Post-doctoral position in policy impact evaluation (m/f/d)

The climate needs bright minds. The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) addresses crucial scientific questions in the fields of global change, climate impacts and sustainable development. It is one of the world's leading research institutions in its field and offers natural and social scientists from around the world an inspiring environment for excellent interdisciplinary research.

If you enjoy working in a collaborative, supportive and international team, crave to understand what climate policies work, when, for whom, and why, and you feel that policy should be informed by the best available scientific evidence – then you may want to apply for this position in the Evidence for Climate Solutions group at MCC/PIK:

Post-doctoral position in policy impact evaluation (m/f/d)

(Position number: 65-2024 Postdoc Policy Impact Evaluation)

starting as soon as possible.

The position is funded until 31.08.2026. Remuneration is in accordance with the German public tariff scheme (TV-L Brandenburg), salary group E 13 This is a full-time position with a weekly working time of 40 hours per week. 

The successful candidate will work in the Kopernikus project ARIADNE, which is the major funding line for informing the German energy transition with rigorous scientific evidence. Specifically, the positon will focus on evaluating the potential of emission reductions through household behavioural changes, alongside and entangled with adoption and usage of new technologies. To understand what policy interventions work, where, under what conditions and why, we use state-of-the-art systematic review and meta-analysis methods and contribute to their advancement. Specific policy learning will be derived for the case of Germany. The project also involves the communication of and feedback loops around research results to citizens and stakeholders.

To support the project, the successful candidate can draw on our experience in using machine learning to conduct rapid and comprehensive systematic reviews. We work with a variety of national and international partners to advance robust evidence on climate policy and provide a basis for enhanced climate change assessments in the age of climate solutions. The thematic focus will lie in the buildings sector and available emission reduction solutions therein.

Key responsibilities

• Scope out and conduct relevant systematic reviews on household actions to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions in a dynamic team;
• Scope out and conduct additional relevant systematic reviews;
• Develop and apply robust meta-analytical models for the analysis;
• Publish scientific results in esteemed, peer-reviewed international journals;
• Turn scientific results into plain-language policy briefs for decision-makers;
• Participate in project meetings and coordinate with other project partners;
• Contribute to project management;
• Present the results at international conferences, to project partners as well as policymakers and other stakeholders;
• Option to further participate in transdisciplinary research with regard to citizens’ deliberation in the framework of the ARIADNE project;
• Manage links to related international initiatives for evidence-based climate policies, such as the What Works Climate Solutions initiative and similar.

Requirements

• A PhD or an excellent master degree in economics, psychology or related fields;
• Advanced skills in econometrics/statistics, and quantitative methods;
• Experience in meta-analysis and/or systematic review methodology is an asset;
• Coding skills with a relevant statistical software package (such as R, STATA or Python);
• Active interest in climate or energy policy impact evaluation (a focus on the buildings sector is a benefit).

We expect

• the ability to work independently and on your own initiative;
• a methodical and systematic approach; 
• structured and goal-oriented thinking;
• capacity to familiarise yourself quickly with new topics;
• creativity and openness to new approaches;
• strong communication and presentation skills;
• written and oral fluency in English (German proficiency is an asset);
• knowledge of the German and EU political system is an advantage;
• reliability, engagement, and a high level of motivation;
• capacity for teamwork.

We offer

• a supportive and stimulating work environment at a leading research institute on climate policy;
• a dedicated and motivated multicultural team; 
• a working group that value evidence synthesis for scientific policy advice and are interested in advancing synthesis methods through the use of machine learning;
• dedicated technical infrastructure for all steps in systematic reviewing including searching, screening, and annotation;
• successful research environment: MCC and PIK researchers publish in renowned international journals, including Nature, Science, or PNAS and have impacted international climate change assessments such as IPCC reports; 
• experience in Science-Society and Science-Policy Dialogue: Based on excellent, peer-reviewed research, MCC/PIK engages in structured dialogue formats with policymakers and society. As such, we provide the opportunity to contribute to tackling challenges of climate change and our common future in the real world;
• participation in a solution-oriented research project with several German and international partners and with immediate policy relevance;
• opportunities for cooperation with national and international network of leading climate & energy research institutes and think tanks
• participation in employee retirement provision;
• an attractive workplace at the EUREF – Campus in Schöneberg, Berlin;
• flexi-time and mobile working (up to 50 % of your hours);
• a collective pay scheme and associated benefits, as well as a subsidized travel card or Deutschland-Ticket Job.

PIK values equality and diversity. We encourage applications without photo. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of ethnic and social origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, care responsibilities, or age. PIK seeks to increase the share of women in scientific positions, and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply. In cases of equal qualification and within the given legal scope, women will be given preference. PIK also encourages applications by parents returning from parental leave.

Please apply by 09.12.2024 directly via our application form below this job advertisement. The application documents should compromise: 

• Motivation letter (max 1 page)
• CV, including two academic references
• One academic paper 
• Transcript of records and certificates on Master and PhD level

If you hold an international higher education qualification, please also submit the Statement of Comparability from the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) with your application. In the case that you do not yet have a ZAB Statement of Comparability for your qualification, please be aware that you will need to request this if your application is successful. You can find further information on this website: https://www.kmk.org/zab/central-office-for-foreign-education.html

For further information or to discuss the position, please contact Jan Minx.