Deputy Director, Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia Climate School

The Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) of the Columbia Climate School seeks a Research Scientist or Senior Research Scientist to serve as its Deputy Director. This position will report to the CIESIN’s Director. The Deputy Director will:

• Support the director and serve as a member of CIESIN’s leadership team, contributing to its strategic development as an internationally recognized nongovernmental organization, its evolving role in research, practice, and education in the Columbia Climate School (CCS) and Columbia University more generally, and its sustainability in terms of finances, human resources, technical capacity, and scientific leadership.
• Maintain and expand major funding initiatives, through NASA, USAID, other government agencies, and foundations, including private philanthropy. Share vision of how CIESIN’s technical capacity—including data sciences, open science, remote sensing, and modeling—and interdisciplinary subject matter expertise can support new partnerships and initiatives, in line with CIESIN’s strategic plan.
• Ensure sound management of sponsored projects; initiate and pursue development and proposal efforts with relevant CCS offices; represent CIESIN as appropriate in the CCS; ensure CIESIN engagement and teaching through CCS educational initiatives; contribute to the CCS’s data and infrastructure plan implementation; and work with the director and management team to implement CIESIN’s strategic plan.
• Represent CIESIN, including its projects, staff, capabilities, and accomplishments, in relevant local, regional, national, and international venues and in interactions with partners, funders, networks, and other stakeholder communities.
• Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism (DEIA) within CIESIN, at the CCS, and in broader communities and networks in which CIESIN is active.
• Work with the director to develop appropriate strategies and initiatives to strengthen CIESIN’s scientific and technical capacity and visibility, and to improve its financial sustainability and resilience, in coordination with the CCS leadership and other elements of the CCS and Columbia University.

II. CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support the director in implementing and monitoring progress of CIESIN strategic initiatives and plans, large funding proposals, and major programs in coordination with relevant CIESIN staff and partners.
• Contribute to oversight of CIESIN sponsored projects, activities, and proposal development in terms of project obligations, finances, and compliance, in coordination with relevant CIESIN, CCS, and Columbia staff and partners. 
• Represent CIESIN in key external organizations and networks relevant to CIESIN’s mission, strategic priorities, sponsors, and partnerships. 
• Share responsibilities with CIESIN’s director in CCS governance where appropriate and participate in CIESIN engagement in CCS committees, initiatives, programs, and other activities. 
• Initiate and pursue CIESIN development and institutional advancement efforts and support CCS development initiatives as appropriate. 
• Contribute to CIESIN outreach and outputs in terms of quality, focus, impact, balance, and resource investment, including through blogging, writing news items, an engaging in social media for newsworthy items. 
• Oversee improvement of CIESIN mission statement, priorities, policies, procedures, and practices on an ongoing basis in light of evolving CCS, CU, and other applicable requirements, policies, and goals. 

RESPONSIBILITY FOR BUDGET/ASSETS

Budget responsibility of up to $10 million.

Qualifications

• Doctorate in social, natural, health, or engineering science or equivalent work experience, and at least 5 years of experience in interdisciplinary research and/or practice related to human interactions in the environment or sustainable development.
• Interest in and experience with spatial data development/analysis, data science, open science approaches (including open source code), scientific data management, decision support systems, and/or information technology preferred.
• Expertise in one or more of the following areas: environmental justice; population dynamics; climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation; natural disasters; remote sensing applications; food security; land use & change; environment/security connections; climate mitigation and policy; sustainability science.
• Technical experience in one or more of the following: remote sensing, geospatial information science and technology, social science data, data science, machine learning and/or AI, climate and environmental modeling, data and information integration.
• Demonstrated program leadership, project management, fundraising, and oral/written communication skills.
• A team player with demonstrated ability to lead or co-lead interdisciplinary teams of researchers and/or practitioners.
• Experience in institutional advancement and development activities, including writing successful funding applications.
• Experience in writing technical reports and writing for public / interdisciplinary audiences.
• Experience in national or international or subject-matter networks, organizations, or communities involved in human-environment interactions and/or scientific data management and applications.
• Experience preferred in educational programs, technical training, and/or capacity building, especially related to sustainable development or DEIA.
• Experience preferred in publishing in scientific journals.

The search will remain open for a least 30 days after the advertisment appears and will continue until the position is filled.

To apply visit: https://academic.careers.columbia.edu/#!/140812

Columbia University benefits accompany this Officer of Research appointment.

The Climate School values diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from members of underrepresented minority groups.