Thursday, 25 September 2014 09:08
Duration: 12 months [with possibility of extension]
Salary range: Competitive, based on the Swedish market
Start date: December 2014 / January 2015 – exact date is negotiable
Duty station: Stockholm, Sweden
Application deadline: 2 November 2014
Open to: Both external and internal candidates
SEI is recruiting an independently motivated colleague with a strong background in quantitative modelling who is committed to helping expand our innovative work on understanding the environmental impacts of the consumption of globally traded commodities.
The candidate will contribute to further develop the SEI-PCS tool (Spatially Explicit Information on Production to Consumption Systems), which allows for linking global consumption of traded commodities with regions of production at sub-national scales. This innovative model allows for much improved socio-environmental accounting of the impacts associated with consumption than current models, which only produce country-to-country assessments. The candidate will also help integrating the SEI-PCS tool with other SEI trade tools such as IOTA MRIO.
Duties and responsibilities
The candidate will join a group of researchers that focus on understanding the sustainability implications of evolving trade, production and consumption patterns of major traded commodities in an increasingly resource scarce and globalized world.
Key responsibilities include
- Improve and expand the SEI-PCS model to new countries and commodities, acquiring and processing large production and trade datasets.
- Improve the code in which the SEI-PCS currently runs, contribute to develop a simple software, interface and visualization platform.
- Integrate diverse environmental extensions, such as, greenhouse gas emissions, water, land use, biodiversity and agrochemical into the SEI-PCS model.
- Provide quantitative support to an exciting range of other work at SEI, supporting front-line research in the field of environment and development, including for example on Amazon deforestation analyses or consumption patterns.
Requirements
The applicant should have a strong interest in applying quantitative analyses to help understanding some of the major environmental challenges the world is facing. The candidate is expected to be capable of working both independently and in team in a highly flexible and exciting research environment.
Key qualifications
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in physics, mathematics, engineering, computer science, or related field. If not formally trained in these fields the candidate should demonstrate extensive personal experience of quantitative modelling and programming
- Fluency in programming (e.g. C/C++, Python, Ruby) and in mathematical operations using R, MatLab or similar
- Good skills in data handling of large databases. Experience in creating and maintaining databases (e.g. MySQL) is an asset
- Fluency in English
Desirable qualifications
- Previous experience in applied environmental research, ideally with focus on quantitative analysis of trade flows, consumption accounting, or environmental impacts assessment
- Experience in statistical analysis
- Basic understanding of GIS applications
- Fluency in other major languages
How to apply
Applications must be submitted online. Application documents must be uploaded in PDF or Word format and consist of a CV and a cover letter that includes the names and contact details of three referees. Applications should be written in English and arrive at SEI as soon as possible but no later than November 2, 2014.
Inquiries concerning the content of the position can be directed to Magnus Bucht, Human Resources Director; magnus.bucht@sei-international.org or Javier Godar, Research Fellow javier.godar@sei-international.org or The Union at SEI Stockholm which is represented in this recruitment process by kim.andersson@sei-international.org.
The selected candidate will be employed by SEI in Stockholm, following Swedish labor laws. Remunerations will be competitive based on the Swedish market and will be subject to Swedish income tax.
