CIG study investigates influence of federal policy on local climate action

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Dr. Jason Vogel, interim director of the Climate Impacts Group, is co-author on a recently published article in Sustainability on the influence of federal policy on local climate adaptation efforts. 

The article, Climate Adaptation at the Local Scale: Using Federal Climate Adaptation Policy Regimes to Enhance Climate Services, was published earlier this month in a special edition of Sustainability focused on climate services. 

Vogel and his co-author, Charles Herrick, reviewed 17 case studies of local climate adaptation efforts for the role of federal law, policy and programs, the organizations and agencies involved, and the use of science. 

They found in many cases, federal laws and policies provide a framework for local policy as well as “technical and fiscal resources beyond what any individual locality could muster on its own.” An overlooked element of the climate adaptation landscape, they write, is the role of federal policy as a “bottom-up” approach to local climate action, as local governments take advantage of policy tools to achieve their own resilience objectives. 

They suggest that climate services providers can take one or both of two approaches to integrate this knowledge into their work. One is to work directly with communities to navigate federal laws, policy and governance. Another is to engage with federal agencies to learn how policies are being implemented to achieve climate resilience at the local scale. 

Ultimately, they propose that organizations working in climate adaptation “may need to move beyond existing models of co-production to embrace an ‘apprenticeship’ model.” The apprenticeship model, they write, would allow climate service providers to learn the ins and outs of policy and governance so they can “recognize factors that influence the applicability, usefulness, and uptake of climate products and services.” 

Apply Today: Frontline Community Climate Resilience Scientist

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The UW Climate Impacts Group is seeking to grow our team with a new, full-time Frontline Community Climate Resilience Scientist (position open now!) and a full-time Program Integration Specialist (position posting coming soon!).

The Frontline Community Scientist will bring thought leadership and coordination to a new climate justice-focused research collaborative at the Climate Impacts Group. The Frontline Community Scientist will have a unique opportunity to advance the theory and practice of climate services provision to frontline communities while working collaboratively with Native American tribes, rural communities and communities of color.

This position will involve leading and supporting research projects in climate resilience and climate justice; participating in strategic planning; coordinating and communicating across leadership and our partner organizations; among other responsibilities. Our partner organizations include community-facing partners; non-profits, and academic researchers across Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.

We are looking for a candidate who has experience working across a diverse range of communities (including Native American tribes, rural communities, and urban communities of color) on issues related to climate change and environmental justice. This position will also require effective networking among academic researchers with substantive specialties ranging from the physical and natural sciences to the social and policy sciences. The ability to understand and find connections across these diverse fields of knowledge is crucial.

The expected salary range for this position is $80K to $90K, with potential for higher.

We will start reviewing applications for this position on September 3. To learn more and apply, please visit the UW Hires website.

Questions and answers about this position:

We will post answers to questions we receive about this position on this webpage to ensure transparency and equity in our hiring process. Please check back occasionally for more information. 

I noticed that you are hiring for two climate justice-focused positions; the Frontline Community Scientist and the Climate Justice Research Program Integration Specialist. I was wondering if you might consider the same person for both positions, assuming that both applications are submitted before the earlier deadline of September 3.
Thank you for the interest in these positions. You are correct that they are quite different, so we encourage interested parties to apply to the one that they are best suited to and most interested in. That said, we will be evaluating each candidate pool independently so if you are truly interested in both positions you could apply for both of them (with each application being submitted before the deadline for that position). If you want us to know that you are applying to the other position, please note that in your cover letter.

I tried to submit my application through the UW career website, but I can’t find the option to attach my resume or cover letter. Can I submit them via email?
Thank you for reaching out to us. In the interest of equity, we’re only accepting applications that come to us through the UWHires website. If you’ve submitted a resume/CV and cover letter through that site, you should be good to go. If you’re having trouble with the site, please reach out to the UWHires Help Desk (uwhires@uw.edu; (206)543-2544).

Is the position soft money?
All positions at the Climate Impacts Group are “soft money” in the sense that no professional research positions at the UW have direct funding from the state like most UW faculty positions do. However, the Climate Impacts Group recently won a five-year grant to fund a large portion of the work we anticipate this position doing. We expect the successful candidate to *eventually* participate in raising funds for their own salary and/or support staff salary and/or to raise money to subsidize the participation of frontline communities in our work with and for them.

Are you accepting application from Canadians? (I do not have a work permit for the US).

Unfortunately, the University does not allow for candidates from other countries for this type of position (Research Scientists fall in the Professional Staff category at UW).

What is the expected duration of the position?
This position is not a temporary position. Our hope is to find a candidate who can flourish at the Climate Impacts Group for many years to come. Note the answer to the question about soft money above as well.

Is this position open for students on an F1 visa?
No, unfortunately we cannot hire a student on an F1 visa for this position.

Is it based in Seattle, and is there any potential for remote work?
The position is based in Seattle, but there is a possibility for remote work. Generally, we expect a new employee to spend a couple of years making connections and building relationships at the Climate Impacts Group in Seattle before pursuing a remote work arrangement. But because this position works regionally across Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana we have some flexibility.

What are the travel duties (if any) associated with working with community partners and frontline communities?
There will be travel associated with this position. We cannot specify exact travel requirements since the position will evolve over time and the COVID-19 pandemic has made answering such questions difficult. But expect to travel to communities throughout the Northwest several times per year.

When is your desired start date for this position?
We hope to bring the successful applicant onboard as soon as possible. We have a research program starting in the fall and need to onboard the successful applicant in time to help lead the research program in the near future.

Published August 3, 2021, updated August 23, 2021.