Salary range: The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and step at appointment. See the following table(s) for the current salary scale(s) for this position: https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/2023-24/july-2023-acad-salary-scales/t24-b.pdf. The current base salary range for this position is $62,500 – $119,800. “Off-scale” salaries, which yield compensation that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions.
The Center for Law, Energy & the Environment is seeking to hire an Environmental Policy Research Fellow. This position will primarily focus on policy aspects of the implementation of multi-benefit water and environmental restoration projects, with an emphasis on developing methods and strategies to enable more effective and efficient permitting. There is strong potential for additional cross-disciplinary work in collaboration with CLEE’s climate, oceans, and land use programs, depending on the incumbent’s expertise and funding availability.
The Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE) is based at the UC Berkeley School of Law. CLEE is part of one of the leading environmental law programs in the nation. Building on UC Berkeley’s history of and commitment to research and public service, CLEE leverages the intellectual resources of Berkeley faculty and students in furtherance of applied research in a variety of environmental and energy law and policy areas. CLEE’s research priorities include combating climate change, advancing sustainable energy, addressing water allocation and management challenges, and sustaining healthy oceans, among other pressing environmental and energy challenges. The Fellow will engage heavily with the Wheeler Water Institute, a research and policy institute within CLEE.
The Fellow will work closely with colleagues on legal and policy research. The Fellow’s efforts will be geared towards improving the implementation of multi-benefit projects, such as restoration projects that improve ecosystem habitat and function while providing flood control, groundwater recharge, open space, energy production, carbon sequestration, and other benefits. Possible foci for the Fellow’s research could include analyzing the potential for joint funding and governance of such projects, streamlining permitting processes, the role of scientific data and information, effective collaborative processes, and other topics that lead to advancing the state of knowledge and generating policy recommendations. Engagement with a range of key stakeholders will be a crucial element of the Fellow’s portfolio.
Additional projects will depend on the fellow’s background and interests, but may address topics such as water allocation during times of water scarcity, sustainable groundwater management, groundwater recharge, innovation in the water sector, data and water decision making, and/or other water governance, management, or policy issues.
Tasks may include legal and policy research; drafting reports, articles, blog posts, and other outputs; engaging with government agency personnel, stakeholders, research partners, the media, and others; helping to organize workshops or other convenings; developing research pre-proposals; and working with student research assistants. The fellow’s exact responsibilities will vary based on the evolution of various initiatives, the expertise and experience of the selected research fellow, and in response to the ongoing evolution of the field.
This position is based in Berkeley, and requires periodic travel, primarily within California. The position could be located remotely with willingness to travel to Berkeley as needed.
Primary Responsibilities
• Conducting research on water resources issues and solutions at the intersection of law, policy, and science, under the direction of and in collaboration with CLEE team members, affiliates, and others;
• Engaging with government agency personnel, stakeholders, and others
• Organizing and participating in workshops, convenings, interviews, or focus groups;
• Drafting reports and articles of publishable quality for policy- focused audiences, under the direction of and in collaboration with CLEE team members;
• Working with CLEE water program leads in organizing and facilitating meetings, workshops, and other events (virtual or otherwise) with California water leaders, policymakers, stakeholders, academics, and other audiences;
• Presenting at workshops or other events to practitioners, stakeholders, the academic community, the media, and others about research initiatives as needed;
• Assisting with other aspects of workshop, research, and report production as assigned; and
• Assisting with other miscellaneous aspects of project, water program, and CLEE activities as appropriate.
• Additional mentoring and program design responsibilities could be available for candidates with appropriate backgrounds and experience.