Climate Change Research Fellow - Electricity Affordability - Center for Law, Energy & Environment - School of Law

At Berkeley Law, we are committed to excellence in education and scholarship, as well as equality of opportunity. We believe we have a responsibility to use our substantial intellectual capital to help solve real-world problems and to create a more just society through clinics, research, and policy engagement. We believe that a Berkeley Law degree is a tool for change, both locally and globally, and that we should be educating the leaders of tomorrow. We maintain an environment that nurtures academic and personal growth, respects a diversity of ideas, and stimulates independent thought and critical reasoning.

The Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE) is based at the UC Berkeley School of Law, which benefits from one of the leading environmental law programs in the nation. Building on UC Berkeley's history of and commitment to research and public service, CLEE leverages the intellectual resources of Berkeley faculty and students in furtherance of applied research in a variety of environmental and energy law and policy areas. CLEE's research priorities include combating climate change, advancing sustainable energy, addressing water allocation and management challenges, and sustaining healthy oceans, among other pressing environmental and energy challenges.

The electricity affordability research will involve will working with state government leaders and electricity grid experts to identify and address research needs for practical solutions that can help both advance clean energy goals and reduce electricity rates in California. The work will involve convening these experts and drafting background material and research support for identified solutions. Ultimately, these activities will culminate in a policy report and a communications campaign to disseminate the ideas.

Primary Responsibilities

The climate policy fellow will:

• Conduct research on electricity affordability, including:
  
  
  
  • Analyze existing utility programs and legislative and agency policies to identify opportunities to reduce ratepayer costs and meet California's climate and energy goals. This will include conducting interviews, literature review, and using other research approaches to assess the options.
  • Based on outreach and other research, identify needed law and policy research questions.
  • Synthesize existing and original research to develop and describe policies, tools, and frameworks that can advance electricity affordability and clean energy goals.
  
  
  
  
• Convene electricity experts and policy makers for high-level meetings to identify and assess policy options and needed research needs.
• Support other researchers, including meeting with research fellows to support research progress; providing fellow mentorship and professional development; and recruitment of new research fellows.
• Identify funding opportunities to expand CLEE's research portfolio focused on electricity affordability and clean energy goals and provide input and support on proposal development.
• Represent CLEE to diverse audiences including policymakers, the media, and partner organizations.
• Support CLEE's communication and outreach activities across a range of media and work products, including drafting op-eds and blog posts; materials for the CLEE website; contributing to newsletters, annual reports, and other organizational materials.

For More Information: https://www.law.berkeley.edu/research/clee/

Candidate must hold an advanced degree

Master's degree plus three years of professional experience , JD or PHD.

• JD or PhD degree and at least 5 years of professional experience
• Demonstrated experience working at the intersections of law, policy, climate change, and equity.
• Knowledge and experience working on energy regulation, electricity rates, and affordability.
• Record of successful outputs, including policy-relevant publications based on research and analysis.
• Ability to work with people from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds and policy perspectives.
• Ability to prioritize and function both independently and collaboratively
• Demonstrated ability to finish projects and deliver on commitments
• Willingness to plunge into unfamiliar disciplines
• Willingness to take risks by exploring and testing new ideas
• Experience working with state and local policy makers, environmental organizations, community leaders, and other stakeholders in California.
• Excitement and commitment to CLEE's mission and environmental sustainability, more generally.

• 3 required (contact information only)

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included. Successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skill related to ensuring equity and inclusion in the activities of their academic position (e.g., teaching, research, and service, as applicable).

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

Please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment