With world attention focused on both the environment and the economy, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is where policymakers and business leaders turn for win-win solutions. This leading green group, founded in 1967, has tripled in size over the past decade by focusing on strong science, uncommon partnerships and market-based approaches. You can be part of a vibrant workplace that welcomes diverse perspectives, talents and contributions, where innovation and a focus on results are a way of life. With programs from Boston to Beijing, EDF is the only environmental group to receive an A rating from Wired magazine.
 
Environmental Defense Fund is currently hiring a Director of Economic Research to serve in a key leadership and research role within EDF’s Ocean Economics team in San Francisco. The Director will work with four other team members to create economic models aimed at innovating new ways to manage and sustain world fisheries. The Director will be responsible for convening the field’s leading experts around cross-cutting, leading edge research efforts. This is a unique and exciting opportunity for a dynamic, multidisciplinary thinker eager to apply economic skills to addressing the problem of unsustainable fishing. 

Responsibilities

• Serve as the lead researcher and convener for the Ocean Economics team, working closely with the Managing Director and other team members
• Design and manage research programs to advance the understanding of incentive-based fisheries management
• Convene the world’s leading academics, economists, investment experts and others to conduct long-term, in-depth analyses on topics such as:
  • Allocation of private shares of public goods
  • Collateralizing private ownership of fisheries
  • Creative financing of incentive-based fisheries management, monitoring and buy-outs of fisheries
  • 2nd generation of market-based fisheries management tools
  • Community impacts of fisheries management transitions
• Synthesize information from parallel fields (agricultural loans, stock-option pool allocation, cap-and-trade systems, environmental credit markets, land trusts, wetlands mitigation banks) to inform development of incentive-based fisheries management
• Research, analyze, and report on existing market-based conservation strategies
• Conduct in-depth literature reviews, direct maintenance of literature databases, and stay current with research developments in economics, finance, resource economics and related fields
• Write white papers for publication in peer-reviewed journals
• Create reports and analyses that lay the groundwork for financial deals to buy out fisheries and improve their economic efficiency and conservation status

Qualifications

• M.S. or Ph.D. in resource economics, finance, economic modeling or other related academic disciplines
• 5+ years experience in research roles with increasing responsibility and independence
• Strong skills in mathematics, modeling and synthetic analysis
• Skilled at identifying academic excellence and persuading discipline leaders to participate in new projects
• Voracious appetite for cutting edge developments in the academic and financial worlds
• Desire to publish and inspire others to publish in peer-reviewed journals and the grey literature
• Expert problem solver and scenario optimizer
• Ability to quickly become immersed and adept in new fields
• Ability to interface with content experts from a variety of disciplines and identify parallel solutions
• Experience creating meta-analyses
• Strong interest and ability in interdisciplinary work
• Understanding of business needs
• Excellent writing and communication skills
• Proven management experience

How to Apply:
 
Interested candidates should submit their cover letter, resume and salary requirements to:
 
Melissa Clack
Search Coordinator
Environmental Defense Fund
Email: OEResearch@cearecruiting.com
Web: www.edf.org
 
Please state the title of this position in the subject line of your email and submit cover letter and resume as separate file attachments. Please also let us know where you heard about this position.
 
Environmental Defense Fund is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities and the physically challenged are encouraged to apply.
Salary: Commensurate with experience.