Research Officer in CGE Modelling

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) wishes to make a 5-year, tenure-track appointment to join the climate and energy modelling team. The post also entails an adjunct position at Trinity College Dublin .

The Institute

The Economic and Social Research Institute, founded in 1960, is located in Dublin’s South Docklands area. Its mission is to produce high quality research, relevant to Ireland’s economic and social development, with the aim of contributing to knowledge and informing policymaking and public debate. It has over 110 staff including economists, sociologists, psychologists, social scientists, support and technical staff.

The Research Programme on Climate, Energy and Economyat the ESRI

The ESRI research programme on Climate, Energy and the Economy started in 2017 and aims to enhance the modelling capability in assessing the relationship between economic trends, policies and energy demand and associated greenhouse gas emissions. To date, this has involved constructing an energy Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model of the Irish economy, namely Ireland Environment, Energy and Economy (I3E) model (www.esri.ie/current-research/the-i3e-model). This model is linked to the ESRI’s macro-econometric COSMO model and an ESRI transport demand model.

The research programme aims to analyse energy/environment policy and other climate and energy issues in Ireland. More specifically it will be used to advise on the impacts of various climate policy options across sectors as well as estimate future energy demand for emission projection purposes. The ESRI has strong links to a wide range of key stakeholders, and this research has been extensively used as input to policymaking and is expected to significantly influence energy and climate change policy in Ireland going forward.

Role Description

The Research Officer will be part of a three-member climate modelling team and will primarily be working on the I3E model’s maintenance and development. The ESRI is looking to expand the development and use of this model and is looking for a Research Officer to join the team. The successful candidate will be expected to be an integral part of the future development of the I3E model, where the focus will likely lie be on further disaggregation of the model and linking the I3E to other models (such as energy engineering models).  In this respect, the candidate will be working closely with both the macro-modelling and energy teams at the ESRI on the further development and expansion of the I3E model.

The successful candidate is expected to develop research on climate change at the ESRI and will develop new research projects in this area. It is also envisaged that the successful candidate will collaborate with researchers in other institutions on the development of soft links between the I3E model and other national models. There will also be opportunities to contribute to the development of new research projects and to other areas of research in the Institute, in line with their skills and funding opportunities. Moreover, the candidate is expected to guide and coach more junior researchers within the research area. As the publication of the findings is prioritized, the candidate is expected to contribute to publishing and disseminating results in both academic and policy-related fora. An important aspect of this role is interacting with political stakeholders, private and corporate stakeholders, other institutions, and funders. The candidate is be expected to present the research outputs on various platforms ranging from meetings with stakeholders to conferences.

Skills, Qualifications and Experience

The position requires advanced skills in the areas of energy and climate modelling, and it is desirable that the candidate also have some experience with macroeconomic models. To be considered for appointment as Research Officer for the Climate, Energy and Economy Research Programme, a candidate must have:

• A Ph.D. in economics,
• Minimum 4 years postdoctoral or equivalent research experience,
• Research experience in intertemporal CGE/AGE modelling (model development and calibration) with GAMS, preferably covering energy/climate topics,
• Having knowledge in the GTAP database, R and Latex will be an advantage,
• Excellent writing skills,
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills,
• Demonstrated ability to work successfully within a highly motivated team and on their own initiative,
• Proven ability to deliver high quality output to tight deadlines,
• Flexibility and capacity to contribute to other areas of ESRI research.

Terms & Application Procedure

Appointment will be at Research Officer grade. A mapping of ESRI grades to the corresponding grades in the Irish University system is set out below. Appointments at Research Officer are normally made on five-year, fixed-term contracts. The successful candidate will be eligible for tenure, subject to assessment.

Prospective candidates are encouraged to contact [email protected] for further information on the terms and conditions of this position. The role is full-time (35 hours per week - standard working hours are 0930-1730, Monday – Friday; flexible working hours are supported). The successful candidate will be based in our offices in Dublin 2 and the option of blended working arrangements is available. The appointee will also hold an adjunct position at Trinity College Dublin. Secondment arrangements may be considered for eligible candidates.

The closing date for applications is 5pm on 05 October 2022. All applications will be acknowledged. The selection process will consist of a preliminary interview and, for candidates successful at that stage, a final interview and presentation. The ESRI is currently conducting selection processes via videoconference (MS Teams or Zoom). Late or incomplete applications will not be processed. 

The ESRI is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to accommodating the needs of people with disabilities to enable them to participate in the selection process. Please let us know if you have any particular requirements should you be invited for assessment/interview or that you wish us to take into account when considering your application.