Roadmapping Analyst, Agricultural & Ecological Solutions

About Spark Climate Solutions

Spark Climate Solutions is accelerating progress in emerging climate fields, towards repairing the climate. Spark focuses on high-leverage, under-resourced solution areas and takes a systems approach, collaboratively working with experts and other stakeholders, to accelerate these fields by building strategic roadmaps, providing research funding, seeding new organizations, and communicating with the public. Spark’s first focus area is accelerating solutions for near-term warming management, starting with enteric fermentation mitigation and methane removal. Our team has deep expertise in science, engineering, and climate-focused philanthropy. Spark’s funders include the Grantham Foundation, Quadrature Climate Foundation, Astera Institute, Climate Pathfinders Foundation, and Additional Ventures.

Position Summary

Agriculture produces 25% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions—as much as electricity generation. Spark is currently working on two of the largest blockers to bring these emissions below zero: a lack of accessible greenhouse gas measurement technology and also solutions for livestock enteric methane production. Enteric methane is ~25% of global anthropogenic methane emissions, driving ~0.1°C and counting of current warming.- which is 6% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Current enteric methane commercial solutions incompletely address the very small portion of methane emissions from cows on feedlots and similar, globally estimated at ~2-5% (but getting better data here is another challenge to address). Addressing the remaining 95%+ requires systematic research, international development, and sociology investments. Spark is very open to adding more agricultural and ecological solutions areas needing ecosystem support as our team expands. The Roadmapping Analyst would help drive roadmapping areas under the direction of Spark senior scientists and leadership. They would work with the team to translate these roadmaps into climate action via thought leadership, research grant programs, and providing persuasive technical depth to Spark’s collaborations with government and non-profit climate funders.

Responsibilities

Research and co-author R&D roadmaps for climate solutions areas to develop new solutions communities, publications, and projects.
Design research programs to accelerate progress towards discovering and inventing new climate solutions.
Evaluate science and engineering funding proposals based on their scientific merit, impact-alignment, and contribution to the broader ecosystem
Build relationships with science, policy, and philanthropic partners to collaborate on roadmaps, research agendas, and granting opportunities.
Serve as a subject matter expert and area advocate to other organizations and funders involved in the space.
Represent Spark and your efforts in professional forums.
Identify new areas to pursue.

Experience

Experience independently running projects and complex worktracks in research-heavy areas, in academia, consulting, or business environments.
Over 3 years combined professional and research experience, inclusive of any graduate work. The ideal candidate has a technical background in agriculture, biology, biogeochemistry, environmental scientist or biochemistry.
Preferably, experience doing roadmapping or agenda-setting in an academic, business, or non-profit context.
Proven ability to initiate independent projects and work across disciplines.
Excellent written, speaking / presentation, and interpersonal communication skills to engage effectively within the organization and with external collaborators / stakeholders.
Scientific literacy and comfort working with scientific material and collaborating with leading scientists in a given field (likely a Masters or above in science or engineering, or equivalent experience).
Insatiable drive to learn about the climate problem and help drive solutions.
Flexibility, creativity, and tenacity.
Fluency in English.

Location

As with all positions at Spark Climate Solutions, this will be 100% remote. Employees can work anywhere within the United States, or internationally with approval. Our center of gravity is in the SF Bay Area, with a possible option (not requirement) of some in-person work later in 2022.

Eligibility

Able to work as a W2 employee for a US non-profit.
At least 4 overlapping work hours with US Pacific time work day (9a-5pm PT).

Compensation

These are all full-time positions with benefits. The salary range is $60,000-$110,000 / year, depending on location and experience. In addition, Spark Climate Solutions provides exceptional benefits including flexible PTO, sick time, holidays, generous health insurance coverage, 401(k) with employer match, and full-covered dental/vision/life insurance, and parental leave.

‍