methods, qualitative/mixed methods, or analyses of energy systems, land use, and climate forcers shaping policy debates.
Physical Demands: Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer
Preferences:
• Expertise in climate, energy, environment, and/or sustainability issues.
• Background in quantitative analysis and modeling.
• Strong coding skills in R and/or Python, where appropriate for the candidate’s discipline.
• Excellent English language proficiency required.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work in a team environment.
Licenses/ Certifications: None
APPLICATION DOCUMENTS: Cover letter addressing interest and relevant qualifications including quantitative skills, resume, first authored paper or writing sample
TELEWORK ELIGIBLE: Eligible to telework, on average, 2 days per week.
Additional Job Details
Required Application Materials:
• Cover Letter addressing interest and relevant qualifications including quantitative skills
• Resume
Additional Benefits
• Work closely with the research team in a collaborative environment
• Develop skills in quantitative data analysis
• Opportunities for first-authored manuscripts
• Mentorship in grant writing
• Faculty status at the University of Maryland
We look forward to your application! Apply here.
Additional Job Details
Required Application Materials:
• Cover Letter addressing interest and relevant qualifications including quantitative skills
• Resume
Best Consideration Date: June 15,2025
Posting Close Date: N/A
Open Until Filled: Yes
Other:
Additional Benefits
• Work closely with the research team in a collaborative environment
• Develop skills in quantitative data analysis
• Opportunities for first-authored manuscripts
• Mentorship in grant writing
• Faculty status at the University of Maryland
We look forward to your application!
Financial Disclosure Required
For more information on Financial Disclosure, please visit Maryland's State Ethics Commission website.
Department
PLCY-Center for Global Sustainability
Worker Sub-Type
Faculty Regular
Salary Range
$70,000.00-$80,000.00
Benefits Summary
For more information on Regular Faculty benefits, select this link.
Background Checks
Offers of employment are contingent on completion of a background check. Information reported by the background check will not automatically disqualify anyone from employment. Before any adverse decision, the finalist will have an opportunity to provide information to the University regarding disclosable background check information. The University reserves the right to rescind the offer of employment or otherwise decline or terminate employment if the information reported by the background check is deemed incompatible with the position, regardless of when the background check is completed.
Employment Eligibility
The successful candidate must complete employment eligibility verification (on Form I-9) by presenting documents that establish identity and work authorization within the timeframe required by federal immigration law, and where applicable, to demonstrate renewed employment authorization. Failure to complete employment eligibility verification or reverification within the timeframe set forth by law may result in suspension or termination of employment.
EEO Statement
The University of Maryland, College Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment. Please read the University’s Equal Employment Opportunity Statement of Policy.
The Center for Global Sustainability (CGS, cgs.umd.edu) at the University of Maryland is looking for research assistant(s) with excellent research, coordination, and communication skills. The mission of CGS is, through our research and policy engagement, to change the way that governments, diverse organizations, and people around the world envision and implement new possibilities for ambitious climate action. Our team has significant and diverse experience in both delivering field-leading research and informing, supporting, and implementing policy in national and international contexts.
These will be paid hourly positions up to 40 hours/week over the summer. The research assistants will work with CGS and our collaborators, as appropriate, to apply robust and innovative research approaches to understanding national climate ambition, energy transition, climate finance, non-CO2 mitigation, and other topics at the center of climate policy and sustainability debates.
Specific projects may include but are not limited to the following:
- Near- and long-term low carbon development strategies of key countries
- All-of-society climate mitigation strategies in the United States
- Accelerated fossil transition pathways in key countries, potentially including but not limited to subnational strategies
- Co-benefits of climate change mitigation, such as air quality and human health, economic development, and other national priorities
- Scenarios for analyzing climate and transition risks to the economy and financial system
- Decarbonization strategies for industry, transportation, and other sectors
- Methane and other non-CO2 reduction strategies at national or subnational levels
- Agricultural and other land-related mitigation options
Specific tasks may include the following:
- Conduct background research and analysis of climate, energy, environment, and sustainable development policies
- Collect, analyze and visualize data
- Contribute to writing reports and potential research papers
- Support research communications, data visualization, and content creation for all of CGS’s digital mediums
Specific required skills are:
- Knowledge in climate, energy, and sustainability issues and policies
- Excellent English language proficiency required, particularly written
- Dedication and strong ability to learn quickly
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to work in a team environment
- Background in quantitative analysis, data collection and management
Specific preferred skills include:
- Coding skills in R, Python and/or STATA
- Geospatial analysis and/or econometric skills
- Ability to read and interpret legislation
To apply, please fill out this form. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the positions are filled. The priority deadline for the summer is April 30, 2025.
About the Center for Global Sustainability: Through world-leading research and policy engagement, the Center for Global Sustainability at the University of Maryland seeks to change the way that governments, businesses, and people envision and implement possibilities for ambitious climate action. Founded in 2016 in response to the need for thought leadership, analysis, and engagement to support the achievement of global climate goals, its programs advance understanding to support ambitious national and subnational climate strategies, fossil phase-out, energy innovation, finance, and other priorities in the United States, China, Indonesia, India, Brazil, and other major economies. CGS currently supports about 30 researchers, and works with a rich community of collaborators around the world. CGS is housed within the University of Maryland School of Public Policy, which focuses on integrating practice with research, blending national and international policy, and working at all policy levels from local to global. It grants degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. It currently counts in its community roughly 800 undergraduates, 300 graduate students, 500 Executive Program students, 60 staff, and 80 faculty. The University of Maryland, College Park, is a land-grant, sea-grant, top-tier (R1) research university, and is the major research university in the Washington, DC area, located 8 miles from the U.S. Capitol. It was recently ranked 14th in the U.S. in the National Science Foundation’s national rankings of all universities. It has an annual budget of $2.1 billion and administers approximately $1.2 billion in combined University of Maryland annual research awards. It has strengths in climate, energy, and environmental policy, environmental and earth sciences, remote sensing, climate and energy modeling, and computational and social sciences.
Diversity Statement: The University of Maryland, College Park, an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, creed, marital status, political affiliation, personal appearance, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment, in all aspects of employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. The Center for Global Sustainability is committed to fostering a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive world both within our community and through collaborative research and action. Read the CGS Vision on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion here.