The Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) seeks to hire two team members: A Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Climate and Security (CCS) and a Research Fellow for its Ecological Security Program. 

Senior Research Fellow

The person filling this role will:

Help lead the work of CCS at the nexus of climate change, ecological security and food security by:

• Assessing the food, ecological and climate security landscapes with a focus on identifying gaps in the field and devising plans to contribute to filling them.
• Developing policy recommendations for the U.S. policy community to prioritize addressing these nexus dynamics. 
• Collaborating with the CCS team to conduct international workshops and engagements on these nexus issues. 
• Developing and leading a food security sub-committee of the CCS Climate Security Working Group and Climate Security Advisory Group.
• Developing new projects.
• Ensuring CCS work advances the organization’s mission.

Responsibilities for this role will include:

• Providing substantive leadership, including through writing policy relevant research papers and memos. 
• Conducting regular outreach to government officials, international contacts, and other stakeholders. This will include private meetings, writing short form and in-depth reports, public speaking, and other outreach activities.
• Engaging stakeholder networks and strategic partners. This may include advisors and affiliates of the organization, senior security and foreign policy leaders, donors, and beyond. 
• Helping to manage CCS workstreams related to food and climate security. In some cases, this will require leading consortiums of coauthors, contributors, and project partners.  
• Developing, fundraising for, and managing projects, and ensuring a high quality of work. 
• Managing growth, navigating change, and troubleshooting, in collaboration with the CCS Director and other leaders across CSR. 

The ideal candidate will have:

• A proven track record of expertise and experience addressing risks related to food security, ecological security and/or climate change. This could include experience on topics related to agriculture, land use, fisheries management, etc. 
• A strong working knowledge of international security issues and trends.
• Strong writing, editing, and briefing skills.
• A collaborative mentality and strong interpersonal skills.
• Experience with program management, including complex, multi-year grants.
• A desire to work in interdisciplinary, silo-busting environments.
• A combination of significant experience relevant to the roles identified above and/or an advanced degree in a related field
• An ability to thrive in a flexible, innovative and largely remote working environment
• Location in Washington, D.C. or the ability to travel there when needed

Research Fellow, Ecological Security Program

The candidate filling this role will be responsible for leading and/or assisting in the following types of activities:

• Contributing to ongoing research and original analysis to deepen the world’s ecological security knowledge base, potentially including topics such as:
  • Pathways from ecological disruption to conditions of insecurity and collapse; 
  • Societal disruptions that could arise from certain ecological regime shifts and tipping points; and  
  • Region-specific case studies that include an examination of social capacities for managing ecological and climate stress. 
• Support the Ecological Security Program, which is focused on understanding and addressing security risks posed by ecological disruption and its deep intersections with climate change. 
• Helping grow and manage CSR’s ecological security workstreams, such as our Ecological Security Working Group and fellowship program.
• Writing reports, op-eds, and quick turn-around blog posts; and helping to develop podcasts, webinars, and other products to facilitate public and private outreach.
• Planning and executing meetings, events, and workshops to maximize impact. 
• Contributing to the program’s communications strategy.
• Supporting fundraising efforts and maintaining strong relationships with funders.
• Contributing to project management.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Expertise in climate change and other ecological risks, perhaps including but not limited to marine issues, species extinction, land use change, pollution, zoonotic disease, wildlife crime, and ecological tipping points.
• A strong working knowledge of international security issues and trends.
• Interest in, or knowledge related to, multifaceted crises and converging risks.
• Strong writing, editing, and briefing skills.
• A collaborative mentality and strong interpersonal skills.
• A combination of experience relevant to the roles identified above and/or an advanced degree. 
• Location in Washington, DC, or the ability to travel there when needed.

Team-Building Responsibilities

All positions for which CSR is recruiting will entail organizational responsibilities such as:

• Participating in strategic evaluation, development, and personnel processes for CSR.
• Helping to create a multidisciplinary, silo-busting environment.
• Helping to advance CSR’s diversity and inclusivity goals.
• Taking on other responsibilities that may be requested, as CSR’s interdisciplinary environment requires flexibility and an interest in working across a variety of international security issues.

CSR seeks candidates with the vision and potential needed to become a true leader in national and international security. CSR has a highly flexible work environment. Outside of specific meetings and events (when they may be conducted safely) virtual working is our norm. 

CSR’s pay band for candidates hired at the Senior Fellow level will be $114,000-$165,000, based on the qualifications and experience levels of the applicants. CSR’s pay band for candidates hired at the Fellow level will be $78,000-$114,000 based on the qualifications and experience levels of the applicants. CSR’s current benefits include health insurance with employer coverage of 70% of premium costs and a range of plan options; a 403(b) retirement plan for which CSR matches employee contributions dollar for dollar up to 6% of their salary, with no vesting delay; and 21 full days of leave and 3 sick days, in addition to observing all U.S. federal holidays.

CSR will consider applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled, with a strong preference for selected candidates to begin no later than January 2023.

CSR is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate and will take affirmative action measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, political affiliation, matriculation status, genetic disposition or carrier status, or any other category protected under applicable federal, state or local law.