Energy-Water Scientist

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is hiring an Energy-Water Scientist within the Climate & Ecosystem Sciences division. This position calls for a scientist with interdisciplinary expertise in modeling coupled water and energy infrastructure systems and evaluating the management of these infrastructure systems in the context of climate change and other stressors. The successful candidate will also have experience using social science methods to engage with practitioners in the water and energy sectors.

The successful candidate will lead data analysis and modeling activities to understand the vulnerabilities and future adaptation options for water, energy, and urban built systems in the face of changing stressors from environmental extremes, resource demand pressure, and land use. The candidate will have domain knowledge of energy systems operations and planning and will lead projects to incorporate climate data into energy sector models. Familiarity with decision analysis frameworks for evaluating multi-objective tradeoffs in the context of uncertainty is also required.

The successful candidate will also blend social science and Earth science approaches to guide model development and application for resource management and climate resilience decisions in the water, energy, and/or land-use sectors. A key component of this research will involve engagement with stakeholders to understand their decision contexts as well as the translation of these insights into scientific questions and hypotheses. The position calls for an individual with demonstrated experience in stakeholder engagement and co-production processes in an Earth sciences context, including experience with translating insights from stakeholder engagement into scientific questions and hypotheses.

Strong communication skills and a demonstrated ability to collaborate with diverse professional and intellectual communities are required as well. This position provides an excellent opportunity to work with a highly skilled interdisciplinary team in CESD. Berkeley Lab is a renowned center of scientific expertise in many facets of climate- related fundamental and applied science.

We're here for the same mission, to bring science solutions to the world. Join our team and YOU will play a supporting role in our goal to address global challenges! Have a high level of impact and work for an organization associated with 17 Nobel Prizes!

Why join Berkeley Lab?

We invest in our employees by offering a total rewards package you can count on:

• Exceptional health and retirement benefits, including pension or 401K-style plans

• A culture where you'll belong - we are invested in our teams!

• In addition to accruing vacation and sick time, we also have a Winter Holiday Shutdown every year.

• Parental bonding leave (for both mothers and fathers)

You will:

• Develop and apply individual and coupled models of water, energy, and urban systems to understand their climate vulnerabilities and the implications of alternative adaptation options

• Lead the analysis of model outputs and observed data to understand model performance, evaluate key sensitivities, quantify uncertainties, and support decision analysis

• Understand the role of science in decision-making, particularly capabilities and limitations of current Earth system and climate models as they pertain to adaptation

• Apply social science methods to understand the information needs of climate adaptation stakeholders, such as writing surveys and facilitating multi-disciplinary workshops, focus group discussions, and interviews

• Communicate effectively across diverse professional and scientific communities

• Present results in oral format and prepare publications for peer-reviewed journals.

• Work in an integrated team environment

• May direct the work of technical support staff or students

We are looking for:

• A PhD, or equivalent work experience, in interdisciplinary studies, environmental sciences, hydrologic science, civil and environmental engineering, or related field.

• Knowledge of state-of-the-art water and energy infrastructure modeling tools and data sources

• Knowledge and experience with Earth system, climate, and hydrologic models, including analysis of model data for vulnerability and adaptation assessments

• Familiarity with theoretical frameworks for multi-sectoral management of resources and decision-making in the context of uncertainty

• Knowledge of the literature on the usability of scientific information for decision applications, and climate adaptation more broadly

• Experience conducting interviews, surveys, focus group discussions, and workshop facilitation

• Familiarity with Institutional Review Board processes for ethical treatment of human subjects

• Excellent oral and written communication skills

• Ability to work in an integrated team environment

Desired skills/knowledge:

• A minimum of 1 year of postdoctoral research experience is highly desired.

Additional information:

• Application date: Priority consideration will be given to candidates who apply by December 1, 2025. Applications will be accepted until the job posting is removed.

• Appointment type: This is a full-time, 1 year, career-track term appointment that may be renewed to a maximum of five years and that may be converted to career based upon satisfactory job performance, continuing availability of funds, and ongoing operational needs.

• Salary range: The expected salary for this position is $124,668 - $174,528, which fits into the full salary of $93,504 - $224,400 depending upon the candidate's skills, knowledge, and abilities. This includes education, certifications, and years of experience.

• Background check: This position is subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.

• Work modality: Work will be primarily performed at: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA. A REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification is required to access Berkeley Lab sites (for more information click here).

Want to learn more about working at Berkeley Lab? Please visit: careers.lbl.gov

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: The foundation of Berkeley Lab is our Stewardship Values: Team Science, Service, Trust, Innovation, and Respect; and we strive to build community with these shared values and commitments. Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We heartily welcome applications from all who could contribute to the Lab's mission of leading scientific discovery, excellence, and professionalism. In support of our rich global community, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories under State and Federal law.

Berkeley Lab is a University of California employer. It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.