Associate Research Fellow / Research Fellow

Job Summary

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks a qualified candidate to serve as an Associate Research Fellow or Research Fellow. This is a two-year, renewable, exempt appointment based at IFPRI’s Washington, DC Office. 

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated aptitude with modeling water resources and hydrologic systems at multiple scales, experience in developing and operating modeling suites that link biophysical and economic models, and interest/experience in the analysis of risk and uncertainty. The successful candidate will work on interdisciplinary teams to conduct research, produce high-impact publications and disseminate knowledge that (for example): assists national level policy-making units confront the challenges posed by climate change and water constraints; fosters regional strategies for resilient growth and development in a context of climate change; works with CGIAR partners on research and/or model development, particularly in IWMI; and assists key agri-food system actors in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and other constituencies in the formation of investment plans in water resources, including in relation to food and energy. Specific areas of research are expected to be developed in accordance with the intersection of the interests and skills of the successful candidate and the objectives of the Foresight and Policy Modeling Unit.

It is anticipated that about 80 percent of the job will be dedicated to applied research, and the remaining 20 percent will be allocated to capacity-building, policy engagement, and outreach activities supporting evidence-based decision-making.

Essential Duties

 Specific duties include but are not limited to: 

• Lead development, maintenance, and improvement of IFPRI’s water data and modeling systems compatible with global (IMPACT) and national levels (RIAPA).
• Contribute to scenario development, modeling and analytics supporting a variety of foresight-related research projects.
• Lead focused studies on water-related issues relevant for food system transformation globally and in LMICs.
• Work with other modelers in the Foresight and Policy Modeling unit to maintain and improve water modeling components of established modeling frameworks.
• Conduct research in the service of the CGIAR’s mission to advance positive transformation of food, land, and water systems.
• Support efforts to strengthen the capacity of partner organizations and networks to conduct scholarly research and communicate evidence-based policy recommendations.
• Prepare project reports, research papers, presentations, and peer-reviewed journal articles in collaboration with CGIAR researchers, other collaborators, and partners.
• Regularly communicate research outputs via policy seminars, policy briefs, and peer-reviewed publications to a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including researchers, academics, policymakers, and government officials.
• The successful candidate will work with a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural team of researchers and is expected to engage in a broad range of research projects and activities consistent with the research program of the Foresight and Policy Modeling Unit.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Water Resources Engineering, Hydrology, or closely related field
• Significant expertise in using water resources systems and hydrologic models and experience or interest to link these to economic and other simulation models at global, regional and national levels to evaluate policies related to food, land, and water systems.
• Demonstrated capabilities in quantitative analysis and ability to use spatial data and methods in innovative and policy-relevant ways to examine water resource management issues in the context of climate change and other major drivers.
• Ability or willingness to work in the GAMS modeling environment and code, other math/statistical programming languages, and GIS.
• Experience using river basin modeling tools, (e.g. Mike Hydro Basin, WEAP, and Riverware).
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work well both with a team and independently.
• Ability to work in a dynamic environment, take initiatives to resolve issues and effectively work with minimal supervision.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Willingness to travel extensively (including internationally) as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to work in Python.
• Relevant research experience as applied to LMIC country contexts in Africa, Asia, and/or Latin America.
• Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality written reports, oral presentations, blog posts, and/or other forms of written and oral communications associated with scholarly research outputs.

Additional requirements at the Research Fellow level

• At least 3 years of post-PhD experience relevant to the job and demonstrated fundraising experience.
• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals.
• Major external recognition within professional peer network based on publications and other leadership activities.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and successful experience building and managing teams.

Physical Demand & Work environment

• Employee will sit in an upright position for a long period of time
• Employee will lift between 0-10 pounds.
• Employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform activities such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing computer terminal; extensive reading.

Salary Range: The expected salary range for this job requisition is between $85,600 – $107,000. In determining your salary, we will consider your experience and other job-related factors.

Benefits: IFPRI is committed to providing our staff members with valuable and competitive benefits, as it is a core part of providing strong overall employee experience. This position is eligible for health insurance coverage and a summary of our benefits can be found on our website. Please note that the listed benefits are generally available to active, non-temporary, full-time and part-time US-based employees who work at least 25 hours per week.

To Apply:

Click on the following link to access the Associate Research Fellow / Research Fellow job applications:

https://phf.tbe.taleo.net/phf04/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=IFPRI&cws=43&rid=3492