Details
Posted: 10-May-22
Location: New York, New York
Salary: Open
Responsibilities:
The Tishman Environment and Design Center is seeking an experienced Research Director to oversee the development and execution of a body of research undertaken collaboratively with community partners, environmental justice organizations, faculty, and activists-scholars.
The Tishman Center supports environmental and climate justice action, innovative design, and transnational movement building. The Center has ongoing research and initiatives that cut across four thematic areas where we have core competencies and alignment with our mission: Climate and Environmental Justice; Infrastructure & Design; Indigenous Ecologies; and Sustainable Fashion Futures. Research projects may fall under each of these four competencies, however each will be grounded in a justice-centered framework.
The Research Director's primary responsibility will be to manage a diverse portfolio of research and advocacy projects focused on climate justice and environmental justice. The Director would be charged with developing work plans, partnership agreements and timelines to ensure the successful completion of ongoing and new projects. Our Center's mission is closely aligned with principles of the environmental justice movement and we are looking for a Director who will prioritize the needs of our partners in the climate and environmental justice movements and work in deep collaboration with them.
This is a unique opportunity for a researcher with a proven track record of successful collaborative research and project management experience to help bring to fruition an ambitious research agenda. The Tishman Center is a dynamic work environment and we are looking for a researcher who can be adaptable to changing demands with multiple projects while maintaining high quality research. The Research Director will report directly to the Managing Director with project specific reporting to Principal Investigators. The Research Director will also work closely with our Center's Co-Directors as well as affiliated faculty on core research areas. The Tishman Center is working to create a culture of ant-racism, decolonization, and liberation within our team and practices. This is a place where you can bring your whole self to the position and be in a community of people working on how to live these principles in our relationships with each other and the communities with which we engage.
We prioritize collaborative, co-produced research and projects that are guided by critical, participatory action based research principles. We have a strong history of building trusted partnerships with grassroots, frontline, and advocacy groups in the environmental justice and climate justice movement regionally and across the country. A core competency for the Research Director is the ability to foster authentic relationships of trust, humility and mutuality grounded in the Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing.
The Center is undergoing an exciting moment of growth where we have the opportunity to build a robust climate justice research agenda with our partners. The Research Director will play a key role in building the Center's growing research portfolio.
The Director will be a part of a hybrid team made up of staff and faculty located in New York City and remotely nationwide and should be comfortable working with a diverse range of working and communication styles. This person should be comfortable and prepared to work in a remote team and with occasional travel to the New School offices in NYC and possible other locations. Travel may be 1-2x quarterly.
The New School is strongly committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and particularly seeks applications from members of underrepresented groups, as well as candidates who share this commitment.
Primary Job Responsibilities
- In collaboration with faculty and other principal investigators, oversee the development and execution of the Center's research projects
- Assist in the definition of project scope and objectives, involving all relevant stakeholders and ensuring technical feasibility and partnership working agreements
- Develop approaches to research that is guided by a critical, collaborative, and action based perspective that connects with the leadership of partners and practitioners on the ground
- Implement research guidelines and best practices to ensure high quality, rigorous research that is action oriented and accessible to wide audiences
- Prepare and track project specific budgets working closely with the Managing Director to ensure alignment with the Center's general operating budget
- Build and maintain strong relationships and collaborate with key stakeholders to ensure research meets the needs of partner organizations and other stakeholders
- Ensure each project is aligned with the Center's mission and environmental and climate justice principles
- Develop and track work plans for each project including budgets, timeline, project deliverables, and staffing structures
- Manage research staff comprised of one FT research analyst and graduate students serving as research assistants; post-doctoral students; mentor and support the technical and content knowledge development of research assistants
- Working closely with the Communications Manager, project team, and Managing Director develop and implement effective communication plans for the dissemination and release of findings
- Track project performance, specifically to analyze the successful completion of short and long-term goals
Minimum Qualifications:
- At least 5 years of project management experience
- Research experience related to environmental justice, climate justice, and energy equity, and other related topics
- Able to stay on top of multiple projects, plans backwards, anticipates obstacles, identifies and involves stakeholders appropriately, uses resources wisely
- Collaborative, community based or action-oriented research experience
- We are seeking a candidate with a deep understanding of the principles of just transition, energy democracy, environmental justice, and climate justice.
- Excellent written and analytical skills
- Master's degree in related fields such as environmental policy, public health, or sustainability
- Ability to adhere to University COVID-19 policy and requirement
Preferred Qualifications:
- Mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) research and data analysis skills
- Demonstrated ability to translate academic or technical research into useable tools, metrics, and publications for diverse audiences, including EJ movement and policymakers
- Prior work experience with environmental justice or climate justice organizations
- Experience working on interdisciplinary teams Experience working with diverse stakeholder groups including community groups, government officials, policymakers, non-profit groups, academia, etc.
Special Instructions to Applicants:
Special Instructions to the Applicant:
Review of applications will begin immediately and may continue until the position is filled.
1) cover letter that includes: that highlights the applicant's skills and abilities and describes the applicants suitability for the position
2) curriculum vitae
3) writing/research sample
4) names and contact information of three references
Applicants may be contacted at the discretion of the search committee for additional materials.
Other Details
The New School is committed to creating and maintaining an environment that promises diversity and tolerance in all areas of employment, education and access to its educational, artistic or cultural programs and activities. The New School does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, creed, sex or gender (including gender identity and expression), pregnancy, sexual orientation, religion, religious practices, mental or physical disability, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, veteran status, marital or partnership status, or any other legally protected status. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and Queer candidates are highly encouraged to apply. The New School is strongly committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and particularly seeks applications from members of underrepresented groups, as well as candidates who share this commitment.
This is a grant funded position. It would begin immediately and go through December 2025 with an opportunity for an extension contingent upon funding and performance. New York Benefits and tuition waiver eligible.
Salary Range: 95,000 – 110,000
