Important Info
Please send applications to applywithcos@stanford.edu with the subject line “Sustainability Action Lab PostDoc Application.” Applications should be submitted as soon as possible and will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Applicants must be available to start no later than September 2023.
Climate change is creating a health crisis of planetary dimension, with vulnerable populations most at risk. To address this crisis, the Human & Planetary Health Initiative at the Woods Institute is launching a new Sustainability Action Lab. Housed in Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment, the lab will create teams of faculty, students and external partners to advance evidence-based solutions through health policy, private-sector innovations, and community engagement.
Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment invites applications for a post-doctoral position on sustainability action. The Sustainability Action Lab Fellow will join the thriving community of the Woods Institute, the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions and the new Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. The Fellow will report to Jim Leape and will receive mentorship from an interdisciplinary team of faculty and researchers connecting scientific research with real-world decision making.
This one-year, full-time fellowship is crafted for early-career scholars with a strong interest in sustainability science, law and policy design and implementation as well as the important interactions therein. The fellowship offers a hands-on opportunity to apply your scientific skills and expertise to address urgent and intensifying sustainability policy challenges throughout the world. This work will build on and deepen partnerships with policy stakeholders and Stanford’s long track record of engagement on global sustainability issues.
The Fellow will use quantitative and qualitative methods, working with students to (1) identify focal areas for integrating Blue Foods into Indonesia’s National Development Plan (2) synthesize examples of how different countries have implemented key suggested pathways for more effective integration of Blue Foods and (3) determine major data gaps and key research needs for the development of effective policies for Blue Foods.
As part of the above, the Fellow will play a lead role in organizing and implementing a multidisciplinary Sustainability Action Lab in each quarter of Stanford’s academic year (September-June) that creates opportunities for Stanford graduate students to conduct rigorous and timely analysis in support of the objectives outlined above. The Fellow will also engage with external policy partners and practicum “clients” to ensure that products are maximally relevant to active policy processes, engaging directly in such processes when appropriate.
Key Responsibilities
▪ Conduct relevant research to inform direction of student research;
▪ Mentor students during academic quarters;
▪ Co-design the course with the co-instructors.
About the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment
The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment is working toward a future in which societies meet people’s needs for water, food, health and other vital services while sustaining the planet. As the university's hub of interdisciplinary environment and sustainability research, the Stanford Woods Institute is the go-to place for Stanford faculty, researchers and students to collaborate on environmental research. Their interdisciplinary work crosses sectors and disciplines, advancing solutions to the most critical, complex environmental and sustainability challenges.
Working on campus and around the globe, the Stanford Woods Institute community develops environmental leaders; informs decision-makers with unbiased scientific data; and convenes experts from all of Stanford’s seven schools, other leading academic institutions, government, NGOs, foundations and business. The Stanford Woods Institute is pursuing breakthrough knowledge and solutions that link knowledge to action and solve the environmental challenges of today and tomorrow.
- Received a J.D. or Ph.D. in a related field in the last three years;
- Demonstrated interest and experience in sustainability issues, particularly associated with food systems, including but not limited to: law, policy, science, technology, or data analysis;
- Strong academic credentials, excellent writing and editing abilities, interpersonal and teamwork skills, and a collaborative spirit;
- A commitment to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion within the workplace and a track record of community engagement and service;
- Strong organizational/management skills, attention to detail, self-motivation, and aptitude for working with students and diverse policy stakeholders;
- Exemplary written and verbal communication skills; fluency in English;
- Sound judgment and exceptional ethical standards in serving as a trusted source for evidence-based analysis and policy engagement;
- Superlative inter-personal skills; self-starter, with the ability to work independently and as a member of a team, and to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Cover letter summarizing your interest in the position and relevant experience
- CV
- Writing sample
- Contact information for three references
