STATE CLIMATOLOGIST (PART TIME 50% FTE)

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world. 

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

The University of Washington Climate Impacts Group (CIG) is hiring a part-time (0.5 FTE) Environmental Outreach Specialist to serve as the State Climatologist for the Office of the Washington State Climatologist (OWSC), which is housed within CIG on the UW Seattle Campus. Although this position will remain open until filled, applicant screening will begin March 1st.

Officially established in 2003, the Office of the Washington State Climatologist has had time to develop name recognition and long-term collaborative relationships with state agencies, the media, and across UW. Known for contextualizing current and past weather, it is often the first point of contact for placing current events in the context of climate. The Office responds to a large number of presentation requests, averaging about one per week, including some new audiences each year. One of the big successes of OWSC has been nearly a decade of close coordination with the Water Supply Availability Committee (WSAC), a Washington State interagency coordination committee. In addition to monthly coordination on drought conditions, OWSC’s participation has served to build the capacity of agency staff to access and interpret data as well as plan for the effects of climate change. OWSC also has a history of engaging in applied climate research that addresses key questions about trends and impacts.

The State Climatologist plans and directs the activities of the Office of the Washington State Climatologist. OWSC underwent strategic planning in 2022, resulting in 4 strategic goals to support our mission: 1) provide reputable climate data and interpretation, 2) broaden climate services through targeted engagement, 3) coproduce new applied climate research, and 4) acquire resources for the sustainability of the Office. The State Climatologist will be responsible for creatively implementing the strategic plan, with flexibility to pursue these goals consistent with their interests and experience. A major component of this will be to fundraise to build capacity for OWSC staff to effectively implement the strategic plan. The State Climatologist will supervise and work closely with the Deputy State Climatologist to carry out the strategic plan and the responsibilities of the office. In addition, there could be opportunities to work with both undergraduate and graduate students to fulfill OWSC goals. Current funds support a half-time position, and additional fundraising and grant writing would be required to develop this role into a full-time position.

OWSC is housed within the Climate Impacts Group (CIG) , and the State Climatologist will be part of a collaborative environment that includes a team of principal investigators. CIG supports the development of climate resilience by advancing understanding of climate risks & enabling science-based action to manage those risks.

The Office of the Washington State Climatologist and CIG are member organizations of EarthLab , a visionary institute that pushes boundaries to address our most pressing environmental challenges, with a focus on climate and its intersection with social justice. EarthLab does this by connecting faculty, students, and researchers at the University of Washington to community collaborators in businesses, non-profits, public agencies, Tribal nations, and others to co-produce actionable research that generates solutions and strategies for local and global impact. EarthLab’s vision, an equitable, just, and sustainable world where people and the planet thrive, supports one of the University’s biggest goals. As a Carnegie-classified Community Engagement University, the UW aspires to be the #1 university in the world as measured by impact. EarthLab is inspired by and committed to this challenge.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

EarthLab, the Climate Impacts Group, and OWSC acknowledge the systemic racism that exists in the environmental sector and within environmentalism. We believe every member on our team enriches our diversity by bringing a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions. We are seeking candidates who are committed to creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive work environment where all voices are considered and valued. In addition, part of the OWSC strategic plan identified providing climate services to groups that have been historically excluded from environmental and climate change spaces as a priority. Candidate’s ideas or past work on engaging new audiences could be an important consideration.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The position of State Climatologist provides leadership for all OWSC activities, and responds to media requests, public presentation requests, and engages with state agencies and other decision makers. This position will direct the Deputy State Climatologist to fulfill the OWSC mission while executing on the bold expansion plans in the OWSC strategic plan. As part of the CIG, there is flexibility to pursue and delegate tasks to other CIG staff to execute on OWSC work and priorities as needed. This is a .5 FTE position, and the level of effort among the responsibilities will vary at different times: