Job Opportunities

Organization's Summary Statement:

The Center for Global Sustainability (CGS) at the University of Maryland (UMD) is hiring up to three Postdoctoral Research Associates to support climate and sustainability research. This full-time, two-year position requires strong research, project management, writing, and communication skills, with a focus on linking analysis and policy. The associate will collaborate with CGS faculty, researchers, and partners to develop innovative approaches for achieving ambitious climate and sustainability goals at various levels. Research may involve quantitative modeling (e.g., GCAM), empirical methods, qualitative/mixed methods, or analyses of energy systems, land use, and climate forcers shaping policy debates.

Physical Demands: Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer

Preferences:
• Expertise in climate, energy, environment, and/or sustainability issues.
• Background in quantitative analysis and modeling.
• Strong coding skills in R and/or Python, where appropriate for the candidate’s discipline.
• Excellent English language proficiency required.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work in a team environment.

Licenses/ Certifications: None

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS: Cover letter addressing interest and relevant qualifications including quantitative skills, resume, first authored paper or writing sample

TELEWORK ELIGIBLE: Eligible to telework, on average, 2 days per week.
Additional Job Details

Required Application Materials: 
• Cover Letter addressing interest and relevant qualifications including quantitative skills
• Resume

Additional Benefits
• Work closely with the research team in a collaborative environment
• Develop skills in quantitative data analysis
• Opportunities for first-authored manuscripts
• Mentorship in grant writing
• Faculty status at the University of Maryland

We look forward to your application! Apply here.

Additional Job Details

Required Application Materials: 
•    Cover Letter addressing interest and relevant qualifications including quantitative skills
•    Resume

Best Consideration Date: June 15,2025

Posting Close Date: N/A

Open Until Filled: Yes

Other:

Additional Benefits
•    Work closely with the research team in a collaborative environment
•    Develop skills in quantitative data analysis
•    Opportunities for first-authored manuscripts
•    Mentorship in grant writing
•    Faculty status at the University of Maryland

We look forward to your application!

Financial Disclosure Required

For more information on Financial Disclosure, please visit Maryland's State Ethics Commission website.

Department

PLCY-Center for Global Sustainability

Worker Sub-Type 

Faculty Regular

Salary Range

$70,000.00-$80,000.00

Benefits Summary

For more information on Regular Faculty benefits, select this link.

Background Checks

Offers of employment are contingent on completion of a background check. Information reported by the background check will not automatically disqualify anyone from employment. Before any adverse decision, the finalist will have an opportunity to provide information to the University regarding disclosable background check information. The University reserves the right to rescind the offer of employment or otherwise decline or terminate employment if the information reported by the background check is deemed incompatible with the position, regardless of when the background check is completed.

Employment Eligibility

The successful candidate must complete employment eligibility verification (on Form I-9) by presenting documents that establish identity and work authorization within the timeframe required by federal immigration law, and where applicable, to demonstrate renewed employment authorization.  Failure to complete employment eligibility verification or reverification within the timeframe set forth by law may result in suspension or termination of employment.

EEO Statement

The University of Maryland, College Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment. Please read the University’s Equal Employment Opportunity Statement of Policy.

Title IX Non-Discrimination Notice

The Center for Global Sustainability (CGS, cgs.umd.edu) at the University of Maryland is looking for several research assistant(s) with excellent data management and visualization skills. The mission of CGS is, through our research and policy engagement, to change the way that governments, diverse organizations, and people around the world envision and implement new possibilities for ambitious climate action. Our team has significant and diverse experience in both delivering field-leading research and informing, supporting, and implementing policy in national and international contexts. 

CGS has projects focused on emission quantification and inventorying and is looking to update data management, data estimation, and data compilation tools and reduce reliance on spreadsheet-based calculations.  This role is ideal for candidates who enjoy turning ad-hoc analyses into clean, reproducible code and who want hands-on experience in modernizing real-world analytical systems.

These will be paid hourly positions in the spring. The research assistants will work with CGS and our collaborators, as appropriate, to support updating several workflows. Candidates will support workflows that match their skillset. Individual candidates may meet some but not all qualifications, skills, and competencies listed below. 

Potential roles/responsibilities

Data Transition & Coding

• Convert existing Excel and Google Sheets–based calculations into structured R scripts and functions
• Reproduce spreadsheet logic faithfully while identifying opportunities for simplification and optimization, including understanding business logic embedded in spreadsheets
• Develop modular, reusable R code using tidyverse and related packages
• Validate R outputs against legacy spreadsheet results to ensure consistency and accuracy

Data Cleaning & Preparation

• Import, clean, and transform raw data from spreadsheets and databases
• Handle missing data, data validation rules previously managed manually in spreadsheets
• Create standardized data pipelines to reduce manual intervention

Spatial Analyses

• Analyze spatial datasets to understand changes in land use/land cover over time
• Produce map visualizations of analytical results
• Calculate summary statistics across multiple geospatial scales

Documentation & Reproducibility

• Document assumptions, formulas, and data transformations clearly in code and markdown files
• Create README files and code comments to support handoff and long-term maintenance
• Assist in developing reproducible workflows using RMarkdown or Quarto
• Develop data visualizations in the form of data tables, charts, and graphs
• Create dashboards to allow for data exploration outside of R and to produce quick data visualizations by querying large databases

Support

• Provide basic training to help manage new or updated workflows/data compilation processes, etc.

Quality Assurance

• Perform checks on calculations (e.g., trend analysis, checking for outliers, etc.)
• Create automated QA/QC scripts that produce reports flagging data input mistakes or irregularities in data processing
• Track discrepancies between spreadsheet and R outputs and help resolve them
• Support version control practices using Git
• Participate in code reviews and incorporate feedback from senior staff

Skills & Competencies

• Analytical thinking and problem-solving
• Ability to interpret and reverse-engineer spreadsheet logic
• Clear written and verbal communication
• Willingness to ask questions and document assumptions
• Ability to work independently while following guidance

Tools & Technologies

• R and RStudio
• Excel / Google Sheets
• Git (basic)
• RMarkdown / Quarto
• Python and SQL (nice to have)
• Experience developing R/Python Shiny Apps (nice to have)
• GIS/QGIS and/or familiarity with R spatial analysis packages (nice to have)

To apply, please fill out this form. Applications will be reviewed in January on a rolling basis until the positions are filled. The priority deadline is January 5, 2026. 

About the Center for Global Sustainability: Through world-leading research and policy engagement, the Center for Global Sustainability at the University of Maryland seeks to change the way that governments, businesses, and people envision and implement possibilities for ambitious climate action. Founded in 2016 in response to the need for thought leadership, analysis, and engagement to support the achievement of global climate goals, its programs advance understanding to support ambitious national and subnational climate strategies, fossil phase-out, energy innovation, finance, and other priorities in the United States, China, Indonesia, India, Brazil, and other major economies. CGS currently supports about 30 researchers, and works with a rich community of collaborators around the world. CGS is housed within the University of Maryland School of Public Policy, which focuses on integrating practice with research, blending national and international policy, and working at all policy levels from local to global. It grants degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. It currently counts in its community roughly 800 undergraduates, 300 graduate students, 500 Executive Program students, 60 staff, and 80 faculty. The University of Maryland, College Park, is a land-grant, sea- grant, top tier (R1) research university, and is the major research university in the Washington, DC area, located 8 miles from the U.S. Capitol. It was recently ranked 14th in the U.S. in the National Science Foundation’s national rankings of all universities. It has an annual budget of $2.1 billion and administers approximately $1.2 billion in combined University of Maryland annual research awards. It has strengths in climate, energy, and environmental policy, environmental and earth sciences, remote sensing, climate and energy modeling, and computational and social sciences.

Diversity Statement: The University of Maryland, College Park, an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, creed, marital status, political affiliation, personal appearance, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment, in all aspects of employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. The Center for Global Sustainability is committed to fostering a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive world both within our community and through collaborative research and action. Read the CGS Vision on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion here.