Working Group III (WGIII) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is filling the position of
Senior Science Officer, UKM
IPCC prepares comprehensive and up-to-date assessments of policy-relevant scientific, technical, and socio-economic information needed to further understand the scientific basis of climate change, potential impacts, and options for mitigation and adaptation. WGIII assesses climate change mitigation. The WGIII Technical Support Unit (TSU) provides technical and administrative services in direct support of the elected IPCC WGIII Co-Chairs. This position reports to the WGIII Co-Chair based at the Institute for Environment and Development within Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
Key Responsibilities
Scientific Coordination: Ensures draft chapters objectively reflect the latest scientific findings and helps motivate writing teams (specifically authors from the Global South) to stay on schedule while maintaining the highest scientific integrity. Serves as science point-of-contact for assigned WGIII AR7 chapters and other deliverables of the AR7 cycle. Uses expert knowledge of the underlying science and relevant literature to develop innovative ways of improving message and communicating key findings. Attends national and international meetings as a representative of IPCC WGIII.
Scientific Management: Generates syntheses of review comments to derive themes that warrant specific volume-wide and cross-working group attention. Provides on-site support for relevant cross-working group summaries approval processes. Serves as the TSU science focal point for shared WGII/WGIII adaptation-mitigation crosswalk responsibilities (e.g., cross-volume chapters/boxes, FAQs). Serves as science advisor to recruit and support Chapter Scientists from the Global South, and oversees specific tasks under their purview, e.g., grey literature collection, reference management, and other tasks.
Cross-Working Group Collaboration: Assists the WGIII Co-Chairs with the planning and implementation of stakeholder engagement activities. Develops and delivers presentations for technical and non-technical audiences. Develops contacts with industry, environmental, and other groups to disseminate information about IPCC. Promotes authorship and engagement and performs other public outreach tasks (primarily in the Global South).
Skills and Competencies
- Broad, advanced knowledge of the theory and practice of environmental assessment as applied to climate mitigation science and scenarios.
- Subject matter expert in some domain of climate change mitigation with a broad, advanced level knowledge of public policy issues related to global climate change.
- Familiarity with the climate mitigation community, and the ability to foster new contacts and working relationships.
- Expert in synthesizing and summarizing scientific and/or technical information.
- Advanced writing skills, for both technical and non-technical audiences, and in proofreading and editing technical documents.
- Strong public speaking skills.
- Ability to be an effective advocate of the TSU to the international scientific community.
- Excellent project management, organizational, and interpersonal skills to enhance meeting deadlines under pressure.
- Ability to handle confidential/sensitive information.
- Willingness and ability to travel (including international destinations).
Minimum Qualifications
Ph.D. in social or natural science discipline or engineering relevant to climate change mitigation, plus 5 years of experience working with an interdisciplinary community; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Applicant must be fluent in English. Prior IPCC experience desired.
Application Information
This is a 3-year term position, renewed annually. Employment is through Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), a national public research university located in Bandar Baru Bangi, Malaysia. This WGIII TSU node is housed in the Southeast Asia Disaster Prevention Research Initiative (SEADPRI) at the Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI). A remote working arrangement can be accommodated provided the incumbent is available during core working hours for the WGIII Co-Chair based at UKM and for weekly meetings with U.S. TSU nodes.
Click here for the LESTARI application page and here for the full position description. To apply, send your CV and motivation letter to <ipcc-wg3-malaysia@ukm.edu.my>. Questions should be sent to the same address. This job posting will be open until 14 March 2025.